Page 40 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

He leaned forward, stopping when his lips were almost touching hers.“Then… I guess we’d better go.”

“One more kiss.”She reached out her hand, gripped the back of his head, and pulled him into her kiss.

Chapter10

Snickers greeted them when they entered the atrium nearly forty-five minutes later.Tracy ignored the grins of her aunts and uncles.She wasn’t quite as successful when it came to her dad’s raised eyebrow.Her face heated and she made a detour towards the table of food and beverages that Martha had set up.

“Mitchell, I don’t have much time, but I’ve conveyed what happened to Lena, Art, and Ty.Tracy, you’ll need to contact your friends.I know you’ve worked with Van and Peterson for years.I would trust them before I’d trust anyone else,” Michaela said.

He nodded.“I can’t make any promises until I talk to the others.”

Michaela waved her hand.“You’ll convince them.”

“How do you know?”he asked.

Michaela lifted a delicate eyebrow and glanced at Tracy before returning her attention to him.“Because you’re a good leader… and you have some foot in the game.Now, as much as I’d love to gorge myself on more of Martha’s wonderful cooking, I need to leave.I have a meeting with my cabinet members this evening.”

Ty snickered at the disgruntled expression on Michaela’s face.“Don’t bite anyone’s head off.”

Michaela rose, picked up her gloves, and playfully slapped Ty’s shoulder with them.“Now where’s the fun in that?Art, I’ll call you later… or better yet, call me if you need anything.The less I know, the better it might be.This way I can deny everything and the reporters won’t smell a lie.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Art said, rising.

Mitchell speculatively watched Michaela and Art as they exited the room arm-in-arm, chatting as if everything that had happened today was normal.He turned his attention back to Tracy.She was filling a plate with food.The rumbling in his stomach served as a reminder that he had not eaten since the last bite he had at the facility where they had taken him.

“Here you go,” Tracy said, holding out a plate.

He took the plate.It was warm, smooth, and made from a sturdy glass-like material.The table was filled with enough food to feed his clan.Silver containers with small fires under them kept the food hot.

He filled his plate with baked fish, potatoes, an assortment of vegetables, small sandwiches filled with mystery things, fresh fruit, and stuffed pastries with white fluffy stuff on top.His eyes roamed over the plate, trying to decide what he was going to eat first.It all looked and smelled delicious.

“You can come back as much as you want.Martha will be thrilled,” Tracy murmured.

He looked at his plate, at the table, then back at her.“There is enough food on this table alone to feed my village.I don’t think I’ve ever had this much food on my plate before.”

Tracy’s eyes grew dark with emotion, and a shimmer of tears made them glisten.He hadn’t said that to make her feel bad.It was a fact.

“Hopefully, after you’ve talked to them, your people will never have to feel hungry again,” she said.

His attention lingered on the table.He couldn’t help but imagine what the others would say if they saw this house and the food.Guilt made him look down at his laden plate.

“Mitchell.”

He looked up when Ella called out his name.She gave him an understanding smile and motioned for him to sit next to her.He walked over, placed his plate on the table, and slid onto the cushioned chair.A plump woman with a pleasant smile came over and poured water into one stemmed glass and juice into another.

“Would you like coffee or tea?”

“No, thank you,” he replied.

He blinked when he noticed the woman’s distinctive yellow-gold eyes, small button nose, and the wisps of white hair feathering out along her temples.She gave him a brilliant smile that was reflected in her eyes.There was a genuine warmth to her that reminded him of Anna.

“If you need or want anything special, you let me know,” Martha instructed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Martha.That will be all for now.Can you make sure we aren’t interrupted?”Art requested.

“Yes, sir.No one will bother you unless the mansion is on fire,” Martha vowed.

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