Page 95 of All In

Tanner said he would join me, but honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if he straight-up ran. Bonds can’t be dissolved once initiated, but the farther the physical distance, the more muted the bond becomes. There are also drugs that can be taken to help soften the link.

He has every right to hate me.

Not to mention Locke.

I’m not sure what to do with myself, but all I really want is to talk to my sister. I miss my mom so much at times like these. My shoulders tremble as I try to keep myself from completely falling apart.

It’s hard to admit that I made such poor choices, and now they’re affecting my future.

What Ranger said made it sound like my system was faking waves of heat to try to lure compatible alphas to lend me their pheromones…

I don’t even have my phone to do research.

I’m overwhelmed and isolated, and emotionally, I feel like shit.

I have no idea what comes next.

“Aww, I’m here,” Tanner says, scooting up behind me on the mattress. He pulls my hair to the side and kisses my cheek before sliding his hand under the blanket and resting it on my stomach. “The world is really piling it on right now, huh?”

“Please don’t be nice to me,” I whisper, sniffling. “I don’t know if I can handle it.”

“You’re really stuck in your feelings. Come on, roll over and face me.”

My head shakes.

How am I supposed to look him in the eyes?

“I didn’t know. I just need you to know that I wasn’t trying to trap you into anything.”

“All right, that’s about all I can handle of listening to that.” He works his hand between my hip and the mattress and rolls me to face him, but he doesn’t stop there. He hoists me onto his chest, and my knee slots between his. “Remember, beautiful, we’ve got a bond. You don’t have to plead your case or convince me of anything because I can feel it. I’m thinking your anxiety is keeping you from blocking your thoughts and feelings because I’m getting everything in the bond.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry.” I bury my face between his side and his arm. It would be nice if I could hide right now.

“Yeah, I can feel that too, but I need you to work on relaxing for me.” He nuzzles his cheek to the back of my head, since my face is buried in his armpit. “We don’t even have to talk about the pregnancy stuff if you don’t want to. Tell me where your head is at with Chicago Guy.”

I snort, twisting until my cheek lies on his chest. “I like Locke, but he and I were just getting to know each other without Will as the common denominator to bring us together.”

“He seems like he’s pretty connected in his own right.” Tanner rakes his huge palm up and down my back. “I’m not going to lie, he bossed his way right in to save you today. If I were you, my panties would have been wet. It was impressive.”

I laugh, but there’s no humor in the sound. “I got him tangled up in all of this. Any of you could have gotten hurt, and it was totally unnecessary.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” he acknowledges. “If you’d had open access to a telephone, would you have called him to update him on the situation?”

I nod. “Yeah, just so he would know that he didn’t have to worry.”

“Right,” Tanner says. “The way I’m looking at it, and go ahead and correct me if I’m wrong, but that makes the ambush not on you. If Ranger hadn’t vetoed your ability to communicate with the outside world, you would have updated Chicago Guy?—”

“Locke,” I say, running my fingers over his muscular chest.

“Locke,” he growls. “Whatever. I’m trying here, but you’re still not allowed to like him more than you like me.”

“Tanner,” I whisper, pushing up on my knees. My hand moves to cradle his cheek, and his beard scratches against my palm. “Never. You’re important to me. I’m sorry for everything. I feel like I rushed you into bonding me.”

“I’m a grown-ass man. We’re compatible on some deep level you hear people talk about.” Tanner chuckles. “You think you pressured me into something? Let me tell you, my instincts wouldn’t shut up about trapping you so you couldn’t escape.” His hands slide down to cup my ass. “Things are moving fast, but that has a lot to do with our biology. Could we have gone the pining and fighting our impulses route? Yeah, probably, but I’m all about gratification.”

“And you’re not having any regrets?” I ask, studying his blue eyes.

“Not a chance.”

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