Read Online Therian Prisoner: 3 (Therian Heat) by Cyndi Friberg Friberg - Free Book Online Page A

when she’d first explained what had happened to Dhane. She might not have been raped in the conventional sense of the word, but something had happened, something haunting and…sexual.
    Silence descended again, but he allowed it this time. She’d already shared more than he’d expected. Details would emerge as she was ready to release them. He reached over her shoulder and motioned for the comb. “You can sleep here or in the bed.” She handed him the comb and he eased away from her then stood. “The bed’s softer, but you’ll probably be warmer down here.”
    She looked back at him with a tentative smile. “Could you toss me the t-shirt?”
    “Sure.” He returned to the bathroom and tossed the comb onto the counter then retrieved the t-shirt from the towel rack. “Is this going to be warm enough? I can get one of my flannel shirts.”
    “The t-shirt’s fine.” She took it from him and put it on, pushing to her knees as she pulled off the two damp towels. She held them out, not quite meeting his gaze.
    More of her skin had been exposed by the towels, but he couldn’t help fixating on the fact that she was naked beneath the borrowed shirt. She was calm now, firelight gleaming in her long dark hair. He took the towels from her, balled them up and threw them into the bathroom.
    “I’ll stay here.”
    He suspected not wanting to crawl out from under the quilt had more to do with her choice than the need for warmth. Still, he accepted her decision with a nod. “Then you should probably get some sleep. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
    She lay on her side facing the fire, the quilt covering all but her head. Ian pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time. 9:53 p.m. He smiled. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in bed by ten. He turned off the lights and crossed to the bed, sitting so he could pull off his boots. It was his habit to sleep naked. Somehow that didn’t seem wise tonight. He also liked to shift into an eagle and fly for an hour or so to help him unwind. Obviously that wasn’t an option either. There was no way he was leaving Devon alone.
    His phone vibrated and he swiped the screen with his thumb, unlocking the functions. There were sixteen messages from Erin and nine from Kyle.
    The most recent was from Erin. Bring her back or I will never speak 2 u again!
    Ian couldn’t help but smile. Erin had never been one to mince words.
    D is safe. Give her a few days 2 decompress. When Erin didn’t immediately respond, he added, Surely u know I would never hurt her.
    Again she didn’t respond and Ian sighed. Apparently the silent treatment had begun. I luv u both! No harm will come to her. He didn’t expect a response and he didn’t get one. He set the phone on the small shelf beside the bed and pulled back the covers.
    “Was that my mother?” Devon’s voice drifted to him out of the darkness.
    “Yeah. As you might expect, she’s not happy with me right now.” He crawled into bed and groaned. Even through his clothes the sheets were freezing.
    “If it’s too cold over there, I’ll make room for you down here.” The offer sounded weak and uncertain. Was she afraid he’d accept or that he wouldn’t?
    He clenched his fists and debated what to say. If she was frightened, he needed to make her feel safe, but he definitely didn’t want her to feel…
    Rather than trying to figure out what she wanted, why didn’t he just ask her? “Will you feel better if I sleep down—”
    “Yes.”
    Carefully crossing the darkened room, he joined her before the fire. She lifted the quilt then wrapped her arm around his waist as she pressed against his chest. He smoothed the hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. “If you need something, ask. I’m here for you.”
    “Do you really mean that?”
    He tensed, suspecting he wouldn’t like where this was leading. “Of course.” He swallowed hard, knowing he’d just handed her a blank check.
    “Then define me. I never