Page 17 of Tucker's Strike

Fuck.

There’s no way I can lie to her or deny her this. She wants to come with me. More than that, she wants to see the tiger beneath the skin.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I tell her, looking at her over my shoulder.

“Why not?” Hurt visible in her gaze, the curiosity gone from her voice. I watch her as she shakes her head and her shoulders slump. “I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m sorry.”

Damn. Damn. Damn.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to come with me. If you do, there’s no stopping what could happen,” I explain through gritted teeth.

Lake stares at me, cocks her head, and steps closer. “There’s no stopping what? I’m your mate, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, you’re my mate, Lake, but I’m doing everything in my power not to force it on you. To give you time to accept the truth. You had a lot thrown at you at one time.”

Lake steps even closer, and my cock stiffens to the point it’s pressing into the zipper hard enough to leave imprints.

“Lake, I’m warning you, back away unless you want me to fuck you.” I growl, the need for her growing heavier inside me.

“I want to come with you, Tucker. I need to see you.” She’s not talking about seeing me naked. She’s talking about seeing the tiger I’ll shift into.

The very beast inside me stretches, wanting the same damn thing. But he wants more.

Fuck me. If I end up hurting her, I’ll never forgive myself.

I open my mouth to protest, to deny her, when she steps even closer and whispers the one word that becomes my undoing.

“Please.”

Closing my eyes, I drop my head forward and inhale the sweet, seductive scent of her. Smelling only that of her nymph blood and none of the Fae. I’m figuring it’s the way her body calls for her mate. But I can’t go by the scent alone. I won’t do that to her.

“You come with me, I tell you to leave, you do it, understand?”

I ask, not lifting my head nor opening my eyes.

“I understand.”

I hear the agreement, though I know it’s a lie. There’s no way she’ll leave if I tell her to.

“Fine.” I nod, open my eyes, and stretch an arm in her direction, indicating for her without words to take my hand. She does something even better . . . slides up next to me and curls herself into my side.

Chapter Eleven

Lake

It took me a couple days to come to terms with everything and to process what Tucker shared with me. I made sure to keep my distance from him the best I could while also getting to know him in the way I needed to. I didn’t talk much unless he asked questions, but I have my reasons.

I’m not used to talking and asking questions. I’ve been on my own for so long, isolating myself from the entire world. I was only speaking to those I needed to in order to survive. I didn’t know who I could trust. Who the enemy was or who I could lean on when I needed it.

While in the shower, I made the decision it was time to open up to Tucker.

I don’t know what it is about him that pulls at a part of me. I honestly couldn’t describe it if I wanted to. But I knew I wanted him, needed him.

That need was stronger now than I’ve ever felt in my life. Between my thighs, I ache for him. The very thought of anotherman repulses me. I couldn’t even touch myself to relieve the ache. It only made it worse tenfold.

Yesterday, I had a talk with Karsyn and asked her some things while we were alone. Shed explained to me what she told Tucker. My mother was indeed half human, half nymph. I’d been more than a little surprised by how she’d been able to tell me this and other things. Karsyn explained she had a connection to the earth and, in turn, to everything that thrives from it. She also had a connection to the Moon Goddess and the Earth Goddess.

I found it hard to comprehend until she’d gotten this distant look in her eyes and smiled as she spoke. “The Earth Goddess speaks truth of your grandmother being a nymph, mother only half. You have the blood of the nymphs running through your veins alongside that of the Fae. You are special in more ways than you know. You will soon find out, but first, you must come to terms with the knowledge that you are the mate of a tiger. Just as your mother was fated to that of your father. Be with him. Trust in him to be what you need him to be. Know that he will never leave you alone so long as you take his hand and hold what fate has blessed to you.”

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