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Whatever fascination he felt for his only Beta child, that was what made it impossible for him to pass up the opportunity to present that child with what he probably thought of as a gift.
Whether or not he intended to kill Leanne Leto, or her daughter Secret, doesn’t really matter at this point. He didn’t succeed. His son caught him, and killed him before he could harm anyone else, and before Leanne could succumb to her injuries.
I needed to know more about the final survivor of this infamous killer.
I couldn’t understand why, until I slipped into her hospital room in the dead of night and looked down at her pale, sleeping face. The sounds of the machines faded into the background when I saw her like that, hurt but alive. Dark shadows under her eyes, bandages covering her forearms.
I knew she was meant to be in my life, and it was hard to walk away from that feeling.
Despite my loathing for hospitals, and germs, and other people, I’d come to stand at the side of this stranger’s bed, and I didn’t want to ever leave.
I knew her reaction would be bad, that she would be traumatised if she awoke while I was hovering over her. Especially after that evil man hurt her so viciously. I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her further.
I had to leave, so I did.
I went straight to the office and started researching her life, finding out every detail I could about this woman who was somehow fated to be mine. I thought I would find some common determining factor, but what I found was a catalog of pain.
She had a child when she herself was still a child.
There were subtle signs of substance abuse afterwards. Little incidents with police that never quite got to serious charges, despite being issued several warnings on different occasions.
Fast forward to her mother’s death and she seemed to suddenly turn things around, possibly concerned for her child now that the woman who’d raised her was gone.
A few years later, she almost dies in Cressidan City.
I looked up her daughter, too. Found out about her enrolment in college out here and put two and two together. Whatever happened, I knew Leanne would come back here to the city, to be close to her daughter, and she did.
It took longer than I’d hoped it would, but I’m nothing if not patient.
The best things come to those who can wait for them.
I waited for the right moment, and it came along, with a surprise or two in its wake.
Now, I have Leanne here in my office, asking me how I feel about being her mate.
Right in this moment, I don’t have the answer.
It’s buried inside me where I can’t reach.
I promise we’ll talk about it after we’ve dealt with Harlan West, because that bastard is always at the forefront of my thoughts, and I know I won’t be able to give her what she needs until he’s gone.
Echo gives her his own promise, and seals it with a chaste kiss.
She’s charmed by him, enthralled by his gaze.
He’s free with his affections.
She’ll be happy with that.
I can see the deep well of need in her gaze when she turns it back to me. She was lost for a long time, and now that she’s found herself, and discovered her true purpose, she’s going to be insatiable until she has everything that she wants, and everyone who belongs to her.
“What’s next?” she asks.
“Establishing your character,” I tell her.
“I’ll kind of be playing myself this time,” she says. “Correct me if I’m wrong?”
“No, that’s true, but you need to establish your nature so if you’re caught trying to do something you shouldn’t be doing, no one bats an eye.”
