“Yeah, but I knew I couldn’t grieve then. I had to be Mom's support. The pain she must have been feeling. We drove all night. We stopped and got a hotel. She must have thought we were far enough away that she could finally take a minute. Once she got us settled, she cried. She thought we were sleeping, but I was awake. I will never forget the sound of her agony. The other half of her soul was gone, and I couldn’t give him back to her. I’ve never felt so helpless. I lay there with dry eyes and made a promise: always take care of them. I would be her support. From that day on, I did everything she said. I didn’t complain, and I watched her. We traveled for weeks and finally settled. She worked numerous jobs to keep us fed and under a roof. In the first few years, the places we lived weren’t great, but we survived.
“I wanted to be the perfect son, calm, considerate, and helpful. A year after Dad’s death, Mom asked me to sit with her outside. I would do anything for her, so we sat side by side in the grass, and she held my hand. She realized what I was doing. I wasn’t being a kid, and took on the role of the man of the family. Very politely, she told me to knock it off.” I grin slightly. “Although she would love to have a son who was perfect in every moment, that wasn’t possible, and she feared for my childhood. She didn’t want me to resent her in the years to come. Mom explained that if I loved her, I would stop. So, I did. I still tried to be all the things Iwanted to be for them, but I began to feel all the emotions I had shoved aside.
“It took Mom three years to buy a house. She worked, saved, and lived simply. I couldn’t imagine a woman more resilient than she is, and I’m proud as fuck that I came from her. The first time I had my heart broken, I moped around the house for a week. I thought a human was the love of my life. Mom educated us on the facts of mating, but I ignored that she wasn’t my mate. I asked her how she got through losing Dad, and if she regretted loving him. I had seen the devastation she went through, and she pulled through with sheer will. She told me she would lose him all over again for just one moment of feeling the love he gave her.”
“That’s beautiful,” I say softly.
“At the time, it was difficult to understand. Why would she be willing to lose him again? I saw the pain. The sleepless nights. There was a sadness in her scent, and still is. My respect for her grew as she explained further. She treated us as if it were a gift. Our dad lives through us, and she wouldn’t ever give that up.
"She remained distant to any man who showed her interest. A human decided he wanted her even though she politely turned him down. I lost it. My fierce Mom was hit because she said no. I didn’t kill him, but I made him feel the pain he forced on her. He was human. She could have fought back instead of running away, but she didn’t want to reveal what she was, and knew he would say something if she used her strength. No one is allowed to hurt her. Since that day, she has remained alone, finding solace with her children, and friends.”
He tucks my hair behind my ear. “We are all worthy of love. I swore if I found the real thing, I would strive to be like her. She could have given up at any time. Perhaps it was too hard to raise two children without the man who made her world revolve, yet she didn’t. She had a goal, determination, and a fierce spirit.”He moves closer, widening his legs and cupping my knee. “I am patient. Focused. Fearless to a point, some have thought I have a death wish. I love life. I eat the pancakes because why the fuck not. I am determined like my mom, and she will love you the minute I tell her you are mine.”
He cups my cheek with his other hand. “Nothing you say or do will scare me. I am in this. You are my mate, and I’m determined to make you feel safe enough to fall for me and want to spend all your moments with me.”
My lips part, and he looks at them. He waits. I lean forward slightly, and he takes the sign I give him. This kiss isn’t soft or gentle. I fall against him, and he lifts me onto his lap. Wrapping my hands around his neck, I indulge myself and let him take what he wants. His hands roam across my back, and I want his touch on my bare skin. I thread my fingers through his hair, and he groans. The sound of it makes my stomach flip. The heat of the bond increases, and I can’t help it as I roll my hips. His scent grows stronger, and I know I could get used to smelling it for the rest of my life. The more I get to know him, the more I want to know. He doesn’t hide anything, including his desire for me. I’ve become adept at hiding everything I feel, but he makes me want to show him all of it.
I gasp as he pulls away. We stare at each other, and I’m unable to hide my emotions. A phone rings, and we remain locked together. The next time I fight, I’m going to have a difficult time concentrating on anything but Ezra holding me in the ring.
“Are you going to answer that?” I ask as his phone rings again.
“I’m trying to ignore it,” he says softly.
“What if it’s your mom?”
He sighs, and I slide to the mat.
“This better be important,” he grumbles as he answers, and I smile.
“I have the information you wanted.” I can hear everything, and Ezra must not care as he doesn’t ask me to dim my hearing.
“Send it to me.”
“Is the lovely Rylee with you?” the man asks, and I lift my brows.
“Yes.”
“Does she know what you do?”
“Again, yes.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
I close the lids on the food containers.
“What?”
“I’ve been tracking a man. He’s been a pain in my ass, and doesn’t stay in one place. I caught him. He’s wandered your way.”
“Give me details.” I put the garbage in the sack.
“Very bad guy. He’s good at hiding and avoiding the police. No one asked me to get him. He caught my attention. The model citizen, good job, and neighbors who love him. They didn’t notice anything odd about him, yet children disappeared. He usually took them at random, and they couldn’t be traced back to him. The last one can, and the cops did their best to pin it on him.”
“He slipped away,” Ezra mumbles, and my stomach rolls for a completely different reason.
“Unfortunately.” The clank of a keyboard comes through clearly. “I did some digging and followed the case and the man. I lost him for a few days.”
“I know you have other men.”
