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“We are spending the night in the city. We are at the hotel. You can rest before we have to go to dinner,” Theon said, opening his door and sliding out. He reached for her to help her out.

As soon as they entered the penthouse, Theon steered Tessa towards the primary bathroom. “Shower, and then you can sleep or eat. Whatever you need to do.”

She said nothing, only started stripping out of the sundress, looking relieved. Theon exited the bathroom to get her clothing, only to realize he didn’t have any for her yet. Luka and Axel were looking over a room service menu in the sitting room.

“Does Tessa want anything?” Axel asked, barely glancing at him.

“Not sure. I will check with her when she gets out of the shower.” Theon crossed to the small refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of water. On his way back, he paused beside his brother. “We can’t be on opposite sides, Axel,” he said quietly, Luka wandering away to the room he usually slept in. “We survive together.”

“I am not against you, Theon,” Axel replied. “But I am always going to call you on your shit. I am telling you, she is being used in all this.”

“You cannot know—”

“I can know,” he interjected. “While you and Luka spend your time pacifying Father, I spend my time in the Underground. I know you and Luka think I am not as experienced because I am a few years younger, but I have gone through the same shit you have. While you are brushing elbows with the elite, I’m sharing drinks with the depraved. I am telling you, she is not that. She does not have some nefarious agenda, but she is going to if you don’t back the fuck off of her.”

“I am doing the best I can, Axel.”

“Then let us help one godsdamn time, Theon,” he retorted. “I know you have this obsessive need for control, but control does not mean you have to do everything yourself.”

“I am aware.”

“Are you?”

Theon swiped a hand down his face, letting out a long sigh. “I know we need to continue this conversation, but Tessa—”

“Go,” Axel said, flipping the room service menu open again. “We’re good.”

Theon nodded. He knew his brother well enough to know he meant it. They would continue the conversation, but Axel wouldn’t hold it against him until they did.

He went back into the bedroom, and when he could still hear the water running, he set the bottles of water down and crossed to the window overlooking downtown Rockmoor. He didn’t want to go meet this female. Eventually he’d need to take a Match, but that had been so far down his list of priorities, he hadn’t even entertained the idea as of late. He was still trying to adjust to having a Source and getting her under control, let alone focusing on building something with a potential Match.

He grabbed one of the waters, twisting the cap off and taking a drink. He didn’t want to be hauling Tessa out to a dinner, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. She needed to be with him at all times, and not just because of the results they got today. He couldn’t be seen without his Source, and this female would be at the Acropolis. He didn’t want to give her the wrong impression.

He heard the shower shut off and turned to face the bathroom. A few minutes later, Tessa emerged, a white, fluffy robe tied around her waist.

“I didn’t know what I was supposed to wear,” she said timidly, fiddling with the sash in her hands.

“We are having clothes delivered, but they will not be here until later,” Theon replied, taking a step towards her. “Are you hungry? Do you want to order food?”

“Can we just sleep some more?” she asked, her eyes fixed on a spot on the floor.

“We?” Theon asked, his pulse jumping at that one word.

“I…” She pushed out a defeated breath. “I need you right now, Theon. My head is all wrong, and I saw things…” She pursed her lips, twisting the sash around her hand.

She needed him.

She hadn’t said those words once since he’d Selected her. He’d known there had been times she’d needed him—after the first Marking and after the shit with Pavil and Metias—but she’d never actually said it out loud. What those words did to the bond had him crossing the room in three long strides.

He took her hand and led her to the bed, pulling back the bedding. “We will sleep as long as you want, or until we must get ready to go,” he said, stepping back so she could climb in.

While she was getting comfortable, he sent a quick text to Luka and Axel declining food and letting them know they were going to nap before silencing his phone. He shed his suit jacket and shirt, kicking off his shoes and stripping down to his undergarments before climbing in beside her. She immediately rolled into him, her head resting on his chest and a leg coming over the top of his. Her soft skin against his flesh had him instantly hardening, but there was fuck all he could do about that. She was in a robe, for fuck’s sake.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Theon asked, running his fingers through her damp hair.

“No,” she whispered. “I want to sleep so I can forget everything. Just for a little while.”

“Okay,” he answered, pressing another kiss to the top of her head. “Sleep, little storm. I’ll be here when you wake.”