Page 130 of Mama Si's Paradise

“She foughtyoujust fine,” I said breathlessly, and I was right. His leg was a fucking mess.

But Grey said, “Because I was trying not to hurt her.”

Well, fuck.

The alphabet was running from me like I was its worst nemesis again, so all I did was stare at Grey as he threw more pieces of meat at the cougar, and she caught them all in her large mouth.

Surreal. Like a dream. Like a fantasy—definitely not real.

“So, you’re just gonna…keepher here?” And I was going to have to be under the same roof with not only vampires but horned cougars who looked like wolves, too?

Grey nodded. “In my tower. I have a safe place. She’ll be fine,” Grey said. “She’ll heal within a couple weeks, then I’ll take her back.”

So many questions ran through my mind, but nothing beat the feeling I got—that he cared about that cougar. Grey actuallycaredabout an animal.

And I had no clue what the hell to make of it.

“It’s best if you go to bed now, Fall,” Grey said, turning to look at me, his grey eyes wide, calm.Differentfrom what I was used to seeing on him.

“I will,” I said with a nod. The bed sounded mighty fine now because the alternative was sitting there with him and asking him a million questions until I figured all of him out. Until I knew exactly what the thoughts in his head looked like.

That’swhat drew me to him.

I wasn’t crazy or anything, but his mystery, that he wasthisperson who spoke so little to his own brothers, looked like he couldn’t care less about the world catching fire, but then risked getting his leg eaten by a cougar to save her life and feed her and heal her so she could return safely in the wilderness again—thisfucked with my head.

Just this, nothing else.

I stepped back slowly, headed for the stairs, fighting myself with every breath I took. Reminding myselfthat just because he cared about an animal didn’t change anything else I knew about who he was.

“Goodnight, Fall,” Grey whispered as I went, and I turned to find his eyes on me still as he rested against the cage, not scared in the least that a beast was inside those bars, so close to him.

Once again, the looks of him pulled at these invisible strings deep inside me.

Who are you?

I wanted to know so badly…

“Goodnight, Grey,” I said, and turned the corner, relieved to have him out of my sight.

“I love how blue looks on you.”

I could have imagined it, but I heard his whisper. I heard it as if he were standing right behind me, talking in my ear.

Drawing in a deep breath, I walked away as fast as my legs could carry me, hid in my room and lay on the bed without making a single sound.

I didn’t sleep until the sun was up in the real world.

Thirty-One

It wasstrange to be wearing lipstick again after so long, but I liked it. I liked the feel of moist lips. I liked the heavy lashes with the mascara the brides had given me, and the blush I knew was on my cheeks. I guess I liked putting myself together now since Mama Si. I’d actually missed getting ready for the day in front of a mirror in the morning.

Neither Valentine nor Grey were there for breakfast. Only Tristian and Romin joined us, and the rest of the day, it was just us.

At dinner, I was impatient as hell to know where they were, though I suspected I already knew about Grey.

God, had that cougar last night even been real, or had I made all of it up?

“Where do they go all day?” I asked out loud when my mind got too crowded with questions.

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