Page 47 of Matched into the Mob

“Not sure. With you I do. It’s a big deal. I’ve never had, you know… whatever for a mafia shifter. It’s a huge hurdle to admit that.”

My beast was as frustrated as I was, saying he’d growl at Matt if he didn’t stop talking and start doing.

“Just spill. Once it’s out in the open, we can move forward, no matter how many bumps and detours there are.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Matt, I mated a human, and even though my brother did the same, that’s not as simple as it sounds. My life will change and will never be the same as if I mated another shifter.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have said that. Might make our mate feel bad.

My wolf was right, but it was too late to take it back.

Matt’s eyes were awash with tears, and he sniffed. Shit, I had upset him. I slid onto the floor and kneeled at his feet.

“But what I didn’t say was the joy you bring, the humor, the uncertainty, the quirkiness will make my life a hundred times better than it would be if I never met you.”

“Nice save there.” Matt pulled my head onto his lap. “You expect me to admit the L-word after just meeting you like yesterday?—”

“Day before.”

“Fine. I’ll give you two whole days.” He ran his fingers through my hair.

“And didn’t you give me the loser sign? Is that the L-word you’re referring to?”

He sniggered and his lap jiggled, my head along with it.

“I’m not sure if what I feel is love. It’s as though you reached into my heart and claimed it.”

“And you’re fighting for control.”

“Yeah, it’s a tussle.” He snapped his teeth which amused my wolf.

I wouldn’t help him with that. I mated him, and I’d held back from taking him to bed or demanding he change his lifestyle. That was another issue. Yet one more.

“Maybe love can’t be defined because it’s not about pretty words, flowers, or chocolates.”

“You might be onto something,” he agreed. “It’s what’s in our heart.”

NINETEEN

MATT

“And what’s in yours?” Ranger got up and plonked himself beside me.

I’d asked him so many questions since we met, but now I had to ask some of myself.

First, did I want to be with this man? This extraordinary man who had a wolf inside him.

Second, would I be able to live my life if he wasn’t in it?

And third, could I go back to being the Matt I was before if I walked away from Ranger?

Yes to the first.

Yes to the second, but I would grieve every day until I went to the goddess.

And no to the last. That Matt was gone and a new version had taken his place.

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