Chapter 33

For the past three days, every time someone knocked on the door, I expected it to be Thorn. And every single time, I was disappointed.

This time, I know it. I know it's him.

The bedroom door creaks open and Thorn strides inside. He's covered in sweat and grime, but not blood. Relief rushes through my veins.

He locks eyes with me. My heart skips a beat as I take in the sight of him, his chest heaving, his eyes alight with feral energy. I can't help but feel a flush of desire spread through me.

No orc should be allowed to look this hot. His skin shines with sweat as he closes the door behind him, his eyes still on me. I lick the corner of my mouth. Thorn follows the motion of my tongue with rapt attention.

Eirik breaks the spell with a squeal. The two of us whirl around to face him. He stands on the crib, laughing as he motions for Thorn.

My heart squeezes as Thorn goes to him and picks him up. He doesn't care if he's sweaty and dirty—he holds Eirik and rubs their foreheads together.

"Welcome back," I say, my voice tiny. "How was the hunt?"

Thorn gapes at me again. He steps closer, his dark eyes on my face. He studies me for a moment longer before putting Eirik down.

"Great," he says, his voice low. "The others will greet their families and go to the baths." He meets my eyes. "Come with me."

A knot tightens in my throat. The bath is still a challenge. I got used to everything else—the noisy meals, the twisting hallways, Ursha's moods—but I still have to ask for hot water to be sent to us. And I know I should stop that. It must be incredibly inconvenient.

Besides, what better opportunity could I have to peek at Thorn's naked chest?

My heart races, but I nod. I grab my backpack and throw it over my shoulder. When I turn to grab Eirik, I find the baby already in Thorn's arms. The king opens the door for me and leads me to the bathhouse.

The place is quite deserted, at least for now. I make a beeline to the bench and put my stuff down. My heart skips a beat when I hear Thorn's pants drop to the floor next to me.

"I'll wait inside," he says, and my cheeks are flaming hot. I thought I'd try to take a peek, but now I'm too embarrassed.

Why did I think this was a good idea?

My nerves are on high alert as I undress. Before I give up, I dart to the steaming water. The temperature is perfect as I sink to my hips.

Thorn has taken a spot in the middle of the pool. His eyes never wander my way. I sit across from him, my body relaxing as the heat envelops me. The water touches the top of my breasts. It reaches Thorn's stomach since he's so much bigger than me.

With every passing second, I relax further and further. The few orcs who pass us tilt their heads in greeting—to which I tilt back, feeling like I'm part of them—then sit down in another spot. It really isn't that bad.

Even with the mist, I can't help but stare at Thorn's naked chest, the muscles rippling and glistening with water. He sits down across from me, leaning forward so that I can't see his cock.

Not that I should be trying to see it. I mean, Eirik is right here, perched on Thorn's knee, splashing the water.

I try to focus on washing my hair, but every time I raise my arms and my breasts bounce, I notice Thorn glancing at me.

Fire burns between my hips. My pussy gets wet and I immediately feel guilty. This is a public space. I'm not supposed to ogle other people.

I clear my throat hard, letting my hair cover my chest. "You hunt very often. Is that because of the sheer number of orcs in here?"

He meets my eyes, and then his gaze drops to my chest and back to my face. "That and the upcoming winter. We get some nasty storms, so we hunt and preserve the meat beforehand."

"Oh, of course. And what do you do when you're all stuck inside because of the blizzard?"

A small smile plays at the corners of his mouth. "We feast and the elders tell stories around the fire."

I can't help but smile. "That sounds amazing."

"Do you get snow during your winter holiday? Christmas?"

"Yes. But I think the main tradition is to exchange gifts," I say.

He shakes his head, but his lips curl over his tusks into a tiny smile. "That we can't do. The clan is too big. It would be complete chaos." His eyes grow soft and nostalgic. "I bet my sister would get all the presents. She loved to laugh. Everyone liked her. Even Ursha and Zog loved her."

I make a face. "Zog looks pretty chill, but I am impressed by Ursha."

"Zog is my right-hand man, and he's the most centered of the two of us. He observes and I act. Ursha is tough on the outside, but she can be… approachable. Friendly even. To some extent." Thorn takes a beat, his dark eyes finding mine. "Do you decorate trees every year?"

