Page 4 of Sinful Mates

“Are you fucking serious?” Aaliyah cast me a glare colder than the Arctic circle. I returned it with fire for swearing in front of the kid. I could curse with the best of them, but I kept that shit out of the ears of children.

“Not here, baby.” Zethan’s gaze slanted from Mia to me, a silent warning to keep things civil for her sake.

What did he think? I was gonna throw a punch in the middle of the club? Start a fight in the vicinity of traumatized women? Spatter blood all over my woman’s kid? I was dangerous. Deadly. Craved blood and fire. But I wasn’t that fucked up. That award went to Danny fucking Heller and his twisted buddy.

Just as I predicted, Aaliyah took sides, jerking Zethan to his feet. “I’m tired. I want to go home.”

Dread stuck in my chest. Fuck, no, I was not getting labeled the bad guy here when she was just as culpable. I crossed to her and blocked her retreat.

“Going home without saying goodbye to your old man?” I tried to inject cockiness into the question, but it came out sounding pathetic and insecure.

“Slade, I’m tired and Mia’s been through enough,” she answered, trying to brush me off.

I wasn’t sure if she was still mine after this. Her stony and unreadable face gave nothing away, and her bond felt dull, like she clamped down on it to hide her emotions. Woman made no move to embrace me, and sensing she didn’t want one, I took her hand instead, sweeping my thumb over the top of it. I wanted her to know she was still mine and I’d fight for her even if she didn’t fight for me.

“Come on, sweetie, let’s get in the car.” Zethan tugged Mia’s hand, leading her to the front door. Gratitude melted the frost encasing my heart.

“Bye!” Mia waved at everyone crowding the room. “Can we have ice cream for dinner?” Cute kid. Loud and confident like me. Smart like her mother.

“Desert,” Zethan grunted.

“Yay!” Mia bounced on her feet.

Aaliyah’s smile trailed after them.

When her gaze swept to me, exhausted and without her usual fire, I asked, “What’s the plan with Mia? Will she stay at Zethan’s?”

She rubbed her forehead. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

I didn’t want to tell her how to raise her kid. None of my business. But she didn’t look like she had the strength to stand, let alone think straight. My busted knuckles would have to heal of their own accord. Shifter healing meant they’d be fine in a day or two.

“Mia needs stability,” I said gently and carefully, trying not to overstep. Learned my lesson there. Balls scorched. “One house, not four.”

Aaliyah jumped between our houses depending on who she stayed with and that wasn’t ideal for a kid.

I gripped her hip, refusing to let her go without having this out with me. “Come stay with me. I’ve got big bedrooms and the backyard set up for my niece and nephew. Swings, cubbyhouse, and pool.” I rubbed at her drooped shoulders. She looked like she went through hell and back, and I just wanted to take care of her. “Castor’s not big on kids. Zethan, yeah. Alaric, probably not ideal right now. But Mia’s welcome with me.”

“Yeah.” Aaliyah sighed. “You’re right.”

I fished out my keys, removed my bike key, and handed the rest to her. “Let yourself in. I’ll be there in an hour.”

Shit needed to be finalized. Pay Doc Schriever. Ensure the women were set up for the evening. Men on duty round the clock to protect them and the clubhouse from further attacks. Organize a funeral for Slim and Jerry, Aaliyah’s uncle. Thank fuck the Wolves were dead and unable to kill any more of my men. The same couldn’t be said of the cops or avatar cunt after us.

“Okay. Thanks, Slade.”

“Slade? Not Mr. Vincent?” My smashed knuckles hurt like hell.

She glared at me, not in the mood.

“Come here, Nurse A.” Despite the sharp spikes she set up around her perimeter to keep me away, I dragged her into my arms, and she went limply, too tired to fight. I could have fought her back after her breach of trust but her dark eyes and drawn face pulsed pain in my chest. “You holding up okay, sugar?”

“Not really.” Her voice came out harsh and raw.

Things needed to be said, misunderstandings cleared up. We were not taking this bullshit home to argue in front of her kid. “I want things to be right between us. I don’t want to lose you. We need you when this war heats up.”

“It’s already pretty damn hot from Danny’s actions,” she scoffed, squeezing my arms, giving me hope that we were still mates, even though she was too annoyed to reassure me. I should have been pissed that she was mad at me when she wasn’t innocent in this mess. Love, not war. The Love god side of me won out for now.

“We need to stick together to face this avatar.”

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