Page 62 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

“I know they will,” Bae replies firmly. “And I won’t use you as bait. Go home, Kyle.”

I step forward and grab Kyle’s hand. “You heard your alpha,” I tell him sternly. “Time to go.”

Kyle stands there for a few seconds more with a lost look on his face. I pull on his hand again, and this time, he follows me out the back door.

“I don’t understand,” he mutters as we get in the car. “Doesn’t he trust me? Why is he sending me home?”

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with trust,” I say, reassuring him. “It has been a rough few days for you, and I know Bailey wouldn’t want to put you in unnecessary danger.”

“But I was undercover for a year, and I just ran the mission that got Liam killed,” he snaps. “I’d say I’m pretty good at going into danger.”

“And maybe that’s exactly why he doesn’t want you to do it again!” I yell. I have to take a deep breath and grip the steering wheel to settle myself down. Kyle goes very quiet, watching me through the shadows that flicker across the windscreen.

I gulp down my tears, focusing on the road as we head for home.

“I’m sorry, Leslie,” Kyle says softly. “I haven’t really thought about how this affects you. You’re right. I’m sure Bailey wants to protect me.”

“And I’m grateful for it,” I answer, my voice hushed.

We pull into the driveway and my hands shake a little as I park the car. Kyle takes my hand as we walk up the path and unlocks the door. He pauses in the living room, looking slightly awkward.

“Did you want to get some dinner or something?” he asks.

I shake my head, looking up at Kyle. “Just come to bed with me, please. Just hold me for a while.”

Kyle swallows hard and nods. I can see his eyes are brimming with emotion, but I know he probably won’t be able to share it. Right now, what I need more than anything is to feel his strong arms around me. To reassure myself that he is with me, and always will be.

We go down the hall and lie down on the bed, curling up against each other. I cling to him, pressing my face against his chest.

I love you.

“Sorry?” Kyle asks. “Did you say something?”

My heart hammers in my chest as I realize I must have whispered the words aloud. My hands tighten on his shoulders as I try to think of a way to explain myself.

You know what? Fuck it. We could die tomorrow.

I pull back and look into his face. There is only distant light from the stars and moon; there are no streetlights this far out of town. With my wolf’s vision, I can see every clean line of his sharp cheeks and the hard edge of his jaw, still scattered with stubble. His blue-green eyes shimmer in the dark, like ocean pools that hide treasures of turquoise and pearl.

“I love you, Kyle. I love you so much, I can’t stand it. I never stopped. Every single second that you were away from me, I just loved you even more until it felt like I would die from it. But I couldn’t stop. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop loving you.”

Kyle’s face falls, twisting into a frown. He reaches up and strokes my cheek.

“I thought of you every day. Sometimes I got so caught up, I forgot my mission. I didn’t know why I was there with them… only that I was the scared, lost kid I’d always been andthey were just like me. But when I thought of you, I knew my place in the world, my purpose. I knew the only thing that mattered was coming home to you.”

I can’t stop the tears that break free and pour down my cheeks. Relief makes my chest ache, and it feels like my heart is finally beating again after months of being cold and dead.

“You mean it? You really want to be with me?”

“Yes, Leslie. I want you more than anything in this world. I’m sorry I held back… I just didn’t want to hurt you again.”

“Oh, Kyle.” I lean in and kiss him gently. “I’m sorry, too. I should have told you right away. I’ve been holding back, too, and it isn’t fair.”

“You had every right,” Kyle says, taking my hand and kissing my palm. “I did a terrible thing to you. Punish me as you see fit.”

I shake my head, and the tears just don’t stop coming. “The last thing you deserve is more punishment,” I whisper. “You’ve had more than your share. I don’t want to hurt you. I want to love you and keep you safe.”

“I want the same for you,” he breathes. “I’ll never let anything hurt you ever again, even me. I was afraid if I told you everything, I’d end up hurt or dead—things that go beyond my control. Then I’d still hurt you, even worse than before.”

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