“It’s okay. Everyone’s gone.”
For all her craziness, Lucy was not very brave, especially with people.
I held her close as my mind circled the conversation. Nope. I shut down any thought of Urgg's words and turned on a cooking show. About halfway through my second episode, Kal walked in. He smiled at me, but it was his small one, which made me immediately miss his beaming grin.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Fine.”
Kal settled behind me, sitting with his back against the arm of the backless couch. For once, Lucy didn’t abandon me. He reached over to pet her as he watched the show. When the episode ended, he said, “I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“They bake things, and you like watching.”
“It’s a cooking competition. They’re trying to see who’s the best baker.”
“Why?”
I faltered. “Because they are.”
“It makes no sense.” Kal lifted his hands, palm up.
“I like it. It’s relaxing.”
His tail hooked around my wrist, and I didn’t even react—the action had become too normal to bother me. Kal hovered over me. A tingle started in my chest, spreading to my limbs. I liked his eyes. They looked like glittering amethysts.
“Do you want to do an experience?” he asked.
“You don’t want to watch my baking show?”
“No.”
I hesitated. The people-pleaser part of me wanted to say yes because he obviously wanted to go. But I didn’t want to. I was tired. Meeting new people always exhausted me.
“Can we not go today?” I asked, trying to keep my voice strong, but it came out soft. Worry prickled down my spine as I braced for the inevitable yelling.
“Sure.”
“Are you mad?” I asked. He wasn’t going to berate me or call me names?
“No, why would I be?”
Shrugging, I didn’t answer. He touched my cheek, his claws scraping against my skin, making me shiver at the prickly feeling. His fingers skated down my neck to my arm, and I winced.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
Kal touched my arm again, and I tried not to, but I flinched. He began to tug on my sleeve. “Kal,” I started, but he continued, tail whipping.
“Something is wrong.”
He could not get my sleeve up far enough, so he started to help me sit up, upsetting Lucy. He frantically yanked on my hoodie, unable to get it off. I removed it. I was wearing a simple red t-shirt so he easily saw the dark bruise on my arm.
Kal gently touched the deep purple mark as he snarled, “Who hurt you?”
His tone made my breath harshen and sent a shock straight to my dick. When I got control of my sudden burst of, well a feeling I did not want to acknowledge, I said, “They didn’t mean to.”
