Salinger

I can’t help but pace the small exam room, as the nurse takes a few vials of blood from Tia’s arm.

“That seems like a lot of blood just for one test,” Tia says, frowning.

I agree, my suspicions rising every second. But going against my father’s orders right before we’re about to get Giles back doesn’t seem like a smart idea.

“I’m just following orders,” he says, capping the last vial and marking it, before pulling out the needle in Tia’s arm. “Keep pressure on it for a few minutes.”

Tia glances over at me, brows drawn down as she holds a cotton ball over the area. “How long before we know?”

“I’m not sure.” The nurse gives us an apologetic smile before disappearing out the door.

“Is it just me or is this all really weird?” she asks, sliding off the examination table.

“Yeah. But let’s just stay focused on why we’re here.”

“Giles,” she says.

I nod. “Fallon and Banks will be here soon. We should go down to the lobby to meet them.”

“Sal.” She stops me when I start to open the door. “About yesterday...”

I flinch. “I’m really sorry about taking you there.”

“No. I’m glad you did.”

I meet her gaze and give her a don’t-bullshit-me-look, which makes her lips twitch.

“I mean, I’d rather not have met the women you...” She coughs. “Were intimate with. But I’m glad you showed me a piece of yourself. And I’m sorry for reacting the way I did. The whole thing was intriguing.”

“But?” I ask, hearing it in her voice.

“I guess, I just worry about those women. What if they wanted a life? Wanted to get married?”

I chuckle then, and she frowns.

“What?”

I try to keep a straight face, but it’s hard. “It’s their choice to be there, Tia.”

She shakes her head. “Why would they want that life?”

“In a way, it’s freedom.” I shrug when she narrows her eyes at me. “We don’t own them. Hell, Tia, I don’t even take a cut of their profit and I could.”

“Maybe I don’t want to hear this.”

“Not everyone wants the same thing. And some women aren’t content with just being with one man their entire life. You must understand that.”

“Are you comparing me to a prostitute?”

“Shit. No.” How do I always manage to stick my foot in my mouth with her? “I’m just saying that those women you met, choose who they’re with.”

“But the men pay them?”

“They’re taken care of, yes. With money, sometimes jewels, or other luxuries.”

“And you? What did you pay them with?”

My face goes red, but I admit, “With my skills.”

“Your... skills?” It’s her whose cheeks redden when she understands what I’m saying. “Oh.”

I take a step towards her and there’s a stir in the air between us in this empty room. Heat and desire, mixed with all the confused emotions that are constantly at war between us.

Her lips part as if in invitation, and I kiss her like I’ve been meaning to do since the moment we met.

At first, it’s slow. I want to savor this moment that I have waited so long for. Her mouth is on mine, so sweet and so damn soft. And I know this moment means something to her too. She whimpers as my tongue finds hers, entwining as the kiss deepens. And it quickly moves from innocent to downright intoxicating.

I cup her cheek with my hand, her fingers thread themselves through my hair and we step back. I lift her ass to the table, her knees part, and we pause, our breathing shallow, as if we are desperate to quench our thirst.

“Oh, Sal,” she moans gently, her breast heaving as we take in this moment for what it is. About damn time. Our eyes lock on one another. Then I can’t help but crush my mouth against hers once more, needing to bite her tender lip, to plant kisses up and down her long, slender neck. Blow warm air in her perfect ear.

My hand runs over her full breasts and my fingers graze her hard nipple poking through. I want her so fucking bad that I can taste it, I can feel my cock growing thick with need as she wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me harder. If this kiss could fuck we’d both be coming because holy hell this was worth the wait.

I pull her ass to the edge of the table, wanting her to feel my erection, wanting to see the desire crawl up her skin. She leans back, panting, and her hand hits a stainless-steel bowl filled with gauze, and it’s sent flying, making a clamor as it skids across the linoleum floor. The noise pulls us back to reality.

We are not in her bedroom, or in my brothel. We’re at the fucking hospital, here to retrieve her injured husband.

I pull back and run a hand through my hair to collect myself, and when I see that she’s breathless, I can’t help but smile.

Finally, I’ve kissed my bride. And there’s something in her eyes that I’ve only ever seen when she’s with Fallon, pure unadulterated lust.

I groan, knowing if I don’t step away, I’ll end up having her bent over the damn examination table in a matter of seconds.

“The others,” I remind her, my hands still fisted in her hair. “They’ll be waiting.”

“Right.” She swallows hard, and I take a step back. “We should go.”

I take her hand, helping her off the table, her cheeks flushed and eyes heavy with desire. As we leave the room, and she glances up at me, a small smile touches her kiss-swollen lips.

One step forward.

The elevator pings at the end of the hall and as it opens, I see my father surrounded by a group of men. Tia freezes and when I glance down at her, all the color has drained from her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“My father,” she whispers.

I glance back at the elevator, the men who are in deep conversation haven’t seen us.

Fuck.

I don’t think, just act. I shove Tia back into the room we’d just come from, and hiss out, “Stay here,” before closing the door. When I turn, my father is walking towards me, a scowl on his face, and he looks... worried.

“Dad,” I say, meeting his gaze, and trying to understand what the hell is going on. If he’s betrayed me, betrayed Tia, I swear I’ll murder him with my bare hands.

“I’d like you to meet Dr. Warren Thorne,” he says, his gaze steady, unwavering, and not giving anything away. “This is my son, Salinger.”

My eye twitches before I turn and give the man a tight smile. “Sir. Your reputation precedes you. What are you doing in Alaska?”

“Call me Warren,” the man says, with an ease I don’t feel. “I’ve come here to take a look at your research facilities. The progress your scientists have made is impressive.” I can hear the lie in his voice, see the deception in his eyes. “And to understand this new... family structure you’ve created here. What do you call it? A lottery?”

“Yes.”

“And the men,” Thorne continues. “They’re fine with... sharing their women?”

“It has its challenges,” I say honestly.

“You’re part of one of these... harems?” The man raises an eyebrow at me, and the other men around him murmur.

My father clears his throat. “He--”

“Yes.” I grind my back teeth, wondering if this is all a set-up, but not seeing any deception in my father’s face, only a look of caution. “I was recently wed.”

“I’d like to meet this woman.” Thorne stares down his nose at me, and I wonder if he knows already that Tia is my wife. “I’d like to get a woman’s perspective on your way of life.”

My jaw clenches and tension radiates through my muscles.

When I don’t respond, my father says tightly, “I’ll see if we can make that happen.”

Thorne nods, and the men continue down the hall. I lean against the door for a moment after they’re gone and try to steady my out of control pulse.

Two steps back.

When I open the door, Tia asks, “Does... do you think he saw me?”

“No.” I’m certain of that. “But even if he doesn’t know you’re here, he has his suspicions. We need to get you the hell out of here. Now.”

“But, what about Giles?” Her chin trembles as she says it.

“Fallon and Banks will bring him home.”

She’s shaking when I take her hand, and she doesn’t argue.

As I lead her out of the building, I swear I feel eyes on us. Watching, waiting, ready to strike, but maybe it’s just my paranoia. Or maybe my worst fear has come to pass. I’m going to lose my wife before I even had her.