Page 30 of The Fated Mate Bandit

As much as I hate to admit it, Coin is right. I need to clarify what Lucas wants me to say to everyone.

“Thanks for talking with me about all of this. I’m sorry about… you know.”

He laughs. “My crush on your guy?”

“Uh, yeah. That.”

“Me too. I would never try to steal him or anything, you know.”

“Yeah.” I do know that.

“Go do your gym rat thing already,” he says. “I want to go back to sleep.”

I get out of the car. “Don’t let Link bring that dead turkey back inside my house, okay?”

“Because I’m so good at getting him to behave,” Coin says.

That’s fair. I’m not sure anyone could get Link to behave. I jog toward the entrance of the gym, briefly glancing back to see Coin climbing into the driver’s seat of my car. He really is too thin. I wish he was as open as Link is about his problems. I never really know what’s going on with him. I didn’t even know he was in love with Lucas.

Sometimes I wish Coin would let us take care of him the way he tries to take care of everyone else.

13

LUCAS

Iwake alone in Silver’s bed, but I can hear the water of the shower coming from the adjoined bathroom. His scent is everywhere: the pillow, the sheets, my skin. There’s a lovely soreness between my legs too, that whispers of what we did last night together. I bring my fingers to the fresh bite on my scent gland and smile.

It feels wonderful to have the impression of Silver’s teeth layered over the scar Daryll left on my skin when he bonded to me.

Silver walks into the bedroom with a towel on his hips. I stare at his bare chest shamelessly as he beelines for the closet.

“Good morning,” I say.

He turns around, the towel lowering on his hips. He reaches for it, then pauses and lets it slide down his body, exposing every hard angle to me. It feels like such an indulgence to be able to see him like this, especially in the morning.

He walks to the bed and sits next to me. “Good morning, baby. How did you sleep?”

“Wonderful.” I haven’t slept that well in months, possibly years, but I don’t tell him that.

“Good.” He drags a hand through his wet hair. “My, uh, brothers sort of overheard us last night.”

I think back to our lovemaking and realize it was because of me. I screamed out Silver’s name, among other things. What was I thinking? I knew they were sleeping in the house. They must think I’m such a slut for sleeping with their brother while I’m pregnant with Daryll’s pups.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to?—"

He presses a finger to my lips. “It’s okay. Last night was intense.” He bends over and presses a kiss to my forehead. It makes me feel so goddamn safe, I almost forget to be embarrassed. Almost.

“Do you want me to leave? Your brothers won’t want to see me after that?—”

“My brothers all love you and have been pressuring me to put my paws on you. This morning Coin actually threatened to do it himself if I wouldn’t man up.” He chuckles good-naturedly like it’s the most natural thing in the world for his brother to offer something that extraordinary.

“He did?”

Silver nods.

“That’s very kind of him,” I say.

Silver considers me warily. “Is that what you want?”

---