Page 103 of Blood of Vengeance

And with that, she walked out the door, leaving me alone with Flinch. With the man I had fallen in love with so quickly. The one who had made me promises he hadn’t been able to keep.

The one who had driven from Mesa to Detroit to make up for his mistakes.

The one I was absolutely so ready to forgive.

We stood in silence for a long few seconds, the tension between us growing. The mood darkening.

Finally, Flinch sighed.

“I know I really fucked up, Lock, and I am so sorry.”

And with that, I was in motion.

Thirty-Five

Flinch

“I am so sorry.” Out of all the words I had said or would ever say, those four carried the most weight, and I meant them. I was endlessly sorry for so much in regard to how I had handled being mated. And if Locklyn had chosen to kick me out and not accept my apology, I would have deserved that shunning because of what I’d done.

But she didn’t kick me out.

Instead, she ran right at me. Directly into my arms.

“Oh, Locklyn,” I growled, pulling her close and lifting her off the floor. My little mate wrapped herself around me, and I felt whole for the first time since those fucking vampires had attacked us. Since everything had gone completely sideways in my life. I finally felt like the world was solid again. This was it for me. She was it for me.

“You’re such an idiot.” She pulled me in tighter, burying her face in my neck. “You messed up so badly.”

“I know, baby. I know I did. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but if you give me another chance, I promise you that I’ll never be so stupid again. I will never leave you out of the decisions or hold back information from you.” I leaned my forehead against hers, my entire body on high alert. Ready for rejection but praying for forgiveness. “If you can give me another chance, I’ll honor you the way a good man and mate should honor the woman he loves.”

She choked out what sounded like a sob, a smile forming on her lips. “You’d better, because I’ve missed you.”

My entire body went liquid, all my bones melting at her words. I dropped to the floor, still holding her. Cuddling her in my lap so I could be surrounded by her warmth and smell and energy. So I could be a part of her. And then I opened my mouth.

“I am an idiot, and I’m so sorry for that. I’m just a man who loves his woman but made a big fucking mistake along the way. I’m also a wolf shifter who adores his fated mate, and we would do anything for you.” I pulled back, making sure I had her attention. Gazing into those green eyes I had fallen so deeply in love with. “My real name is Finnegan. I’m really fucking old, short stack. Well over three hundred years old, and I sure as fuck hope that doesn’t matter to you. I grew up in a shifter community, but my club brothers became my family and were all I really cared about until you. Finding my mate overwhelmed me, and I definitely didn’t do things the right way, but I’m going to try. I’m going to fix what I messed up. Ask me anything—I’m an open book for you.”

She looked up, smiling. Teary-eyed but happy. “What’s your wolf like?”

“He’s an annoying, egotistical pain in my ass. He sheds like a motherfucker once a year and makes me miserable. He’s also smart as fuck and keeps me alive. And he’s been the biggest pouty baby since you left us. Pretty sure he’d hump your leg right now if I let him out.”

She looked up at me through those lashes, naughtiness sparkling in her eyes. “Just my leg?”

Done. Over. Dead. I picked her up with me as I rose to my feet, not willing to miss a single opportunity to be with my mate. Hump just her leg? Nope. Not today. It had been weeks since I’d been allowed access to her sexy body, and her leg wouldn’t be enough.

I walked us into her bedroom and collapsed on the bed, wrapping my body around hers even as I groaned and pressed my rock-hard cock against her stomach.

“Fuck, baby. Everything in here smells like you.”

“It should—it’s my room.”

It was, but the scent. By the Fates, the scent rocked me. I was drowning in her and loving every breathless second of it.

“We can’t stay here,” I said, groaning as I flexed my hips against her. Wanting to feel her weight on my dick. “I would never get soft if I had access to this bed. You would be so annoyed with me and my dick trying to get into your pants every second of every day.” I inhaled, my face pressed into her mattress, rocking my hips against her again as her scent filled me. “Seriously, short stack. I’m going to come just lying here in this scent. Ask me anything while I’m still in control of my brain because the blood is flowing out at this point.”

She laughed and rolled us over, ending up straddling my hips and rising above me. Dropping her weight on me and making me clench up at the pure pleasure of the feel of her. I stared at her in wonder, unable to believe she had forgiven me. Or maybe not—she could still be upset—but we were definitely heading in the right direction. And the right direction at that moment was me inside her.

“Be with me,” she said, her voice soft but strong. “I don’t need to ask anything more right now. Just be with me—I’ve missed you.” She dropped her gaze, her smile softening. Her expression turning almost shy. “I still love you, Flinch. I never stopped.”

Done. Over. Death by my mate’s sweet words. Nothing else mattered in that moment, just her and me and reviving the connection we both needed.

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