Sparrow's Flight (Savage World 1)

He let her talk, knowing she needed to get this all out. “He had this all planned out and wanted me to be his ‘companion.’” Asher gritted his teeth, because he knew well enough that the blond asshole hadn’t wanted her for conversation alone. Females were a commodity now, something that was bartered with and used beyond anything humane.

“He was the one who told me to go across the lake and he’d meet me, no matter what, on the other side. He said there isn’t any place I can hide where he wouldn’t find me.”

Asher’s heart thundered hard behind his ribs, but he didn’t speak. Honestly, he didn’t know if he’d be able to control the tone of his voice, because right now he was feeling pretty fucking territorial.

“I’m just worried he’ll come looking for me.”

Asher gritted his teeth and shook his head. “No fucking way, Sparrow. Most likely he was killed during that shit he started back there, and if his ass is still alive, neither Mason nor I will let some motherfucker come at you again.” He reached out and took her hand. Her flesh was so soft, so warm.

“I can handle him if he thinks of coming after me.” She reached behind her and pulled out the gun she tucked in the waistband of her jeans. “It was lucky for me, stupid for him, but clearly he wanted to keep his investment alive.” She attempted a smile, but it came out weary.

“Sweetheart, I don’t have any doubts you can handle yourself, but you don’t need to worry, okay?” She set the gun on the table, and he pushed it away from her but made sure to keep it within arm’s reach.

“You and Mason clean up nice.”

He leaned back in his chair again and smiled. “You’re not too hard on the eyes either.” She blushed again, but he hadn’t said it to embarrass her, and in fact his words had meant more than how they came out.

She was beautiful, even when she had dirt on her face and twigs in her hair, but now, all freshly cleaned with a rosiness to her flesh that had nothing to do with her washing up, it made her downright gorgeous.

“Thank you.” She cleared her throat, but he saw her smile softly. “I told Mason he needed to get some rest. I saw how tired he was.” Ash didn’t miss how she changed the subject, but that was okay. He certainly didn’t want her feeling uncomfortable.

He nodded and looked down at the table. The light from the candle was weak, but it was bright enough that he could make out the grains of the wood that the light touched.

“We have to really watch the wound for infection. I cleaned it with the antiseptic and covered it, but that doesn’t mean much. I also gave him some antibiotics. Hopefully, he doesn’t get an infection.”

“He’s tough. He got stabbed with a steel rod through his calf about a month back. It wasn’t that deep, but he limped for a long time. In fact, when the weather is shitty, you can still see him struggle at times, but he’s a tough bastard.” He looked at her. “And I really fucking care about him.” She swallowed, and he watched the way her throat worked from the act.

He started running his fingers along the roughened table, mimicking what she was doing. The table looked like it might have been carved by hand, possibly by the person or persons who once lived here, but it was still scarred and worn from age.

“I heard you two talking upstairs.” Her expression didn’t change.

“I know.” That had him lifting a brow. She shrugged. “The stairs in this house creak with the slightest pressure.”

“But you didn’t call be out for eavesdropping?”

“I didn’t really consider it eavesdropping, and I don’t really think it was creepy that you probably saw us kissing.”

Now it was his turn to swallow roughly. “Yeah, I saw, and that was a pretty pervy thing to do. I’m sorry about that.”

She laughed softly. “I was only teasing about the creepy part.” She looked down, and he could see her cheeks redden even in the dark kitchen. “In fact, I kind of liked the thought of you watching us.” She looked up at him, and he saw the embarrassment in her face. All he was feeling was his cock throbbing between his legs, demanding to be let out. He wanted to reach down and adjust himself, because his zipper was digging into his shaft, but he refrained, no matter how badly his arousal was pounding through him.

“Yeah?” He curled his hand around the edge of the table with such force he was surprised the wood didn’t give way.

She looked down again, and Asher couldn’t deny that he loved that she had this innocence about her. She hid it well with her steel-hard composure, but underneath all of that, she was all softness, and he wanted to feel that rubbing against him. “I mean, I won’t say I’m not a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, because I’d be lying.” She lifted her head, and a tendril of dark hair fell from the messy mop she always kept atop her head.