Page 59 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha
The dots were begging for me to join them. The only way that Bastien would be here with Luc’s support and with the political power to get the Order removed was if he’d finally bonded the two halves of his soul.
It was a good thing. I knew it was. But my eyes filled with tears. Luc looked at me sharply and I pressed on the bruise on my hip, making it throb, hiding the true reason for the wetness on my cheeks.
Fuck. I couldn’t do this now. I couldn’t afford to break down. To worry about whether Bastien regretted his decision to make me his mate now that he’d bonded with his human half. For five years, his human side hadn’t done anything to press his suit. There had to be a reason for that. And I didn’t want to think about it.
Too caught up in my own head, I missed something important. And then the bullets started flying. Even though part of me knew that Bastien couldn’t be easily hurt in this form, training and muscle memory had me moving before my brain caught up. Rolling, I came to my feet in a defensive stance, fingers already moving to enlarge the shield spell. But before I could do anything useful, before I could actuallydo my fucking job, Luc grabbed my hands and pulled me behind him.
What the fuck? He wasn’t letting me do my job now either? Fuming, I tried to kick him in the back of the knee, but with Shifter fluidity he dodged me.
Just then, Silvio made another move for freedom. That was what I needed. I needed to stop thinking and start acting. Topush the angry thoughts down into the back of my brain. To stop fucking worrying.
I couldn’t cast any big offensive spells but I didn’t need spells to cause damage.
My feet carried me away from Luc who, not expecting me to run, turned a fraction of a second too late to stop me. Thankful that I had worn my steel-toed combat boots, I began to kick Silvio. “You fucking asshole. Trying to compel me. Fucking illegal mind-rape interrogation techniques. Fuck you. Fuck you.” The locks on the box in my mind that stored all my dark thoughts rattled. I was screaming, my body shaking with anger and adrenaline, recalling the terror and pain I’d felt when I thought he was going to get into my mind. When I’d feared that I would be the reason why Bastien was sentenced to death. Coupled with my own anger that I was being treated like a fragile doll rather than a competent bodyguard, I had a lot of rage to channel.
I couldn’t see Silvio’s crumpled body through the tears that blurred my eyes, but I didn’t let that stop me. He had to pay. Because of him I’d nearly betrayed my mate and his biggest secret.
Strong arms banded around my body. Even as I continued to kick and scream, I was lifted from the ground. One large hand pressed my head into a muscled chest. The chest was familiar. The smell comforting. I rubbed my cheek against his torso and his rumbled purr vibrated against my skin.Oh, that’s nice. The trembles in my muscles began to dissipate.
Bastien rumbled something to Luc and then he was carrying me out of the building and across the lawn. I kept my head tucked against Bastien’s chest. My chest was tight, my eyes swollen from crying. I was a mess. Physically and emotionally.
Someone spoke nearby and I stiffened in Bastien’s arms.
Be calm, he said, in my mind.You are safe.I have you.
Bastien’s arms tightened around me and I cracked open one eye. He’d walked me to the chopper and, without breaking stride, he jumped into the cabin. Settling himself into a seat, he made no move to let me go.
Inwardly I sighed. Being in his arms felt so right, but I knew the rules. I needed to take a seat and belt myself in. Squirming, I tried to free myself from his lap.
No. He tightened his arms, his head dipping to my neck. He sucked on the bond mark. Instant heat flashed through my body.I’m not ready to let you go. Not yet.
“But the belt?”
Fuck the belt Elie.Lifting his head, he shouted to the pilot, “Don’t crash.”
My lips twitched. All right then.
The noise of the rotor blades filled the air. Bastien settled a headset over my ears, and then one on his own head. He tapped the side of mine and gave me a thumbs up.
“What about Luc?”
“He’s got backup coming. The psychic Mage will be taken into custody. If he spills everything and implicates Maximilian, I’ll be only too pleased to issue an Order for his arrest.”
A quick glance up showed that the pilot also had a headset over his ears. “Can he hear us?”
Bastien shook his head. “We have our own channel on these headsets.” And if you would join me, we have our own special channel.
I didn’t take him up on the offer. “You think this is tied in with the kidnap?”
“I don’t know. Yet. But that’s not the proof I’m looking for now.”
“But you said you’ll have him arrested if Silvio implicates him.”
“Silvio.” Bastien’s voice was harsh. “That’s the name of the guy who’s going to be dead by tomorrow.”
I pushed an arm against the hard chest and Bastien’s arms loosened just enough for me to sit up straight and lift my face so I could see him clearly.
His mismatched eyes on mine were steady. For a moment I lost my train of thought. He really had bonded the two halves of his soul. Thank the gods. He was the Bastien I knew. The Bastien I had loved for years. But he was also the Bastien who had mated me in the underground bunker. And he hadn’t changed back into his human form. He was showing the world that he was a beast. A Shifter in his true form. And he’d poured all that power into a suit.
