Page 63 of Cathmoir's Sons

I don’t think I can bear that, not with the small strides we’ve made. I have to keep moving forward.

I brush aside her hair with the tip of my nose until I find the curve of her delicately pointed ear. I plant a soft kiss on it and whisper, “I love you.”

“Still pissed off at you, Law,” she whispers back.

But she doesn’t move away.

“I know. And I’m sorry for the way I hurt you. I can’t say I’d make different decisions if I had it to do again but I will always regret your heartache and the loss of your trust.”

She sighs. “Still pissed off.”

“I know.”

She’s silent for a moment, watching Luca and Tsara. Then she whispers, “I love you, too. Being angry and hurt and everything else I’ve felt since I found out you’d been lying to me and pretending to be my cat—it hasn’t made me feel any less for you. Despite how utterly furious I am at you, I still love you. I don’t want you to think those feelings are gone.”

I press tiny kisses to the curve of her ear and inhale until I catch a hint of the musk and floral scent of my mate’s hair.

“I’m relieved to hear I haven’t made you hate me. That would be beyond bearing. But I would like to correct one thing you said. I neverpretendedto be your cat. I am your cat. I will always be your cat. I’ve never felt more loved than when you kiss my toe beans. I miss everything about you, but my toe beans are pining.”

Kellan snorts so loudly she has to cover her mouth with her hand. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m very serious about my toe beans’ despair.”

“If you swear to stay in your fur, I might be persuaded to let you in tonight.”

“And will there be toe bean kisses?”

I can’t see her face but I can tell she’s rolling her eyes from her little huff. “Could be.”

“I promise to stay in my fur tonight. Will you go straight to Jane Serpa’s from here?”

Kellan nods. “Via Pandora’s Box.”

“Mmm, could I persuade you to make a detour if there’s nothing pressing in Bevington?”

“There’s not. Jane’s with Teddy and her family this afternoon and some of the senior staff tonight. What’s the detour?” she asks.

“Did you like Scilla?”

“The town? I loved it.”

“Could I tempt you back there tonight? Dad’s approved a new den in the hills above the town. I scouted it with Struan and my cousins last week. It’s ideal. If all went according to plan today, our lawyer closed on the villa that will be our base while we buy up land and build our den. I thought you might like to see it? And maybe revisit that restaurant with the good swordfish? There’s an offer I’d like to make to the old human who runs it.”

She turns in my arms, resting her palms on my chest and looking up at me. “You bought a villa in Italy?”

I nod. “I bought you a villa in Italy. As long as you like it. If you don’t like this one, maybe you’ll like one of the ones we’re going to build. I wanted to give this to you as a mating gift. I realize you’re unlikely to accept that now, but I still want you to have a house in Scilla you can retreat to when things at Bevington become overwhelming.”

Her lower lip trembles. “You boughtmea villa in Italy?”

I lean in and rub my cheeks against her, gently scent-marking her. “I’ll buy you a villa in every country in the world if it makes you happy, Kellan.”

“I don’t—” She shakes her head. “I don’t need a house in every country. But I would love a place in Scilla where we could go.”

I smile at the “we” but don’t comment on it. “Struan doesn’t intend to leave Thistlemist, but he was smitten with Scilla, too. I think he plans to take one of the houses in the den as a vacation home.”

“If Struan and Orlaith come, Teddy and her guys and Rachel and Evan will follow. You can count on it. I hope you’re okay with them joining us.”

“I’m more than okay with it. I’ll offer ... or have Luca offer when he joins you at dinner on Sunday.”

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