Page 50 of Viking

CHAPTER THIRTY

Arie

CJ and Meraki cometo check on me after the incident with Viking. Calamity climbs into bed beside me and brushes my hair off my face. “How you feelin’ darlin’?”

My head is pounding, and my stomach is still churning like the Mother Sea at high tide. “Like I might die.”

“She speaks.” Meraki chuckles and climbs on the bed. “Girl, you just need some grease and a good lay.”

Calamity laughs and I pout because Ihavebeen lying. “I’ve been in bed since it happened, and I still feel no better.”

“She means sex, Arie.” Calamity playfully shoves my shoulder.

“Oh,” I say quietly, feeling my cheeks flame. I roll over and sit up, but I just feel like crying. “Well, I have not had that since the island.”

“That wasn’t sex, honey, that was rape.” Meraki reaches out and squeezes my hand. “There’s a difference.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“No,” Calamity says.

At the same time Meraki says, “Only if you want it to.”

I shake my head. I think I am too—what was the word Viking used—hungover? I am too hungover for this conversation. “Why would I want it to hurt?”

Meraki smiles. “It’s a good hurt, trust me, you’ll know when Viking finally gives in.”

“I’ve tried everything I can to force his hand here: skimpy outfits, given her some of my best romance novels. I gotta say, kid, I really thought those tight leather pants and jacket would have made him crack already, but it’s like parading yourself before a fucking eunuch.”

“What is a eunuch?”

“It’s a man without balls.”

“Viking has those. I have seen them,” I say earnestly. Both of the women laugh, and I find myself giggling too. “What? I have.”

“You are too fucking cute for your own good,” Meraki says

“I fear this is why Viking will not give me sex.”

“What would you say to shaking up your image a bit, little mermaid?”

“I would say I would like that very much. I would also like to know why everyone keeps calling me that?”