Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Bear looked confused, his brows pulled low and his forehead wrinkled.
“Why would I be angry at you for something that lowlife bastard tried to do to you, baby?”
“Well, because…” Aleena sniffed and swiped at her wet cheek with an equally wet hand. “It’s a woman’s fault when she gets attacked. Everyone knows that.”
“What?” This time he looked outraged. “Is that what they teach you on this benighted planet?”
“Well…yes.” Aleena nodded. “It’s her fault for being out instead of staying home and tending the house, as she ought to.”
Bear looked like he still couldn’t quite believe what she was saying.
“So if this case was to go to court, they would blame you just for being out of the house?”
“And for going out as a married woman without my nipple rings on,” Aleena admitted softly. “I, er, forgot to ask you to replace them this morning, my husband. And so no man who looked at my breasts would know that I was protected and owned by another man. In such a case, the courts would have sided with the man attacking me.”
“What a sick world!” Bear looked genuinely disgusted.
“Is that not how things go where you’re from?” Aleena asked him.
He shook his head.
“No—that’s called ‘blaming the victim’ where I’m from. The Kindred believe that there is never any excuse to attack or rape a woman. It goes against everything we believe—everything we are.”
Aleena was surprised, but also cautiously hopeful.
“So…you’re not mad at me at all? Not for marrying you under false pretenses or for pawning your gift or for being attacked? You’re not angry about any of it?”
“Not at you, baby.” Bear stroked a strand of hair out of her face and looked down into her eyes. “None of this is your fault. Though I wish you would have asked me for the money for your mother’s treatment—I nearly had a heart attack trying to get to you on time. And when I saw that fucker on top of you…” His eyes flashed red briefly and he took a deep breath, as though to calm himself.
“Oh, but I couldn’t ask you for money for my family! That’s forbidden!” Aleena protested. “A man can disavow his wife for such a thing.”
“I told you, that’s not going to happen,” he said, frowning. “Why can’t a wife ask for money for her family—no, never mind. It doesn’t matter why. What does matter is that I want you to ask me if you need something.”
Aleena nibbled her bottom lip. Did he really mean that?
“Then…you won’t be angry if I use the money I got from pawning your present to get my mother her treatment?” she asked tentatively. “I only got half of what I needed, but I think I can convince them to treat her with that much.”
“I’ll do better than that—I’m going to examine your mother myself,” Bear said firmly. “Blood disorders are a specialty of mine. I studied them when my…”
He trailed off and Aleena frowned.
“When what?”
“Never mind.” He shook his head. “The point is, I’ll go see her and examine her after the negotiations tomorrow. Will that be all right?”
“That would be more than all right,” Aleena agreed, giving him a tentative smile. “If you truly want to meet my mother. She is a disavowed woman, you know,” she added. “It won’t be good for your status if you’re seen visiting her.”
“Fuck my status,” he said roughly. “She’s your mother and she means a lot to you…just like you mean a lot to me,” he added, and stroked her cheek again. “So I’m going to examine her and see if maybe Kindred medicine can help. We have some very advanced techniques aboard the Mother Ship,” he added.
“Oh, I don’t think we can pay for advanced techniques!” Aleena protested.
He shook his head.
“No charge, baby. Now…” He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Do you feel better?”
Aleena nodded shyly.
“I was so sure you’d be angry with me, my Bear. Please forgive me for doubting your kindness.”
He smiled.
“I’m glad to hear you call me ‘my Bear’ again instead of ‘my Lord Husband.’”
Aleena felt her cheeks getting hot with a blush as she met his eyes.
“You’re so sweet to me. I fear I don’t deserve you.”
“The feeling is mutual, baby.” Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Have you soaked long enough? Would you like to come out now so I can dry you off?”
“Yes, my Bear.”
Aleena nodded. Now that she was certain he wasn’t angry with her and he had promised to help her mother, she felt much less anxious and upset. In fact, she felt the urge to be close to her big, protective Kindred husband.
She let him help her out of the bath and stood obediently as he dried her with a big, fluffy towel. Then he wrapped her in a soft bathrobe and carried her into their bedroom.