Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138274 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
“That is not true! I can’t believe you’re saying this—”
“I know what was done to him when he was a blood slave.” That shut her mahmen up, Bella’s face going pale. “You think I don’t know what those bands are on his neck and wrists? I know what he was.”
Bella put her hand out in what looked like a blind way, locking a grip on the back of one of the table’s spindle chairs as if her balance was off.
“We’ve never kept that from you.”
Nalla shrugged. “You never talked about it, either.”
There was a pause. And then in a hoarse voice, her mahmen said, “Some things you are not going to want to hear about firsthand. And I’ve always worried about you, too—”
Nalla pointed to the archway her mahmen had come through. “You walked in here, supposedly to check on me, but the first words out of your mouth are that he’s worried about me. It’s the story of my life. ‘Let’s not upset your father—’ ”
“I’ve never said that.”
“You don’t have to. The subtext is there—and please don’t deny it. We both know what’s been going on.”
“But you never talk about your life. I don’t know anything about—”
Nalla yanked her fleece down, exposing the still-raw bite mark on the side of her throat. “I fed a male of worth tonight and I do not regret it. I’m not going to apologize for it, either. And if you think I’m in a big hurry to talk to you two about what happened, you’re out of your mind. Father already hates him, and I know that you’re going to back your hellren—and I’m not interested in having this male threatened by a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.”
And no, she didn’t care that Nate had promised not to see her. This was her business, and her father needed to back the fuck off.
“Nalla, we want you to go out and live your life.”
“Maybe, but on your terms.” She threw up her hands. “Do you want to know what happened to me last night? A bunch of males at a club bet who could get me. They think it’s a game, proving who can bag the Brother Zsadist’s daughter—and live to tell about it because my father is so fucking scary.”
“That is terrible.” Bella shook her head. “There’s no excuse for that kind of behavior. But we can’t control what others do, you have to know that.”
“Yeah, well, it’s just one more way him being who he is affects my life. I have spent so many festivals sidelining things because no guy wanted to ask me to dance in front of him, so many nights alone, no future except work—”
“Again, I’m really sorry, but your father didn’t have anything to do with that—”
“Yes, he did. He threatened four males I know about, and God only knows how many I don’t—oh, he didn’t tell you?” As her mahmen continued to look surprised, Nalla nodded forcefully. “I always heard about it afterward, when I was hoping for a second date or even a first one, and the guy went hands-off because your hellren decided to ‘set them straight.’ ”
Bella rubbed her eyes like her head hurt. “He is protective of you, but that’s crossing a line.”
“You think? He was going to throw one of them off the bridge downtown if they treated me wrong. And before he tries to excuse it by saying he’s just watching out for me, those males didn’t even take a chance on me. They just up and left. I never had an opportunity to even try to find a relationship—and finally, I just gave up. I sat alone in my room…” Or with Bitty, who was naturally shyer. “… and didn’t live because it was easier than dealing with him.”
Bella dropped her hands as if in defeat. “You have to understand where your father is coming from.”
“At some point, that doesn’t matter anymore.”
“He really wants to support you. I’m not saying he’s doing it in the right way, but he loves you and he wants the best for you. If you brought home a male you—”
“Oh, I’m not bringing the one I’m with home. Like I said, Father already hates him. He made that amply clear last night. The good news is the guy I like doesn’t give a shit.”
Well, at least she could assume he didn’t based on how they’d ended up in that bed upstairs—
“Nate.” Bella almost kept the wince to herself. “I heard.”
“Spare me the lecture. You don’t know him like I do.”
“What I’m worried about is that you don’t know the real him, either.” Her mahmen put her palm up. “But I’m not going to argue with you about your feelings—”
“Of course not. Because, as always, it’s about my father for you. Not me.”
Bella’s eyes narrowed and got hard. “I did not raise you to speak to me like that.” When Nalla opened her mouth to argue, that voice got downright stern. “And fine, you want to talk about your father? Okay, let’s talk. Do you know where he is right now?”