Page 17 of Hunting for her Heart
The blond man above me leans over the edge of the hole so his arms and head dangle toward me. I reach both arms up toward him, unsure how he’s going to lift me, and a squeak escapes my lips as he grabs me under both armpits and simply lifts me out like I weigh nothing.
My hands fly to his shoulders to hold on, and suddenly I find myself sitting sideways in his lap, in the tree. He smiles down at me as his hands grip my hips, holding me gently. I just stare at him wide-eyed, unsure what to do.
I’ve never been this close to a man before, at least not when I wasn’t being beaten. I look at my fingers on his shoulders and they flex, as if unable to stop themselvesfrom touching his giant muscles. I’ve never seen anyone who looks like him or his two friends before.
Dark tattoos cover his shoulders, and my fingers start to follow the pattern down his bicep.
I know I should be scared, terrified even. He’s one of the most dangerous men in the entire Mating Hunt, one that Larissa specifically warned me about. He literallyeats people. But right now, as I sit in his lap and stare at his large arms holding me, all I feel is safe.
“Shall we get you down so you can relieve yourself?” A husky voice asks from behind me, making me jump in surprise. My head whips around to find the other cannibal, the one who I saw kill those men during the night, standing on the ground at the base of the tree.
When his warm hazel eyes meet mine, he reaches up his hands as if to help me down. The man is a killer, a murderer, so I have no idea why I instantly lean toward him, placing my hands on his shoulders and letting him lift me down to the ground.
The movement causes my injuries to pull, and I duck my head to hide the wince on my face.
“Thank you,” I whisper as he lets me go and takes a small step back. He nods his head once, then a loud thump beside me has me jumping toward him in surprise, pressing myself against his front. His arms immediately come up to encircle me and hold me tight against him.
Peeking over his arm, I can see the noise was just the blond man jumping down from the tree, and I realize how stupid I must look, clinging to a stranger for no reason.
I push back, my cheeks heating as I glance up at him. “S-sorry.”
He looks down at me, and it causes my heart to leap inmy chest. He’s breathtaking. I stare at him in confusion, not understanding why my actions and feelings around this man are all over the place.
I saw him kill people.
But he left me flowers.
He literally strangled a man to death a few hours ago.
But he helped me down from the tree.
He’s a cannibalistic Viking!
But he’s holding me so protectively.
“Willow?” The blond man calls my name gently. “Come with me. I’ll show you where you can have a little privacy to relieve yourself.”
He reaches out a hand, and I place my much smaller one in his before I even have time to think about it. He leads me into the trees as I frown down at my hand, wondering why I’m trusting them so easily.
They’re here to hunt me.
He stops walking and turns, pulling some large leaves from his pocket and passing them to me. “I’ll be just behind that tree. Let me know when you’re done.”
I frown down at the leaves as he takes a step away. “Wait!” I call, making him turn back to me. “What’s this for?” I ask nervously, holding up the soft leaves. I know I shouldn’t ask a man any questions, but I’m worried about angering him if they aren’t for what I think they are.
He frowns, tilting his head at me before he swipes his hand in the air over his private area between his legs. “For cleaning up after you’re done.”
This must be their version of toilet paper. I realize how considerate it is of him to think of giving me this, when he probably doesn’t use any himself half the time. He starts to turn away, so I quickly add, “Thank you. What’s your name?”I hope he won’t be angry that I’m asking too much, but the need to know what to call him in my head forces me to speak.
He smiles, as if he likes the question. “Bo.” He turns around again and steps behind a large tree, leaving me on my own.
Bo.I’ve never heard that name before, but I like it; it suits him somehow.
I quickly relieve myself, finding it difficult with my sore side. Luckily, when I use the leaves to clean up, I’m surprised by how soft they are. Definitely better than the rough toilet paper we were given at the compound.
With my dress back in place, I take a step toward where he disappeared before I call out nervously, “Bo?”
Instantly, he steps out from behind a tree, his eyes roaming over my body as if he expects me to be harmed. Moving toward me, he holds out his hand and silently waits for me to take it.
