Page 40 of Sinful Mates

Frustration slammed into the bond. Challenges of motherhood. My mate needed soothing and I was here for that.

“Mia doesn’t want to go to school because Zethan got it in her head that staying with us is a vacation.”

“Put your foot down.” What I would do.

“I did. It got ugly.”

Parenting wasn’t easy. I should know. As a single child without a father figure, I raised hell as a teen. Drove my mom mad and to many breakdowns.

My stomach rumbled to dive into my meal. Afterwards, though. My entire body vibrated with enjoyment when our time together was short and sweet lately. “Where’s Mia?”

“Outside with Zethan.” Her gaze lifted to the window, where Mia slid down the slide on the play equipment Slade set up for the members’ families when we had barbeques and parties.

My pulse stretched out in languid beats as I stroked Aaliyah’s spine. “Why is wrath a sensitive topic?”

She rubbed at her hands as if dirt smeared them. “Danny’s death is an eternal stain I can’t wash off.”

Fuck. Club talk. Appeasing her conscience. “My first beating was like that. I dreamed about it for months. Saw his face everywhere.”

Fresh out of the legal system, I was a fucking suit and didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Made it up as I went. I rubbed at my knuckles, remembering busting them using my bare fists. All the blood. Mine and my victim’s. I learned pretty quickly to employ my knuckle dusters and let them do the hard work.

Her eyebrow crooked reproachfully. “If this is one of those make me feel better speeches, you got off on the wrong foot.”

I squeezed her waist to silence her. “Listen to me, Sorceress.”

She rolled her eyes, slanting me a glance. “I’m a healer, not a murderer.”

I bit her neck to get her full attention. “How do you know killing’s not Isis’ will? She floods the Nile to punish those who don’t do her bidding. By killing crops, animals, and humans, she encourages more life. In death there is life.”

“Isis told me not to retaliate with violence.” I gave her a sharp squeeze to stop her struggle against me. “That there were better ways for vengeance. I would have let Slade die in the hospital if it weren’t for her command.”

I bounced her on my knee. “My vengeful little mate.”

She didn’t appreciate the joke and pressed a palm to her forehead. “Fuck. What did I do? I snapped just like Zethan when Danny threatened my little girl’s life.”

“Stop beating yourself up over this.” I laid several kisses on the curl of her ear. “Half the parents in the world would have done the same thing.”

Her tortured eyes lifted to mine, and I wanted to put out her sorrow and guilt. Before she protested, I nipped her again to silence her.

“Thoth put me here.” I locked our fingers together. Tight. Unbreakable. “He guides me to do his will as his enforcer of the Law of Maat. If that means going after criminals, then I do it. I don’t keep my position from being forgiving.”

A lone finger tapped on my shoulder, considering this.

“I tried seeking justice through the legal system, but it’s broken. Shaped to protect the rich with enough cash to drag out their cases and bankrupt their poorer opponents.”

The tapping slowed, hinting I slowly got the message through to her.

I drew hieroglyphs on her thigh. “If you’re with us, then you possess darkness within you. Where do you think you got the name Dark Sorceress from?”

“Great.” Damn. I lost her.

“The universe is subject to Maat,” I growled from low in my throat. “Law and order. Balance and peace. Justice and injustice. Your brother knocked things off balance. We corrected it by ending the Wolves. You finished the cycle by ending your brother.”

Uncertainty on her bond told me she wasn’t convinced. “How do you know I didn’t create an injustice by breaking my vow?”

Ruthless darkness lurked at the edge of my bond. Temptation to wreak havoc on all those that violated the Law of Maat. “You don’t think I broke mine to the law?”

She sagged against me. “You got me on that one.”

---