Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 212458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1062(@200wpm)___ 850(@250wpm)___ 708(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1062(@200wpm)___ 850(@250wpm)___ 708(@300wpm)
“You mean the woman that watched you kidnap me?”
He smiles, turning the truck off.
“Yeah, I’m real anxious to be friendly with her,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“She also watched you use bear mace on me and didn’t step in to help either. Pack members don’t step into scuffles with alphas and their mates unless asked to.”
“Whatever.”
***
Two steps inside the door, and I’m suddenly pushed up against the wall. Mason’s palms cup my jaw as he moves in for a kiss.
And my first thought, as he steals my breath, is that I haven’t brushed my teeth. He doesn’t seem to care. He’s devouring me like I’m the best thing he’s ever tasted.
“No sleeping without me,” he speaks directly against my mouth, tickling my lips in the best way, “If you pick sleeping beside anyone but me ever again, even your mother, I’m gonna have somethin’ to say about it.”
“You’re crazy,” I whisper. “This has to stop. Go, see the witches, find out what’s what and do that before you spend another second thinking we’re gonna be anything.”
“Amie, damn it, this is it for me. And for you. I feel it in every cell of my body.”
I blow out a stuttered breath and find myself unable to tear my gaze from his. “It’s the voodoo.”
“This is real and I fuckin’ know it.” His eyes are so fierce, pain twinges in my gut.
“I need to brush my teeth. And get coffee. And take a shower, and…”
“We’ll take a shower together while the coffee brews. You go up. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I’d like to take a shower alone. And I’d like my phone.”
“You’re funny, baby. Go.” He swats my behind and gestures for me to go ahead of him. “Your luggage is in the closet. Day after tomorrow, we’ll go back and get your stuff. You’ll need to quit your job, I suppose, but-”
“My job? Whoa back!”
“If you have to give notice, we’ll stay in a hotel. I’ll work from there. Or you quit and-”
“You’re crazy if you think you can just meet me and make me do what you want me to do. Quit my job? Move my stuff here? The phone please…” I hold my hand out.
“Crazy? Yeah. About you.” He slaps my palm and then lifts his own palm high like he wants a high five. I stare blankly.
“Let’s work on one thing at a time. Get through today and then make a plan for the rest of it. Okay?”
“This isn’t-”
“Go ahead. I’ll start coffee. You like it weak, strong, what?”
“Strong enough to wake the dead. I’m not quitting my job. I’m not getting rid of my friends. And you need to stop laying down these rules for me like you’re my husband and it’s the dark ages. Because I don’t have a husband. And I just ended things with a guy that was revealing he was gonna be a rotten husband and in doing so have decided if I ever do get married, which right now – that’s debatable, the guy will be perfect. I’ll settle for nothing less.”
He smiles a dangerous smile. “You’re already married.”
“I’m not.”
“Well, I am. To you.”
“Then it’s time to find out about getting a supernatural divorce. They exist in your world?”
“They do, but they only happen in very rare circumstances and when they do, the couple typically suffers.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning you might go on with your life since you’re a non-shifter, but I’ll be left fucked up.”
“Fucked up?”
“Irreparably. In my world, alphas mate for life. If that bond is broken, the alpha is left broken too. He can get somewhat better over time if she dies and he finds happiness again, but if she’s alive? If he doesn’t find someone else? He’ll be fundamentally unhappy. Anyway, I don’t want this severed. Even if the witches broke the rules. So, if they have, don’t ask to get it undone. Because Amie, I’ll fight you on it and it won’t fucking happen.”
“You want me tied to you even if I’m not supposed to be?”
“I knotted you. I gave you my mark. You’re mine. I want to know the truth about the spell and if it wasn’t sanctioned, I’ll be going before a supernaturals council to formally request it be left as is.”
I frown. “So, you don’t want it undone because you’ll suffer. Whether it’s real or not, you’ll suffer. So you’d rather not suffer even if it means I do. Got it. Typical male.”
“You’re not gonna suffer, baby. I’m gonna be the best mate there is. I’m gonna do my fuckin’ best to be as close as possible to the perfection you refuse to settle for less than.”
I stare, arms folded over my chest, saying nothing, and doing my best to blank my mind because the look in his eyes is like he’s reading my mind again and I don’t want him in my head. I don’t even wanna be in my head right now because those things he just vowed? Gah. I can’t let it penetrate.