Page 40 of Monster Mate

Khill rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Hmmm. You’re right.” Then he shrugged. “Oh well, guess I won’t kill you here after all.”

But just as Neil let out a relieved sigh, he added, “I’ll take you home and let my aunt Ruth do it.”

And with that, he hauled Neil up off the ground by the collar, turned, and gave Riordan a two-fingered salute. “Thanks for the tip, man.”

Riordan returned the gesture. “Thanks for the tracking.”

Neil’s desperate gaze shifted to hers. “You’re just going to let him take me to a monster dimension and kill me for something you did?”

She blinked innocently at him. “Like you were willing to kill half the town with that bomb just because I wouldn’t date you anymore? Yes, I’m willing to let him take you to his dimension for justice.”

“Oh, speaking of that bomb,” Khill said. “Do you mind if I take it with me?”

Riordan frowned. “You mean to your dimension?”

“Yeah. My aunt is a big believer in karma. I’m guessing she’s going to want to shove it down this asshole’s throat. Or up his ass if she’s feeling particularly creative.”

Neil whimpered.

Riordan gestured to the bomb. “By all means. It’s yours.”

Waldo wandered over to where Neil was hanging limply in Khill’s grasp. Roxie was going to call him back, but stopped short when he lifted his fat little leg and…peed all over Neil’s leg.

Khill chuckled, then leaned down to give Waldo a head pat.

Roxie held her breath, hoping that Waldo wouldn’t be an asshole to Khill. But he just looked up at the giant orc with adoring eyes, tongue lolling, as Khill said, “Good dog.”

Phew. Close call.

Then, with another little salute, Khill, the bomb, and her psychotic ex disappeared into a rift Riordan opened.

As soon as the rift closed, Riordan set her on her feet and gave her a bone-crushing hug. “I was so fucking scared,” he said into her hair.

Roxie clung to him with equal fervor. “So was I. But not for the reasons you think.”

He leaned back far enough that he could look in her eyes, but maintain his grip on her. “Tell me.”

She swallowed hard. “I was worried I’d never get to tell you what an absolute idiot I’ve been. Not accepting the fact that I’m your mate sooner was just…utter asshattery on my part. I was stubborn and too scared to admit out loud that loving someone, needing someone, wasn’t a weakness. It’s a strength. When Neil was threatening me, I was stronger knowing that you were out there, looking for me, loving me. What I’m trying to say is…”

Riordan cut her off by pressing his lips to hers and kissing her breathless. When he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, he whispered, “You love me. And you’re mine.”

“I love you, Riordan,” she confirmed, her voice cracking on his name. “I’m yours. And you’re mine, right?”

“Always.”

She wasn’t sure how long they stayed that way, eyes locked on each other, unwilling to stop touching for even a second. But eventually, she had to ask, “So…now what do we do? I’ve never told anyone I loved them and wanted to be their mate before.”

He grinned at her. “We go home. Think about where you feel most at home, and I’ll take us there.”

Home. She’d never had a real home before. Everything in her life had always been temporary.

Waldo leaned against her leg and bayed happily at her. He knew as well as she did where home was.

So, she closed her eyes, thought of home, and a disorienting second later, they were all in Riordan’s living room.

He glanced around the room before his eyes found hers again. His looked suspiciously glassy. “You think of this as home, too?”

“Home is wherever you are.”

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