"Yeah. But we bring them inside first. So it can decorate the house."

His brow creases. "You bring the tree inside the house? So, you kill it?"

I wince but smile. "Oh, something tells me you're about to make me feel awful."

Thorn doesn't. He smiles and asks about other traditions. He looks straight-up mortified when I try to explain nailing stockings over a fireplace to fill it with gifts.

Suddenly, he growls. I jump, my eyes going wide.

"What? What did I do?"

But Thorn is not looking at me. Two males dash away toward the exit. Thorn keeps glaring daggers at them even after they're gone. A thrill rushes through me.

Is he jealous?

My insides are on fire. Am I hyperventilating? I think I'm grinning.

Thorn shoots a glance my way and scowls. "Are you done with your bath?"

"No!" What? Why is he suddenly flipping? "I was just getting used to it!"

"Finish. Now," he barks again, too loud, as he strides off. I follow him out, squeezing water out of my hair.

"Thorn," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "What's wrong?"

He doesn't answer as he strides to the benches. I can't help but glance at his ass.

Even his ass is sexy. He's hot everywhere.

Maybe he didn't answer me because I called him by his name? "Mm, Chief?" I don't even know how I should call him.

He shoots an annoyed glance my way. Guess Chief is out.

"Get. Dressed," he says between clenched teeth.

I hurry to get dressed. Thorn wraps Eirik in a towel and holds the baby in one hand as he puts on his pants. He does it a little too violently. I think I hear it rip.

The room is still cloudy enough that I don't see anything below the waist. Thorn rushes off to the door without looking at me. He gives me space to put the rest of my clothes on and wrap my hair in a shirt.

I have to jog to find him. His strides are so long that we reach the bedroom while my hair still drips down my nape. He holds the door open for me even when he doesn't meet my eyes, then closes the door again.

Thorn changes Eirik into a new onesie, and though the baby plays with Thorn's hair and giggles, Thorn is still stiff with nerves.

I can sense the tension building between us, and I'm not sure if it's fear or desire that's making my heart race.

"Mm, your majesty?" I try again, my voice barely above a whisper as I drop my backpack. "What's going on? Why did you get so upset?"

Thorn whirls to stare at me. His hair drips water down his muscular pecs. "First, my name is not your majesty. Second. Are you really asking me that?"

My brows raise. "I am." I take a beat, going over the scene in my head. "Did those orcs mock me or something? I understand I'm not attractive to them…"

He looks at me then, his eyes blazing with an intensity that takes my breath away. "Violet," he says, his voice low and husky. "You don't see it, do you?"

"See what?"

He huffs, his shoulders dropping. He takes a step closer, his disbelieving eyes on me.

"You drive me fucking mad."

Thorn grabs my elbows as he leans down. His lips brush against mine. The almost-touch sends sparks flying through my body. It's electric—like nothing I've ever felt before. I gasp and that's when he truly kisses me.

Thorn curls his hands around my hips and lifts me. I fling my arms and legs around his body and I press my lips back against his as hard as I can. So he has no doubt. Absolutely no doubt about what I want.

He parts my lips with his tongue. My breathing grows ragged with need. I sweep my tongue against his. To my surprise, the tusks don't get in the way. His tongue touches mine, hot and wet, and I'm already daydreaming about having this tongue between my legs. I trace my hands across his hard chest, up to his wet hair, then down to his muscular shoulders.

I hold on to him and kiss him back, tasting his jealousy, savoring the possessiveness of his hands, exploring my sides, curling around the back of my head. He yanks the shirt off and my wet hair drops behind me. His fingers bury in my strands, yanking, and he sighs. Every touch is desperate, confusing, exhilarating.

Thorn plucks me off of him as easily as he picked me up. He puts me down and takes a full step back. I wobble in place, my head spinning.

I catch my breath as I stare at him. My lips tingle. Everywhere he touched me vibrates. My knees buckle with how much I need this orc right the fuck now.

But the look on his face?

Thorn takes another step toward the door, and that's when I comprehend it.

He regrets it. The look on his face is a bucket of cold water. My heart drops.

He shakes his head. "What are you doing to me?" he whispers in an incredulous voice, then he leaves.

And I have no idea what I should do now.