Page 87 of Chev's Mate

“I’ll be careful next time,” I whisper, kissing her forehead.

For a long moment, there’s silence, and when I turn to look at Vanessa, I notice her eyes are wet. Our bond is uncomfortable, and I feel horrible despite knowing she’s not angry with me. I didn’t know she wouldn’t like me finishing inside, but I do now.

We get in the shower, and I hold her gaze as I trail my hand up her thighs and clean them. Her sex is next, but I don’t touch it. She doesn’t like that, so I pull away and let her do it herself. Vanessa grimaces as she wipes her folds, and she wiggles as she tries to push the remainder of my cum out.

“It’s because you forced your breasts into my face,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. “You know how much I like them.”

Vanessa snorts, and I take great pride in how her mood improves. I’m distracting her, and I continue to do so until she’s clean and free of my cum.

“I’m excited to eat your spaghetti,” she eventually says.

Good. I’m proud of my wheat strings.

“I think turning off the flame and oven will have ruined the food,” I admit.

Vanessa doesn’t respond, probably because it’s true, but she’s the one who turned it off, so I’m going to blame her.

“It’s your fault if it’s not delicious,” I say.

Vanessa gasps. “Chev!”

I jump away when she moves to strike my shoulder, and I’m only slightly horrified by the non-masculine giggle that slips from my throat as I hurry out of the shower to escape her attack. Vanessa lands a good hit on my side before I can get away, and I notice that her attack is precisely the same as Echo’s.

My monstrous sister has been training with my mate.

This means Vanessa has likely taken a thousand hits of a stick. Her nymph blood allows her to heal quickly, so the bruises would be gone before I see them, but I don’t like the thought of them having been there in the first place.

Echo has a very particular teaching manner, and the next time I see her, I will whack her hard with a stick. I don’t care if it causes Dad to come at me. He’s an old man, and I will whack him too.

I don’t care.

Chapter Thirty-Four

CHEV

VANESSA HATES IT when I do this.

I stare at her face, ensuring she’s in a deep sleep before gently pulling back the covers and crawling out from under her. She gets scared when she wakes to me getting out of bed, my large body sending her brain into a momentary spiral, and I do my best not to disturb her as I place my feet on the floor.

Moving as slowly as my muscles can, I inch off the bed and pull the covers back up her body.

That was smooth.

Vanessa’s still asleep, my beautiful mate none the wiser as I tie up my leathers and head into the living room where the Wrath children are sleeping. I agreed to watch them for one weekend in exchange for using Silas as a vehicle, but that was months ago and now it feels like they’re always here.

I don’t mind, especially since it allows me to teach them the skills their parents have failed to do.

Valeria is already awake and staring at the ceiling, and I whistle to get her attention before jerking my head toward the door. The mini fate frightens me, but I’m reminded she’s just a child as she grins and scampers outside.

Cassia is hard to wake, and I poke at her with my toe until her eyes blink open. She looks at me with pure hatred, the young wrath not happy about being woken up, but she doesn’t make a fuss as I help her to her feet.

She tried to bite me the last time she spent the night here, so I’ll count this as progress.

“Go outside,” I whisper, keeping my voice low so we don’t disturb Vanessa.

She drags her feet across the ground, but she listens nonetheless as she joins her sister outside.

David is the easiest to wake, clinging to my leg within seconds. He still likes being carried, and I hold him on my hip as I lead all three kids to my back shed.

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