Page 44 of Hell Gate

After Alder brings back lunch, Matthias takes my hand with a mischievous glint in his eye. He gives me a playful wink.

“Come on.”

“I thought I had to finish learning how to block?”

Valerian left shortly after his knight friend to look for any witches nearby, leaving orders for me to continue the interrupted training session. Alder expects me to follow him back out to the woods in fifteen minutes.

“Skip it. You deserve a break and I want to take you out.” He draws me closer, kissing me. “I can see you’re about to go crazy if you don’t get away from this for a little bit. You think you’re hiding it from us, but you’re not as good at it as you think.”

It’s odd that he can read me so well when I’ve spent my life hiding my thoughts and opinions, dulling myself for the sake of others. Odd and nice. With the guys, I don’t have to do that anymore. I can be my real self, the girl I’ve never fully shown to anyone else.

“I won’t let anything hurt you.” He traces my nose with the tip of his, white blond hair brushing my forehead. “I might not be a warrior like Alder and Vale, but I know how to fight.”

“Always trying to slide in as my hero,” I tease. “You already got the girl.”

“That’s right, baby.”

“Fine.” My beaming expression gives me away. “Let me change first.”

I take my bag into the bathroom, hesitating with my grip on the bottom of Alder’s shirt. If I’m going out with my demon boyfriend, my—my mate, I shouldn’t be wearing another man’s clothes. His shirt smells so good, woodsy with hints of charcoal. Shaking my head, I peel it off. Instead of leaving it for him to find, I stuff it deep in my bag and pick an outfit I think Matthias will like. Once I’m dressed in the leather miniskirt that hugs the curve of my wide hips and a loose crop top with skull hands that appear to hold my breasts, I swipe on some mascara and red lipstick I stole.

“Bombshell.” Matthias rakes his teeth over his lip, taking me in with a heated gaze. His arm drapes across my shoulders and he leads me out to the car Valerian didn’t take, swinging the keys around his finger. “I want to make it up to you that we missed out on your first rest stop junk food feast. I found a spot nearby I think you’ll like.”

I tilt my head curiously, brushing my fingers against his chest as an excuse to get closer. “What is it?”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “It’s a surprise.”

“Surprises generally aren’t a good thing for me.”

With a hum, he brings his lips to my ear. “Then I’d better get to work on showing you how enjoyable they can be.”

The shiver I attempt to hide makes him snicker. He opens the passenger door for me with a grand sweep of his arm. A laugh bubbles out of me at his antics and the spark of excitement flickers to life as he pulls away from the motel with the windows down. The cool autumn air blows my hair back from my neck and shoulders. He rests one hand over the wheel and stretches the other out to thread through my hair before he drops it to my lap, tucking it between my legs. The casual, possessive move makes my insides twist pleasantly.

“When Alder finds out we bailed on him, he’s going to kill us,” I say.

Matthias squeezes my thigh. “He’ll be more pissed he didn’t think to take you out first.”

As much as I like how that sounds, I bite my lip. “I don’t have a lot of experience. Well, none, if I’m honest. And I’m pretty terrible at expressing myself because I’ve spent a long time keeping quiet. But I’m yours.” It leaves me breathless every time I say it, feeling more important and permanent each time. I placed a hand over my fluttering heart. The invisible cord around it hums with a gentle squeeze. “I’m yours.”

He smiles, thumb stroking the top of my leg. “I know, petal. I love that you’re mine.”

The back roads of the Pine Barrens almost make it seem like we’re the only two people in the world. More houses and farms break up the trees as we reach a main road. We’re not on it long before he pulls into a farmers market stand.

“Here’s our first stop.” He takes my hand and urges me to the faded blue and white stand boasting fresh fall pies and cider donuts.

“Is it open? We’re the only customers.”

“It is. Do you like apple or pumpkin?” He holds up two different pies. “Or both. We don’t have to choose between them. You can have everything you want. Everything your heart desires. If you feel the urge, take it.”

There’s something about the way he says it that makes me pause, looking up from the basket of fresh apples. The bond stirs in my chest, the faint tug in the opposite direction ever-present. Are we still talking about pie?

“Both? I don’t know, I’ve never had any.”

For a moment, his mouth tightens and his golden eyes flash. He covers with a nod. “We’ll have to fix that, won’t we? Both it is. Anything to spoil my pretty girl.”

I blush, moving along to the huge pile of pumpkins. “The cider donuts sound good, too.”

“You know we’re not leaving without donuts, Lils. Some for now and some for later.”

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