RANK

Chapter 37

A little over two weeks later...

Nya felt tingles as Vince brushed his lips on her forehead. She was sitting on a stool near the kitchen island eating a grapefruit. "I'll see you later." He says as he glides his thumb gently on her cheek lingering his gaze like it was the hardest decision just to pick up his feet. "Take care of yourself for me."

She manually tells herself to blink before giving him a subtle nod and going back to her fruit. She acted as if she didn't care as he left, but in truth, a stinging sensation slices at her heart, thinking about how he would be gone all day again. He has been busier lately, leaving early, coming home late, and spending hours in his study. She was grateful for the space but she missed him at the same time. She hated the fact that she couldn't control how she felt, how when he lay beside her at night she says to him to stay on his end and then spends the entire night dreaming about his hands on her, wanting him and not wanting him at the same time while he seemed fine, falling into a deep sleep easily. She could hear his breathing even almost the moment his head hits the pillow. He seemed to have endless patience now while she was endlessly anxious.  Two minutes didn't go by when she saw a figure coming into the kitchen out of the corner of her eye. She thought it was Vince no one could get past the guards but it wasn't him it was her sister. "Lee..."  She drops her fruit and stands.

Malina with folded arms, glances around as if inspecting the area. She couldn't be read. If she was mad or still upset Nya didn't know. "I'm so glad to see you... How have you been? I've missed you so much I..."

"He marked you..."

"Huh... I don't-"

"So many times he could have marked me, but I don't think it ever crossed his mind. When?"

Instinctively she covers the mark. "I'm not sure. I don't know. That doesn't matter now. Tell me-" She took a step forward when Malina suddenly turned her back towards her she thought she was being dismissed but then Malina moves her hair to the side to reveal a mark of her own.

"He marked you too? Is that even allowed?" It pained her more than it should have.

Malina giggled. "Of course not. Come on, I have a lot to tell you." She pulled Nya out of the house and the two end up at the boardwalk. They held hands as they walked together slowly. It was awkward at first, neither knowing how to get back into groove, but in no time it was over.

"So, how did you get marked? Who was it?"

Her cheeks turn red and she bites her lips to hold back a grin. "You're not going to believe this, but... it was Bent."

"What?! Bent? How? When?"

"Shhhh..." Malina looks around to see who was in hearing distance. "He came to find me when I had run off and... he just did it." While her sister tries to analyze her statement Malina steps to the side, takes off her shoes, and dips her feet in the water.

"Did he say anything?" Nya too joins. She takes off her sandals and soaks her feet in the cool liquid.

"He said, he envied his brother..." A smile grew so big on her face that she had to pause. "And last night..."

"Wait, so you've accepted him?"

"It just feels right, Ny. With him..." She looks around as if looking for the right words. "I could feel it in my soul, he is my mate." She said it with such emphasis, such passion, such conviction. Nya has never seen her speak this way.

"Wow... that's... so he had feelings for you this whole time and was hiding it?

"Yeah... and I have to tell you about last night." She looked off like she wasn't looking at anything in physical reality but as if images were playing in her mind. "It was the most incredible feeling I've ever felt. He made love to me, and it was so incredibly passionate... and he was patient, it was nothing I've ever experienced before. It was so different, I felt like I was being cherished like I was the most important thing in his entire world. With Vince, it was more of just a good time."