“What do you remember?”he asked gently.
I closed my eyes.
Wow, my head hurt.
“There was... aconite. Sutton smelled it in my coffee.”
Maverick tensed again. He breathed in and out slowly. I got the feeling he was fighting for control.
“Did your ex save my life?”
“Isaved your life.” His answer was immediate, low and unquestioning before he added reluctantly, “But it would’ve been a closer call if Sutton hadn’t been there.” He brushed hair off my face. “You need to bite me.”
Harper needed the blood more.
I doubted she would’ve gone home to thaw a blood bag or two while I was unconscious. Speaking of...
“How long was I out?”
“Fifty-one hours.”
My eyes widened.
So it was Sunday evening. Only two days since our attempted family lunch.
Maverick set me down next to him on the bed, pulling one of my legs over his thigh so he could rest his hand on it. I looked down at myself, realizing I was only wearing one of his t-shirts. It had the name of some old band on it.
The blankets below me were a luxurious, dark shade of gray that almost resembled black, and the sheets were the same color. I dragged my hand over the surface of them, musing silently about the softness.
Maverick held his arm out toward me.
“I shouldn’t bite you,” I murmured. “I’m sure I took too much two days ago.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me.”
He slipped a finger beneath my chin and tilted my head back so our eyes met. “I’m the one who missed the wolfsbane in the syrup. I should’ve checked. That’s on me. I don’t care how much blood you need. It’s yours. Take it.”
I shook my head. “You couldn’t have known.”
“I inspected that office for poison every fucking day. I know the scent. I should have checked.”
He lifted his wrist to my lips.
“It’s not your fault, Mav.”
“Then take the blood because I’m not letting any other fucker near enough to feed you.”
I lifted an eyebrow at him.
He lifted one back.
I let out a soft breath. “Mates only bite each other’s throats, right?”
His green eyes darkened. “Right.”
I started trying to climb onto his lap. He picked me up and put me on top of him before I even lifted one leg.
