Adam nodded his head. “Split up in groups. The first group, get some sleep. The rest, keep watch.”
Broni wondered at Rhys’s seemingly unconcerned state. He stood relaxed at the bar, listening to the radio and observing their reactions.
She decided to get some sleep while she could, going to Rhys’s room where she lay down on the bed, glad for once the room didn’t have windows. She prayed for Mother to keep them safe, dozing off quickly after her sleepless night.
Sometime later, she felt herself being jerked awake. The light was on and Rhys’s hands were pressed against her throat.
“I want you to tell me the truth. What in the fuck is going on and don’t tell me that bullshit you’ve made up.”
“I’m telling you the truth!” Broni tried to struggle against his grip, only succeeding in making him tighten his grip against her throat.
“Why aren’t they attacking? Most of the men in the other room want to throw you out to them, so you better give me one fucking reason not to let them.”
“You have to protect me; you owe me!”
“I don’t owe you shit.”
“Get off me!” As Broni hit at him with her fists, Rhys’s hands released their grip on her throat.
“They aren’t attacking because I used another old Earth spell my mother taught me when I was a child. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if it would work. There must be a dead body buried on the clubhouse property. Their spirit is keeping the Drearien away.”
Rhys moved away from her, leaning back against the headboard of the bed. When he began laughing, Broni finally understood his earlier calm behavior. He hadn’t believed a word she had told him, thinking the riots would be stopped. He had only lost his cool when her life had been threatened.
“It’s the truth, but it won’t last long. An immortal can break the spell, and then there won’t be anything to hold them back,” Broni explained. “Are you going to let them throw me out to the Drearien?”
“Dammit.”
She knew Rhys did not want to be responsible for her; he barely took care of himself, so he had no reason to believe himself capable of keeping her safe. He hadn’t been able to protect his family from one man. Would he even want to protect her from men he had grown close to the last three years?
It had to be a difficult decision to make. Rhys had already put himself on the line for her when he had bought her during the auction, and it would be made even worse if the others kept demanding he get rid of her.
When he got off the bed, going to the door, Broni knew he had made his decision, and it wasn’t good.
She scooted to the end of the bed. “If you’ve made up your mind to give me to them, I won’t stop you.” She got to her feet, going to stand behind him at the door. “Before you do, though, I want one last time with you. You can just say it’s a going away present if it makes you feel better.”
“Do you think fucking you is going to change my mind?” He looked over his shoulder to see Broni removing her shirt, standing naked unashamedly.
Rhys’s head fell forward onto the door as he fought his body’s demands. He felt her as she moved closer to him, brushing her bare breasts against his back. She placed tiny kisses on his shoulder while her hand brushed his hip. Reaching forward, she slid her hand down the front of his jeans, finding his cock already beginning to harden.
“Don’t you want to feel my mouth on your cock again?” Her whisper was as light as her stroking fingers, driving the fire in him higher.
Rhys reached down and grabbed her hand, holding her tormenting fingers still. The strain of holding himself back had him clenching her hand. Not wanting to hurt her, he pulled her hand away from him.
Broni silently lay her head against his back. After watching him through the centuries, being near him was agony. She ached for the least touch from him, wanting him kept her in a perpetual state of arousal, despite the danger they could be found in at any minute.
Disgusted with her behavior, Broni turned away and picked up her shirt.
“Broni.” She turned back when she heard him groan her name. He had turned from the door and was facing her. He started to say something, but Broni shook her head.
“I know it doesn’t mean anything.” She knelt down in front of him, unbuttoning his jeans before pulling out his cock.
Broni’s head moved forward and her mouth covered the crest, drawing it into her mouth. The pleasure it gave her was unbelievable.
His hands burrowed into her hair, and for a moment, Broni feared he would pull her away. Instead, they tightened, pushing her down farther on his hard cock. Her tongue flicked against his tip as she applied pressure on the staff. He slid deep into her throat as her gentle hands reached out to stroke his tight balls.
Hetouched her cheek, wanting to remind himself this woman wasn’t the one he really wanted; but when she raised her head in surprise, the love he saw in her eyes made him think of only her—Broni.
Rhys used his hands in her hair to pull her back down on his hard shaft.His head fell back against the door as her mouth drove him into a fury of lust. Her experienced tongue found the slit in his cock before tracing the crest, and each lick and flick of her tongue took him further away from the painful memories that never released him from their grip.