“Anyway, I know that yours will feel the difference because Kassidy said she felt the difference between being mated to Jared and then finding her true mate in Vance.”
“She said that?”
“She did. And you know, I’m not saying yours doesn’t need to heal, damn straight she does, but she’ll know what you are to her, too. Have some faith in her.”
“Pot, let me introduce you to the kettle,” Rance said.
“Kiss my ass,” Niko said.
Rance laughed and stood beside Niko as they looked up at Mimi’s house. “Wouldn’t have to be a gut job. We could just clean it up, replace whatever warped or rotten wood we find. Make sure the pipes are running clear and aren’t cracked somewhere from the years of cold.”
“I think they’re fine. There’s no water damage inside.”
“And that means the roof is still sound, too, but we can walk it and make sure it’s more than sound. Turn the electricity back on, and clean it up. Get some new furniture, paint some walls. It would be a fantastic house. It is a fantastic house, filled with love and laughter and memories. And your Mimi would love to know that you’re in it with your mate and your son. It deserves to be filled with happiness again.”
“If I do this, there are some other things that I’ll need.”
“Such as…”
“Your promise that if she leaves me and I become an abusive, worthless drunk, beating on anybody, especially my kid, that you kill me. Don’t rehabilitate me, don’t try to sober me up, just fucking kill me, because even that is better than I would deserve.”
“You’re not your father, Niko. I already said that.”
“Just promise me.”
“I promise you.”
“And promise me that if you kill me, and she comes back here afterward looking for her kid, or our kids, or whatever, you don’t give them back to her. Because they deserve security, and if she’s already left us both, then she’s not reliable.”
“She won’t. I wonder if she’s not part Bear the way she watches over him.”
Niko looked over at Rance.
“I promise you. It will not happen. I don’t believe that it’s possible. But if it does, any of it, I will take the kid or kids in and raise them right, and love them, and kill you, and keep her off the mountain.”
“Thank you,” Niko said, embracing Rance in a hug, and patting his back furiously.
Chapter 25
Rance went quietly up the steps, hoping to look in on Gwen without waking her. He paused outside her door to close his eyes and take deep, steady breaths, allowing himself to wallow for just a few moment in the gentle, calming scent that was uniquely hers. He reached out and very quietly turned the door knob, easing the door open to look inside.
Gwen’s head turned slowly toward the door.
“Hey, sorry if I woke you. I was just checking on you,” Rance said.
Gwen smiled and scooted herself up on her pillows a couple of inches. “No, it’s okay. I was just dozing. Taking advantage of a little quiet time since Findley and Brinnley have the boys. They’re their unofficial aunts.”
Rance laughed lightly. “I bet it won’t be long before they have kids of their own.”
“They’ll be fantastic mothers,” Gwen said.
Rance nodded, and remained standing at the half-way opened door, not stepping inside the bedroom. “Do you need anything? I can ask Bonnie or one of the ladies to come if you need somebody to help you.”
Gwen looked at him for a few seconds. “I was getting a little worried. I heard Jack showing Frenzy to the room next door this morning and I knew it was yours. Wasn’t sure why you weren’t back yet and they were giving away your room.”
“Oh, no worries. I’m back. Frenzy’s asked for sanctuary here, too, and there’s not really any room with all the new arrivals, so I told him I’d share my suite with him. It’s got two beds, and he’s a good friend. We’ll make it work until he’s got his own place.”
Gwen nodded and gave a hint of a smile.
