Page 75 of Cathmoir's Sons

My vision mists. It might not be hisfirstthought. That will always be to protect me. But now his second thought is to make sure he has my consent.

Yes.

I’ve barely put away my phone and picked up my bag when Law steps into my office in a swirl of black vapor. I smile at him. Before he has a chance to say anything, I say, “I love you.”

His mouth works but no words come out. He holds his hand out to me. When I take it, he pulls me to him, scooping me up so I wind my legs around his hips, my arms around his neck. He slides a hand under my ass to support me and rubs noses with me.

“Is it too much to ask for that greeting every time?” he murmurs, pale green eyes searching mine.

“No, it’s not too much to ask. And I do love you. And I see how hard you’re trying to temper your caveman instincts?—”

“Cait instincts,” he corrects. “I’m a cupcake, not a caveman.”

I laugh. “I’m not sure you understand the whole cupcake concept.”

“I understand I’myourcupcake. Every day you let me back into your life, I understand betterhowto be your cupcake. Now tell me what this problem is while I Walk us into a nest of high fae and pray to the Mother I still have my hide when we walk back out.”

As if Teddy would ever let anything happen to someone I care about.

Then again, I did nearly kill Evan the last time I saw him.

Chapter 21

Big Kitty

KELLAN

Law doesn’t put me down even when we stand in front of the gates of Thistlemist. I could have Walked us into the Ember Palace but I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to sneak two Cait Princes into Callan’s court. Teddy invited us. Everyone can deal with us being here.

I’m done hiding.

After a few minutes, Rachel comes for us. She’s barefoot, wearing jeans and an off-the-shoulder, All Blacks jersey rather than her white armor. I watch as she emerges from the court’s high wall, wondering what to say to my friend. What would I want to hear if she’d tried to kill Law or Luca or Rhodes?

I settle for “Hi.”

She levels a finger at me. “Bitch, do you have a death wish?”

“Possibly,” I admit.

She plants her fists on her hips and shakes her head at me. “I thought it was one of those unwritten rules of sisterhood: thou shalt not try to kill thy sister’s Daddy.”

Law stiffens in my arms and murmurs, “Does she really call Lords ‘daddy’ all the time? I’d like that.”

“Yes, she does, and no, not gonna happen,” I mutter back, before saying to Rachel, “It definitely is. Punch me and call it even?”

“Ha,” she says. “I’m holding this over you forever. For-EV-er. I want the coolest gear for every holiday, my birthday, your birthday, and all the human holidays, too. And you’d better deliver. I don’t want to hear there’s a shortage of spider silk this year or that Solomon’s jewels only come in red. You’ll get it for me and you’ll get it in pink or I’ll remind you of the time you nearly killed the man I’ve waited for, forseven fucking years,and send you back out to get it.”

“Deal,” I agree, feeling I’m getting off lightly.

“Okay,” she huffs. “Now you can come inside.”

She twirls on her bare heel and stalks back into the court. A huge, silver gate, the central bars twisted into the shape of a thistle, appears as she walks through the wall. With a dramatic creak, the gate opens.

We get quite a few stares as we walk through Thistlemist. Maybe because Law’s who he is. Maybe because I’m still wrapped around him like a tired toddler. Maybe, even, because I am who I’m becoming.

I return each and every stare. Most look away hastily but a few nod at me.

The doors to the Ember Palace, which is really more of a swish manor house, are open when Rachel leads us to them. Law hisses under his breath when he crosses the threshold but strides inside without pause.

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