Page 8 of In Plain Sight

“It’s not supposed to be common knowledge. I need you to calm your mate down and stay put. I will call when I’m ready to talk to you guys. For now, leave me be. Please.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Lily snorted.

“Please, Lil. You remember what it was like when you first found your mate. You didn’t exactly handle it well and didn’t want anyone around to help you deal with it.”

“That was different, it was Thomas!” she insisted.

“It’s not different. It’s called mating, and right now, I need to handle this on my own. I’ll call you tonight and check in. I promise. Just buy me some time to at least get to know him first.”

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll do what I can, but you will check in three times a day at least. And not by text. I need to hear your voice to make sure you’re still alive and well.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, mother,” I said sarcastically.

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“Is he hot?”

I looked over at Bran, who was watching me closely, and I grinned. “The hottest.”

I said goodbye and thanked her. Bran’s brow crinkled in that way he seemed to do whenever something was bothering him or he was frustrated. I wasn’t sure how I knew that for certain, but I did.

“Who was that?”

“My family. Word spreads fast around here. They were ready to storm the gates and come over, but I bought us a little time first. Don’t want you regretting everything on day one,” I joked.

He looked dark and menacing as he replied, “I will never regret you, mate.”

Every time he called me “mate,” it gave me a new thrill and caused goosebumps to break out across my freckled arms.

“How about I whip us up some lunch and we can just talk. You know, get to know each other, maybe.”

He seemed to hesitate, but nodded, then a slow grin lightened his dark features. “You interrupted my meal earlier, so lunch sounds perfect.”

“I thought I was the meal earlier,” I mumbled under my breath as I headed for the kitchen. It caused another deep belly laugh to erupt from him.

Bran

Chapter 5

I had a mate. It was so surreal and the last thing I ever expected when I’d taken this mission. There weren’t supposed to be secrets between mates, but I knew I could never tell her my real reasons for coming here.

I had seen up front the authority she’d carried around the stables. I had researched and learned enough about Thomas Collier to know he wouldn’t trust just anyone to positions of leadership, even with stable hands. I needed to learn a hell of a lot more about my mate, and quickly.

“Can I help you with that?” I asked Ruby in the kitchen as she grilled cheese sandwiches and warmed up beef stew.

“I got it. Just make yourself at home,” she insisted.

I sat down at the small kitchen table. The place was clean, neat, and organized. It was just the kind of place I would love to call home. I didn’t require much in life, which meant I didn’t need anything more than this small apartment with my beautiful mate.

I couldn’t let myself think like that, though. I had been selfish to take Ruby as a mate so hastily. She was full of life and I was facing death. I knew that even if the plan went smoothly and I was able to get in with the Colliers and close enough to Kelsey Westin to fulfill my promise, the odds of me getting back out alive were very slim. I knew this when I’d accepted the mission. I hadn’t had Ruby in my life to care about at that time.

I pushed those thoughts aside. What was done was done. I couldn’t dwell on it, but I would greedily spend every second I could loving her, for as long as I was alive.

“So, you have family in the area?” I asked, trying to push past the melancholy threatening to settle in.

Ruby shot me a smile over her shoulder. “Yeah, you could definitely say that. I’m one of seven kids. My parents are still alive, too. Four of my siblings have taken mates. All have stayed in Collier except one. Two more travel a lot and are only here part of the year, but it’s nice to have them around when they’re home.”

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