Page 54 of Bonded By Christmas
I’m pretty sure what he actually said was that he would break the neck of the first person who touched me, but I think he got his point across.
Callum steps closer, following a similar process to Grim as he pulls my hair over my shoulder, just on the opposite side.
Grim releases my jaw, and Callum twists my chin the other direction. It would be facing away from the security team, but Grim uses his hand on my stomach to guide me to turn enough that they can see the other claiming bite.
“You guys really wanna push your luck today?” Cal asks, chuckling ominously. “It’s not worth the trouble you’re making it out to be.”
Grim grunts while the team seems to be thinking it over. He slides around my front, wraps his forearm under my ass, and lifts me. With that, he turns around and strides through the metal detector without any of the men making a move to stopus. It beeps again, almost tauntingly loud in the silence of the moment.
“That was me, not her, and you damn well know it,” Grim growls without looking back.
I’m not sure how invasive their pat downs are, but I wouldn’t have minded walking through the machine on my own and letting them scan me with the wand thingy.
It’s not that serious.
Also, it’s not like I have anything to hide, but I guess it’s the principle for them.
“Did you have a good time with Callum?” Grim asks, carrying me somewhere. I really have no idea where, since my back is toward wherever we’re headed.
“I did, right up until we robbed a store.” Okay, technically, I guess weburglarizedthe store, but I don’t know all the technical terms, so I’ll have to take Cal’s word for it.
“Jesus Christ,” the security guy mutters just loud enough for me to hear it. “Not a chance, Callum. You know the drill. I’m patting you down one way or another. I don’t trust your crazy ass not to have a bomb.”
“Well, you sure smell like you had fun.” Grim smiles, and it changes the entire structure of his face. He’s so damn handsome, and my feet tighten on his ass.
“I really did. Are you okay with Cal and me bonding?” I feel like I have to at least ask, but I don’t think he has any issue with it. What he’s projecting in the bond seems to indicate acceptance.
“I’m happy for both of you, but Wilder might take a few minutes to get on board.” He grimaces.
I’m a little worried about that too, but pack relationships are complicated. Sometimes the individual relationships progress at a similar pace, and sometimes they’re a little more spaced out.
“Cal said I would be staying here with him, so I’ll talk to him,” I say, pulling my hand up to cradle Grim’s jaw. “I don’t think it would have been a big deal if they did pat me down or whatever, but you coming to my rescue was super hot.”
He chuckles. “This place is neutral ground. The only people who are allowed to be armed are Wilder and anyone on his team. They only fuck with Callum because they know what he’s like. They won’t actually take his weapons, though. Basically, they needed to make sure you weren’t smuggling anything in for a rival family. No one will mess with you again now that they know you belong to us.”
Well, that probably shouldn’t send a shiver down my spine, but it sure does.
I love that he can pick me up and tote me around with no problem, and I’m relieved to see he seems to be doing better since we bonded. He’s speaking in longer sentences, and he’s less aggressive… Well, kinda.
I’m choosing to be optimistic, and his mental clarity seems like a great sign.
Hopefully this is just the beginning, and he’ll get progressively better the longer our connection exists.
Grim and I come to a stop in an open area of the warehouse with a ceiling that must reach twenty feet high…or more. I’m not great with heights, but it makes Grim seem tiny.
I twist around to check out the space. There’s a small seating area with a fake plant, a few club chairs, and a love seat. The wall opposite us is white with three black doors placed equal distances apart.
“Those are the conference rooms. I texted Wilder when I saw you pop up on the cameras. He should be out any minute.” Grim carries me over to the love seat and sits down with me on his lap. Since I’m facing him, I’m able to see the wall with the doors over his shoulder. “Tell me what happened with you and Callum.”
My eyes meet his dark gaze, and my brain helpfully replays sexy little flashes of my time with Cal in the dressing room. Bringing my hands to his jaw, I run my fingers through his beard. I have no idea why it settles my system so much, but I love being able to cradle his face while teasing my fingers through the soft hair.
It’s like my emotional support beard, which just so happens to be attached to my emotional support human.
Grim soothes me in a way that’s hard to explain, but for the first time in my life, I feel truly safe with another person. Like, no matter what happens, it’ll be okay, because Grim will protect me.
I’m starting to trust Cal and Wilder in the same ways. I just think I’ll always have a special connection with Grim from all our sessions at the clinic. I had to put my trust in him pretty quickly, and with his size, that could have been a questionable choice, but he’s always treated me with the utmost respect.
“Are you still thinking about it?” Grim asks with humor lining his tone. It draws me out of my thoughts, and I get myself together.
