Page 62 of Our Deceptive Heat

“You rascal, bring that girl front and center. I need to see her.”

I direct Ryn closer to the camera and gesture to the screen. “Auryn Raines, this is Mama D, Digs’ mother. Don’t get fooled by her wide smile and rosy cheeks. She’s got a temper that has the entire region shaking and she cusses like a sailor.”

“You better believe it, sweet cheeks,” Mama D says with a wink.

Ryn blushes prettily. “Hi!” she squeaks.

“Oh, you’re lovely,” Mama D drawls out. “Welcome to the family, Auryn.”

I choke on air but cover it quickly.

“This is Aunt Ariel, Tyr’s aunt.” I turn her to Ariel, who leans in and smacks a kiss to Ryn’s cheek. “And this is Mako’s sister; Selene.”

Mako’s sister doesn’t look like she’d get along with the rest of the mothers. She’s tall with a serene face, very chic and elegant. But she’s got a wild heart, and she’s got noproblem getting around in cutoffs and a shirt tied up under her breasts while she helps chase chickens or paint the church.

She takes hold of Ryn’s face and stares into her eyes. “I can see it.”

I shrug and elbow Ryn. She looks up at me with enormous eyes. I don’t know if she knows she smells of my pack. If it’s as obvious to the rest of us that she’s just spent days getting fucked in every way one can. “Well done. You survived the first meeting.”

Ryn looks positively faint. “That’s great.”

She shifts, and I draw her to my side. I turn and rub my chin over her head and realise I can smell cinnamon and sugar.

“Are we having pancakes?” I ask and step away from Ryn.

“Yes, sirrah, we are.”

“I’ll be just a minute.” I rush out to the car and dig around in the back until I find a different jumper. It’s an old favourite of mine, and I’m glad I’ve got it. I pull it on and inhale the scents of my pack that are soaked into it.

I’ve missed them. It’s been a long time since I spent that long away from any of them, let alone all four of them.

The scents do a lot to settle my nerves. It won’t be long now. A couple more hours.

I walk back into the house, pulling the hood up so I’m enveloped in them.

Ryn has her head thrown back and is laughing. I’m struck suddenly as a beam of sunlight falls on her and my mother. Seeing them in five years, ten years. Seeing her with a daughter who has hair my colour and blue-green eyes like her mother.

I want a forever with this woman.

Why is life so unfair?

Mako’s sister touches my arm and leads me out the front porch.

“When are you going to tell her?”

“When it’s safe to and it won’t make her life worse,” I whisper back.

“She’s in love with you, all of you.”

I pause, those words lifting me up even though they should be wrecking me.

Selene’s gaze sees right through me, pulling all my secrets from me.

“And you all are in love with her. You have been for years,” she whispers. “Oh, Envy, what are you doing?”

I don’t even try to deny it.

“What’s stopping you?”

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