Page 90 of Stitched Up in You
Superpowers and not dying does sound cool, I won't lie, but he should’ve said something sooner. A wave of determination crests through me, and I recognize it’s not mine. As Aubrey continues to have her little breakdown, I press a hand to my stomach. As wonderment flows through me, I can feel Frank’s emotions inside of me somehow, and a sense of peace and comfort is there too, folded all up tightly, but the most resounding of all is resolve. It feels kind of nice, actually.
My gaze clashes with Frank’s, and a hint of vulnerability flashes across his expression before he turns to my friend.
“Aubrey, nice to see you looking well,” Frank says, raising a brow at her new changes as I peel her off me.
I take her hands in mine and smile at how she looks like herself but shinier, her hair brighter and her skin almost glowing. She looks fabulous.
“If you ever hurt her, I’ll end you,” she snarls at Frank in response, going from beautiful to ferocious in point zero two seconds.
I blink, my jaw unhinging a bit, but I don’t have time to react to her vampiric display before she wraps an arm around me and tugs me to her again.
“Did he hurt you?” she asks, out of the corner of her mouth breathing into my ear.
“No,” I snort laugh.
“Aubrey?” a distinct Romanian accent calls out from down the hall.
I tilt my head while still in Aubrey’s embrace and see Vlad coming down the hallway in a black suit and tie, his gaze locked on her with an entourage of people walking behind him.
“Look what I found,” he says, gesturing behind him as he gives her a grin.
Aubrey lets me go to meet him and my nose wrinkles as I take a look at the people following him, noticing how their skin looks obviously sallow in their evening clothes, their gazes sunken. “Hey, isn’t that Mr. Jackman?” I ask, recognizing him at the back of the group.
“It is,” Rebecca calls out from behind them, followed by Bruno and a scowling Nero.
I watch as Nero moves toward the prone reporter on the floor and picks up the guy, who moans as he’s taken away.
“They smell funny, and their heartbeats are all wrong,” Vlad announces, sliding his arm around Aubrey’s waist the second he reaches her side.
“Tepesh has rounded up the infected humans. Good job team,” Mikael says in the earpiece, reminding me it’s still in my ear.
Mikael said before we arrived that once we collect everyone who’s taken the formula, it can be extracted and they won'tremember a thing. Luckily, Talbot now have much better infrastructure that would make it hard for me to hack, meaning the formula truly is safe.
I tilt my head and dig the earpiece from the side of my head before handing it to Frank, wringing my hands out as I try to let go of all the adrenaline still coursing through me. What a freaking day this has been.
“Oh wow, they do smell funny,” Aubrey mutters, covering her nose with a hand.
“Can you lead them out the back? Mikael has a van ready at the back entrance,” Frank says to Vlad, who nods.
The sounds of voices in the next room can still be heard, reminding me what we’re doing here. “You’re going to miss your speech,” I remind him.
“Fuck the speech,” Frank says, putting a hand around my waist and pulling me to his side.
A rush of butterflies fills my stomach, tingles of electricity coasting over my skin everywhere he touches, and a swift surge of possessiveness engulfs me.
“Don’t think this means I’ve forgotten what you did Frank. You owe me,” Vlad says, scowling at him as he holds Aubrey protectively at his side.
“I thought the yacht and trip to the Maldives was a great apology,” Frank says, rubbing his hand down my back soothingly.
I frown, remembering how months ago Aubrey called me excited because her and Vlad had won a paid vacation to the Maldives, but I didn’t know Frank had anything to do with it, or that he’d given them a freaking yacht.
Vlad purses his lips and narrows his gaze before nodding once. “Shall we, Aubrey?”
“We’re heading back to the castle later if you want to come stay a few days. You should come too, Frank. I know you won’tbe able to stay away from her since she’s your mate and all. Just text me, Bernie,” Aubrey says, pulling me in for another embrace.
I hug her back firmly, wincing a bit when her hold gets a bit too tight again, and wave her off as she leaves with Vlad.
“And just when were you going to tell me I’m your mate, Mr. Stein?” I ask him the second she’s out of view, crossing my arms over my chest.
