in that storage room, she had developed a sudden awareness of her body. It had prevented her from shifting from bear to human. All she knew for sure was that it was more to do with Ged than his friends. It was about how he saw her. It was foolish, but she felt shy around him. And she didn’t want his eyes on her body then. Not surrounded by carnage.
Curiously, it didn’t work both ways. Since his own apron didn’t come close to covering his rear, as they climbed the stairs she was treated to the delicious sight of long, muscular legs and round, firm buttocks. She was used to naked masculinity, but this was the first time she had seen a male body that appealed to her so strongly. It was rapidly becoming her favorite view.
“Khan and Diablo will deliver the mercy blows to the bodies, then Rick will clean up.” Ged turned to look at her as he spoke, and, aware that she had been caught staring, Lidi felt the telltale blush stain her cheeks. She tilted her chin. If he didn’t want her to look he should have done a better job of covering up. The smile in his eyes told her he was well aware of the reason for her mortification.
When they reached Ged’s room, Lidi grabbed some of the new clothes Rick had provided and headed for the shower. Although she needed to wash the signs of battle from her body, she also wanted a break from Ged’s disquieting presence. Being close to him was like staring into the sun. Everything else faded in comparison with his brilliance. But she needed to step away from the glare and view her situation realistically once more.
The fight with Vasily’s men hadn’t changed anything. Her long and tiring journey had been a waste of time. She still had to find a way to free her father from captivity while avoiding marriage with Vasily. It seemed like an impossible task, but Lidi had never been one to shy away from a challenge. As she stepped under the jets of warm water, her mind was forming and reviewing a series of plans.
Annoyingly, her thoughts kept encountering the same barrier. Ged. No matter how much she told herself she had to walk away from him, her emotions weren’t ready for that message. Deep down inside her, something fundamental had changed in the instant she saw him on the steps of the movie theater.
He’s my mate.
She groaned aloud, clenching a fist against the tiled wall. Why did this have to happen now? And why did it have to be him? Even if he wasn’t the king without a crown, he was the most unsuitable man she could have chosen. Everyone in Callistoya knew about the royal marriage pact. A Tavisha must marry the daughter of one of the five founding families. It was an ancient, unshakable agreement. And Lidi did not come from one of those families, so...whoa! Why was she even thinking about Ged and marriage in the same breath?
Straightening her spine, she let the scented gel do its work. There had been other occasions throughout Callistoyan history when this had happened. When an inconvenient attraction had occurred. It could be overcome. It was difficult, but not impossible. Nobles married for convenience, not love. Ged himself had been engaged to another woman. Clearly, since Lidi was his mate, he hadn’t really been in love with Alyona.
Lidi had always been strong, able to meet any confrontation head-on. Being the bear shifter who didn’t conform had always been hard. She’d grown used to the difficult task of wrestling with her unruly emotions. All it needed was focus...and in this case, some distance.
The thought instantly triggered a feeling of regret so powerful it was almost a physical pain. It was as if giant hands were pulling at her, tearing her in two. Common sense and duty were telling her to get away. These new, unfamiliar passions were prompting her to stay.
Placing her hands flat against the cubicle wall, she bowed her head as the water rinsed the last of the shampoo from her hair. She didn’t have time to work out this inner conflict. While she was here in this luxury hotel, her father was at Vasily’s mercy.
She snorted. Mercy? Vasily didn’t know the meaning of the word. After stepping from the shower, she dried herself and dressed quickly in jeans, sweatshirt and boots. Thoughts of her father’s plight gave her actions a new determination.
When she emerged from the bathroom, there was no sign of Ged in either the sitting room or bedroom. Although she had intended to tell him she was leaving, she couldn’t help feeling a sense of relief. This way was probably better. This way she didn’t have to put her own emotional strength to the test.
Feeling a lot like a thief sneaking out into the night, she opened the door. Immediately, a security guard, who wore the same black uniform as Rick, with the Beast logo on the breast pocket, sprang to attention.
“Ged asked me to take you to Khan’s room.” He gestured along the corridor. “The band are all there.”
Lidi weighed her options. Refuse to go and cause a scene? Go with him and waste more time? She didn’t like either option. “I know my way.”
“Uh...okay.” He scratched his head. “But Ged said—”
“I really don’t need an escort.” She used her best aristocratic voice, the one that had gotten her out of so many tricky situations in the past. It was an almost-perfect impression of her mother...and no one had argued with Olga Rihanoff.
The guy actually blushed. “Then I guess...”
Lidi moved in the direction he had indicated without waiting for him to finish. The only problem now was that he was watching her and she had no idea where she was going. Luckily there was a turn in the hallway, and she followed it. Once she was out of the security guard’s sight, she took a moment to lean against the wall, breathing deeply. A few feet away she could see the door marked Réservé au personnel that led to the staff staircase.
It was time to go.
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