Page 70 of Love Bites Extra Hard

When the door opened and shut, I heard voices in the hallway. Some of our people were still outside. Waiting to make sure my mate was healed.

They’d have to keep waiting, because I didn’t want anyone else’s eyes on her until she was better. Even then, I didn’t want their eyes on her. She belonged to me.

“After Stella stops blaming herself, I’m going home,” Avery said, trying again to peel her chest off mine. Between the blood and her weakness, she still didn’t budge.

“We’ll visit your sisters,” I gritted out.

The thought of taking her back to them made me want to lock her in a room and refuse to let her go.

I had almostlosther.

Permanently.

Stella would’ve had to kill me, because I would’ve lost my fucking mind.

“I’m not visiting, Talon. I’m going home for good.”

“Like hell you are.” I sat up carefully, holding her to my chest with a hand against her back.

“Stella told me what I am to you. You lied to me. I’m not staying with you.”

“If you know that you belong to me, then you know damn well that I won’t let you go.”

I carried her to the bathroom, adjusting her position to keep her as comfortable as possible. Though her wounds seemed mostly healed, the way she’d flinched earlier told me she wasn’t all the way there.

Even if she was, I was going to be far too careful with her for the time being.

“My sisters are mated to the other kings. You can’t force me to stay without starting a war, and you won’t do that to your people.”

“The two dozen dragons in the hallway waiting to find out if my mate is okay beg to differ. Fated mates are the one thing all of us would go to war for, Ave.” I stepped into the shower with her and turned the water on. It would be uncomfortably cold for me, but I didn’t want to burn her.

“Don’tAme. You lied, while we were screwing, for an entire month. You let me believe we were just friends with benefits.”

“Wewerejust friends with benefits. Being fated doesn’t change that. I didn’t lie. I left out details that would’ve made it clear what we were. All of the evidence pointed to the truth, and you would’ve figured it out eventually if she hadn’t told you.” I carried her back out of the shower to let the water warm up.

“I did figure it out, with my sisters’ help. Andwearen’t anything. I might be your fated mate, but that doesn’t make me yours.”

“My scales are the only reason you’re alive right now, Avery. If you weren’t mine, you’d be lying on the mattress, cold anddead.” I turned us sideways, so our shoulders pointed toward the mirror.

“That’s bullshit.”

“Look in the mirror, Ave.”

She turned her head, looking at the place our bare chests were connected. We couldn’t see the blood functioning as glue, but it was all over both of us anyway. Our arms. Throats. Faces. Hair. Backs.

Her face paled slightly.

“You were moments away from death when Stella put my scales on you. If she hadn’t, you wouldn’t have survived. Everyone in that room heard your heart pause. It restarted the moment the first of my scales touched you. Our connection is the only reason you’re alive right now.”

She let out a shaky breath.

I lowered my nose to her hair and inhaled her scent. It was clouded with blood, but it was there, and it was perfect. “Your sisters and their mates would have to carve you out of my arms to take you from me. They might be able to manage it, but we both know you don’t hate me enough to let them. So stop arguing with me, and let me take care of you for a few minutes.”

Her protests fell silent, her eyes still on our bodies.

“All of that blood is mine?” she finally asked.

“Yes.”

---