Freeing Luka: The Clecanian Series Book 2 by Victoria Aveline (readict books TXT) 📕

on the wall, how had she found the one connected to him? Unsettled, Alice asked, “What happened to them?”

He exhaled slowly. “They were happy and mated for eighty years, but then the plague swept through. Like many females, she was taken.”

Her head snapped back toward the elated, loving gaze of Luka’s grandfather. Tears sprang to Alice’s eyes. How devastated must he have been?

Luka glanced toward her, then did a double-take. He grabbed her gently by the shoulders, twisting her body to face him.

Along with all of her other weaknesses, Alice was also a crier. Movies, shows, Hallmark cards. Give her a sappy commercial, and watch her start to well up. She kept her head turned, eyes focused on the picture, not wanting Luka to see how silly she was being.

Turning her face toward him with a soft hand on her cheek, he gazed down at her, worry in his expression. “They spent a happy lifetime together. That’s more than any Clecanian alive today can say.”

She nodded, tears running down her cheeks. “That’s really sw—sweet,” she said, her voice breaking.

Luka grinned down at her again, the corner of his eyes crinkling, then pulled her into a hug. “You feel everything so deeply, don’t you? That’s wonderful.”

Alice stood stiffly for a moment, emotion still clogging her throat. When he tucked her head under his chin and began petting her hair, she relaxed, pressing her cheek into his chest. A low purr emanated from him, soothing her frayed nerves.

She hadn’t prepared for this caring, sweet side of Luka, and she didn’t quite know how to handle her feelings. He hadn’t laughed or mocked her show of emotion, and he hadn’t clammed up or become uncomfortable, either. He acted exactly the way she wished people would act with her, and that scared the ever-loving shit out of her.

Pulling away, she wiped at her eyes. With a deep inhale, she glanced up at him, trying to be stern. “We need to talk about some things.”

“Okay.” He absently ran his hands up and down her arms, and she regretted that she’d need to put an end to the affectionate gesture.

“If you want to keep seeing me, you’re going to have to follow some rules. I want to get to know you, and you’re making that very difficult for me.” When he made to argue, she held up a finger, quelling him. “One, no more touching me.” She glanced pointedly at his hands.

The motion of his hands stopped on her shoulders, and his contented smile morphed into a frown. She felt his fingers briefly squeeze before he removed his hands, as though he’d had an internal battle to do as she’d asked and almost lost.

Emboldened, she continued, “And two, no more watching me. I mean it. No more.”

His brows drew together and he clenched his fists at his sides, but said nothing.

Her gaze hopped around the room nervously while she waited for his response.

Finally, he stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can’t do both,” he said simply.

“What?”

“No touching and no watching? I can’t do both.” He shook his head. “It’s an instinct, and what you may not understand is that it’s painful to ignore.” He gestured toward his grandparent’s photo again. “That’s why she didn’t allow their mating to go further before leaving. After the marks appear, it physically aches to be away from you. The feeling lessens when I’m near you and when I’m touching you. So…I can manage one of your requests but not both.”

Alice stood with her mouth hanging slightly open. She hadn’t expected a negotiation. Realistically, she’d expected him to ignore her rules entirely and do whatever he wanted. That’s what she was used to from other men, but Vanessa was right—he was different and this situation was different. Her brows drew together. She didn’t want to cause him pain.

What did she care more about? His watching had been unsettling at first but now oddly made her feel safe. Touching her was dangerous, though. He knew exactly how to make her resolve weaken, and she couldn’t have that. Maybe there was a third option.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “You can’t watch me from the woods, but you can come visit me once a week, and you can touch me, but only in the places I say are okay. Everything else is a red zone.”

He raised his brows expectantly, waiting for her to continue.

“You can touch my arms and hands.”

“And your back and face. Also, I want to visit you every other day,” he argued.

Face equals lips. One kiss, and she’d be begging him to touch her everywhere. Can’t have that, she thought quickly.

“Just my back. No face. Every three days. Final offer.”

“Fine,” he grunted.

Instinctively, she stretched out her hand, then recalled Clecanians didn’t shake hands.

Before she could lower it again, Luka snatched it, gently massaging it in his hands. Stepping closer to her, voice as smooth as silk, he said, “You are more than welcome to touch me anywhere you want.” Bringing her upturned hand to his mouth, he slowly kissed her wrist, her pulse jumping at his touch.

Her sex clenched. I’ve made a terrible mistake.

Chapter 17

What had she gotten herself into? Shortly after their negotiation, Luka had announced that if she wanted to go to the reserve before dark, they’d need to leave soon.

He’d been touching her arms and hands nonstop since then.

Arms and hands. That’s a safe bet. How sexual could holding hands be? Idiot. When it came to Luka, Alice apparently felt every brush of his hand was sexual.

They rode in silence for a while. Luka seemed lost in thought, and Alice was clenching her entire body, forcing herself not to lean into his touch.

Her hand rested, upturned, on his thigh, almost close enough to his shaft to make her pull