Chapter 385 Chapter 385
Konner dropped his bag on the floor and went into his bathroom. Turning on the shower, he started stripping his clothes off. He felt like he had been crawling through sludge and grim the past two days, metaphorically for the most part, but he needed to physically wash it off. Opening the panel beside the shower, he flipped the valve over so it would be raining freshwater down on him and not processed water from the tanks. He wanted to go for a swim, but he didn’t have time for that right now, so this would have to tide him over.
Stepping under the spray, he closed his eyes and let the water run down him. The whole time he’d been away his mind had driven him to absolute distraction thinking about Terah. Wondering if she was doing all right, picturing her in his pool singing, he could hear her song still playing on a loop inside his head. Sighing, he opened his eyes to see his skin was changing like it would if he was swimming and not showering.
Gritting his teeth, he focused to force it to go back. Complete fucking distraction. He hadn’t had that problem since he was a teen, it was ridiculous, that he couldn’t control his body. That’s just what he needed, to be standing in the rain with the team and his normal-looking epidermis changing to the thick, porous scales of his kind. He doubted any of the team would suddenly grow fur or whatever if they were distracted.
Looking down, he ran his hand over his chest to feel it was normal enough skin now. Around hour twenty-two of no sleep, he decided he was moving Terah into one of the empty houses. Three hours after that, he overrode his own decision, she was staying right here in his house. He needed sleep, that’s what he needed right now. The refreshing three-hour nap he’d struggled to force his body to have while he waited for his contact to reach him, had long ago expired.
He’d practically run from the truck to get here without seeing anyone. He didn’t know why it had been left there for him but was glad, he wasn’t ready for conversation and questions just yet. Reeves and Auburn had both assured him anytime he’d checked in that Terah was fine, Raelyn and the babies were fine, and he needn’t worry. Well, worrying was a new skill he had recently acquired, and he hoped once he saw them with his own eyes, he’d be able to think rationally once again and get things done.
He had to talk to Calum and Deacon about what he found out, and after that to Devin. By all accounts, it wasn’t good, and it was a game-changer. The problem was going to be how to explain it to the King and Alliance council when the time came. His contacts weren’t exactly legal Alliance allies, he shook the water from his face. Apparently, the legal allies weren’t all allies either. He stopped and went over his own thought. Sleep, he needed sleep.
The plan was, to pop into the office, check on business, go see Raelyn and stare at Terah for a moment and then issue a do not disturb order for a few precious hours of rest. The probability of that happening—he turned and let the water pound on his back, sixty percent, seventy if he growled while he did it.
Wrapping the towel around his waist, he stood in the middle of his room dripping water on the floor. He should talk to Calum, he was an Alliance man, but he seemed like he was willing to bend rules when needed to get things done. Konner looked at the bed, wanting nothing more than to drop down on it and close his eyes. Calum had resources and contacts everywhere, which would be helpful too.
A knock on the door had him jerk his head around and glare at it. “Come in.” He growled, hoping this wasn’t some emergency that would prevent him from sleeping. The door opened and Terah peeked around it.
“Olanna said knocking on the door before going in was the right way.” She gave him a hopeful look.
He was struck speechless seeing her again. It had only been two days, but it was like he was seeing her for the first time again.
“Is it okay I knocked on your door?” She stood there, those alluring eyes moving over him slowly, causing an adolescent reaction with his body.
“It’s fine.” He winced at the bark in his tone. Clearing his throat, he forced his mouth to smile. “What is it?”
“I missed seeing you.”
Her voice was soft, and he felt like a jerk for acting the way he did. The exhaustion was forgotten for now. A real smile moved his lips. “I’ve been thinking about you too.”
“You have?” She stepped closer, her gaze moving up his chest to his face again. “I followed all your rules.”
Konner smirked, “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
She nodded, “I was very safe.”
She rubbed her hand over her stomach, bringing his attention to the outfit she was wearing. The pants she wore were low on her hips, hugging them emphasizing how trim and curved she was. The top she had on stopped midway down her rib cage, leaving her midriff bare and in his opinion, it was a tantalizing outfit that he wasn’t sure she should wear around the boys. “What, uh, have you been doing?”
“I went for walks.” she looked at him, an odd expression on her face. He was too tired to try to figure out what it could mean. “I found the river and went for a swim.”
He nodded, even though he wasn’t really hearing what she was saying. It just wouldn’t register in his head. He needed sleep if he was meant to control the wandering thoughts inside his head. Right now, they were wandering all over that bare skin of her waist.
“I think—-,” her brows creased, and she huffed out a breath, “there’s something,” she shook her head, “I am having troubles and I don’t know if it is right, what I want to do.”
Konner’s mind prodded him to focus harder. She looked down at the floor and didn’t look back up at him. Stepping closer, he touched her chin briefly, so she’d look up at him. He’d prefer to be dressed for conversation, but if something was bothering her, he wanted to help. “What is it you want to do?” The last thing he needed was another near-disaster like in the kitchen, or worse, something worse could happen with her limited knowledge of things.
“I keep thinking about it,” she glanced at him from beneath her lashes, “it doesn’t go away when I close my eyes either,” she lifted her chin, and he was struck by the full power of those deep blue eyes of hers. He couldn’t have looked anywhere else. The look changed to confusion, and she shook her head, “I will think about it more.” She nodded and backed up a few steps.
He would never sleep knowing something was bothering her, and his chest felt tight seeing her struggle with it. Gripping the towel so it would stay put, he went over and tilted his head down to look at her. Touching his shoulder, he paused, she was quite warm. “Are you feeling all right?”
“It was very hot on my walk; my jacket works too well I think.”
He searched her face; her complexion wasn’t paled and there were no signs of drying anywhere. If she’d just been in the river that wasn’t the problem. Wearing heavy clothes was problematic for their kind. “Maybe leave it off if you’re taking brisk walks and doing physical things?”
She nodded and looked up at him. Her gaze moved over his face and stopped on his mouth. She licked her lips.