Page 285 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Chapter 15

Hotel rooms should be dark, so it didn’t matter if he’d stayed up all night fucking, he could sleep in. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains and Bailey threw his arm over his eyes, not wanting to get up. Prison had conditioned him to start moving and not linger. But he was free. He drew in a breath. He could do what he wanted. With a smile, he rolled over and curled against Kass’s back. Kass was fast asleep. Bailey tried to invade that dream, drowsiness spooled through the bond and he closed his eyes, not expecting to fall back asleep.

The next time he woke, Kass was up and having a drink. He offered Bailey the glass of water. “It’s nearly lunchtime.”

“Yeah.” That would explain why his stomach was knotted with hunger. He propped himself up and accepted the glass.

“How are you feeling?”

He lifted an eyebrow. What kind of question was that? Did he want to be complimented or did he care? It was the latter; he knew that as soon as he thought it. “Good. Like everything hurts in all the right ways.”

Kass smiled. “Let’s go to the bakery for lunch.”

Bailey would’ve preferred to get room service and then drag Kass back to bed, but Kass was right. It needed to be done, and there was always after. They had the whole weekend before this came crashing down. “Sure. Danishes that can solve any problem, right?”

He was sure there was no pastry capable of fixing his life.

It turned out there was.

The pear, maple and custard Danish was recommended for increasing opportunities and new beginnings. And it was delicious. The entire meal had been great.

“So, this place is run by witches, for witches.”

“And shifters. It’s a front.”

“I got that. But it’s definitely not a criminal front.”

Kass shook his head and ate his good luck and good health muffin. It appeared to have sultanas in it—how they brought good anything, Bailey wasn’t sure. “We’ll be called soon.”

And then what? Kass wasn’t even trying to hide his anxiety. He was at war with himself, but every time their gazes caught there was nothing but, well, he was going to call it lust, because it couldn’t be anything else.

“Robinson?” A woman with dark hair tied up in a long ponytail stuck her head through the door.

Kass brought his half-eaten muffin, so Bailey did the same, and they went out the back.

It didn’t look magical. There were no wands or cauldrons, just paperwork in a very ordinary looking office.

They sat, Bailey perched on the edge of his seat, expecting to be in trouble for something. Even Kass didn’t relax. There’d only been a few times Bailey had felt this kind of tension and one of them had ended with Kass being shot.

“How can I help? It’s so nice to see familiar mates. You’re so lucky.” She beamed at both of them.

“That’s one of the reasons we’re here.”

It was? But everything was going fine. He stared at Kass.

Kass licked his lip. “I’m a soldier. Last year I had a brush with death. I’m leaving again in two weeks. If something happens to me, I don’t want Bailey to suffer.”

“What?” They hadn’t talked about this. And if they had danced around the subject, it was that they weren’t going to do anything.

“I love you and I’m scared that if something happens—”

“You could be hit by a car today. I could be hit by a car.” He paused and frowned. “You love me?”

Kass nodded, seemingly more pained by the realization.

“Since when?”

“Definitely since you got hurt. I was trying to deny it.”

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