Sera turned to David, but when she went tostep toward him, Liam moved to block her way and gave a subtleshake of his head. Mia’s father had been exceptionally protectiveof her mother, but she’d never seen him do something like that.
“Liam,” Sera protested.
Liam glanced at David before focusing on hismate again. “Not until their bond is complete,” he said. “Don’targue with me on this.”
Sera glanced at David and gave him a sadsmile. “I’m glad you’re home,” she told him before retreating backto the table.
Mia almost slapped her forehead as sherealized that no matter how fine David told everyone he was, theycould all sense that the bond between them hadn’t been completed.She could smell Liam and Sera’s intermingled blood flowing throughthem. A vampire recognized when one belonged to another.
“We really are happy you’re here,” Liam saidto her before taking David’s hand and embracing him as Doug had.Liam smiled at her when they stepped apart, but he didn’t make amove to touch her before her walked over to stand beside hiswife.
“I hate this mate shit,” Jack muttered, thenwalked over to embrace David next.
“This Mr. Sunshine is Jack,” David said toher over Jack’s shoulder.
“I figured that out already,” Mia said witha laugh.
Jack stepped away from David. He may actlike a bit of an ass, but his hazel eyes were kind when he focusedon her. “Welcome,” he greeted.
“Thank you,” Mia replied.
“And this is Mike,” David introduced as theman who had been standing behind the bar walked over to them.
“I’m the best of the bunch,” Mike said toher before embracing David.
“Hardly.” Jack snorted as he walked back tothe poker table.
When all the greetings had been exchanged,Mia stood beside David, unsure of what to say or do next.Thankfully, she was saved from feeling completely awkward bySera.
“How are our children doing?” Serademanded.
Mia relaxed as David led her over to one ofthe barstools. She perched on it as talk turned to Vicky, Abby, andAiden.
CHAPTER 13
The next day they drove over two hours to goshopping at the mall in Bangor. Mia had repeatedly told David shewould be fine purchasing some things from the closest store, but hehad insisted she have a better selection. He hadn’t been willing tolisten when she’d offered to buy her clothes online either.
“I have no money,” she protested, and notfor the first time, as she watched the woods and snow coveredfields flash by.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” heassured her again. “I have money.”
“I don’t like having to rely on you foreverything. I have a place to stay because of you, I have—”
“Maybe it’s time you start relying onsomeone else again. Someone who will still be here for you tomorrowand the next day. Someone you can trust.”
“And I can trust you?” she demanded.
His head turned toward her, his electricblue eyes burning into hers for a second before he focused on theroad once more. “Yes.”
Mia didn’t know what to say. She believedhim; how could she not? He’d never done anything to hurt her, neverlied to her. He went out of his way to protect her and not touchher. She knew it drove him crazy not to be able to hold her, buthe’d never complained about it, or made her feel bad about it.
Then why was she so frightened there wouldbe no tomorrow for them?
Because she knew how fast it could all go upin flames. She’d been there, had witnessed how rapidly a life couldbe ripped away from someone.
She knew she could be happy with David. Healready made her far happier than she’d been since her parents’deaths. He made her body feel things no other man had, made herfeel cared for in a way she hadn’t felt in seven years. And itscared the hell out of her.
She inhaled a steadying breath beforedeciding to change the subject. “Your friends are nice.”
