Page 65 of Visions, Paws, and Claws

“Meet Eve Duncan, our latest recruit, but more importantly, Hashtag’s mate,” Crank announced with glee. “And yeah, you heard that right.”

Hashtag wanted to laugh at Roadkill’s stunned expression. “Believe me, I was as shocked as you. But it’s true.”

“And he’d better stay on her good side, because she’s a gorilla,” Crank added. “So I guess we all know who’ll be wearing the pants intheirrelationship.” He cackled.

Roadkill dropped his towel over the back of a chair and strolled over to her, his hand outstretched. “Then I’m delighted to meet you.”

Eve took his hand—

And gasped.

“What’s wrong?” Hashtag noted her pallor, the way she trembled. “Eve?”

She sniffed. Sniffed again. Then she moved in closer until her body was almost touching Roadkill’s.

“Eve? What’s going on?”

She turned her head toward Hashtag, her eyes wide, her lips parted, and whispered one word.

“Mate.”

Roadkill let out a strangled noise and took a step backward. “What the fuck?”

“Holy cow.” Crank’s eyes bulged. “Doeseveryonearound here have a fucking mate?”

Hashtag’s brain could not compute. Because if Roadkill was Eve’s mate, that meant….

He shook his head slowly. “No. No. Uh-uh.” He stared at Eve. “You’ve got it wrong. He’s one of my squad mates.”

She nodded, regaining a little of her usual color. “And now he’sanothertype of mate.”

Horvan cleared his throat. “Everyone out of here. I don’t care where you go—give them some space.” Then he turned and walked out the door, the others following.

Hashtag had never witnessed a room empty so goddamn fast.

He sank into a chair. “This is not happening.”

Eve frowned. “I know it’s a shock, but…. Didn’t you tell me he’s like family to you?”

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?”

“Then is it too much of a stretch to accept he’smorethan that?”

Roadkill’s gaze went from Eve to Hashtag and back to Eve. “You’re serious.”

“There’s one way to prove it,” Hashtag announced. “Tell me what she smells like.”

“What she…. Are you fucking nuts?”

“You heard right.” Hashtag breathed deeply. “So take a good sniff, and if shedoesn’tsmell like sugar and spice and all things nice, then maybe she’s wrong. But I’m starting to doubt it.”

Eve took a step toward him and offered him her neck.

Roadkill was like a statue. “This is fucking crazy.”

“Justdoit, all right?”

He leaned closer and gave a cautious sniff. His nostrils flared, and his face flushed. He took another sniff, only this time he brushed his lips against the golden skin under her earlobe, andfuckif that wasn’t the hottest fucking thingever.

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