Page 52 of Gifted Destiny

I nod, voicing my silent agreement. We will expose the truth and retrieve justice for the wrongs we all endured.

In the aftermath of our passion, I fear that discomfort and shyness might creep between us. Neither does as he pulls out of me and kisses me gently. The newly forged bond settles neatly between Kodi’s and Avery’s bonds and the space reserved for Bren. That void feels larger now, but Garrett’s position feels as natural as the others do despite our rougher beginning.

“I can’t remember,” I drawl as I watch him gather his clothes. “Did you apologize?”

His dark gaze is briefly surprised before he notes my mischievous grin. I nearly forget what I’m saying because theplay of his muscles is fascinating. His body is a work of art. “What did I need to apologize for?”

I gasp dramatically. “You don’t remember? How rude ….” My words trail away when he abandons his shirt and crawls up the bed toward me. He resembles a predator stalking its prey, and it’s sexier than it has any right to be. Desire curls in my stomach despite my satisfaction.

“I apologized,” he whispers against my lips.

The following kiss is so deep and passionate that I question whether we should stay in bed. Surely the library can stay closed today?

“But I’ll do it again and again if you want me to.” His voice is husky when he pulls away. “I’m sorry for being a jealous asshole.”

My lips tilt upward. “From now on, you can take your frustrations out on me in bed rather than insulting me.”

He kisses me again, stealing my breath and my thoughts. “Anytime, kitten.”

My nose scrunches with distaste, but I let the nickname go. “Are you still jealous?” Sudden curiosity prompts the question.

He sits back on his heels while he contemplates his answer. Fates, he’s beautiful. If I had any talent for art, I would draw him. I can’t believe, however, that he doesn’t have even a bit of fat to roll over the waistband of his jeans. I thought fat was required to build muscle, but Garrett possesses none. I pull the blankets up to my chin while he thinks.

“No.” The library reveals the truth in his words as he points to the shoulder that bears the golden feather. “That mark binds us, which means I no longer have to be jealous of your mates. They might have you too because of this and this ….” He grazes the knot on my chest and the lotus on my wrist. “But their marks aren’t any more important than mine. It will be the same with Bren.”

He slides off the bed again, and I sigh with disappointment when the shirt hides my perfect view. Before I can think of a response, he’s back at my side and lifting me into his arms despite my squawking protests. He shuts me up with another long kiss before setting me on the chair in the bathroom that I sit in while brushing my hair or putting on makeup. A clean towel covers its surface, and the library regularly switches it out. She provides a comfortable place for me to sit in every room.

“You should shower again before we open.”

And just like that, a switch flips. I’m no longer thinking about our wonderful lovemaking or the new bond. Instead, I contemplate Bren’s magic, the BSP detectives, and our second day of business …. For a few blissful minutes, I’d forgotten.

Garrett notes my changed mood, and he leans closer. “We’ll finish this together, Zosia. You’re not alone anymore, and we’re not going to let anything happen to Bren.” With a glance toward the mirror, he traces the outline of the feather rising above the collar of his shirt. “We have justice on our side,” he adds. “Now, get showered. The day’s wasting.”

I growl. “I wonder whose fault that is.”

“Worth every second.” He throws the words over his shoulder as he leaves me in the bathroom and shuts the door behind him.

It was, I agree silently and square my shoulders with determination. If Garrett can subdue his jealous nature, I can alter my pessimistic attitude. We will secure our future by saving Bren and the library together.

Chapter 24

Bren

Something in the atmosphere, or the cosmos, or the library shifts when the third bond is complete. I’m uncertain if I’m the only one who senses it, but the possible futures lose the pervasive edge of doom I’ve grown accustomed to. My chest clenches when a fleeting image of an older Garrett with a child on his lap flutters through my mind. He’s happy and the little girl has Zosia’s golden eyes, but I can’t discern whether the vision is true sight or wishful thinking.

Avery’s sigh of relief echoes mine. We’ve found duties to occupy us, but it’s mostly busywork intended to take our minds off what might be happening in our apartments. I feared the worst, even though this was the most likely outcome. I hope Zosia made him beg for forgiveness before she allowed him into her bed.

“It’s done,” the vampire mutters. The terse words convey relief and lingering, justifiable anger. Garrett was out of line.

Kodi hovers nearby. Whenever he thinks no one is watching him, he grins with satisfied giddiness. The second chance with the woman he loved has given him a rosier outlook.

Garrett thinks the ghost owes his good fortune to me, but I disagree. The library wouldn’t have accepted him as a guardianif they couldn’t explore the depths of their relationship. He and Zosia would have found a way without me.

Defining the term liberally, Kodi wasn’t the only virgin among us. My sexual experience has been sterile, coerced, and traumatic. I’d had to shut myself down to engage with the women my father presented. When I kissed Zosia, it felt like my first kiss.

“Does it upset you? To be the last?” Avery’s question is quiet and searching as he steps closer. He’d probably mistaken my deep contemplation for disappointment. Less than a day ago, we’d speculated that my brother would be the last. We hadn’t factored in the hot-blooded temperaments of two shifters.

I shake my head automatically. “Not at all. The order doesn’t matter. I’ve seen her in my visions for years, and I’m not insecure about our relationship.”Not the emotional aspect,I add silently. The physical component is harder to envision. Loving her has never been uncertain, though; I can’t imaginenotloving her.

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