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Adryan stopped and looked between me and Tavish. This slow grin started to cover his face, as if this situation wasn’t all kinds of fucked up but instead like he had taken a damn vacation and had flown out here for a family reunion.
“Damn, you boys got big since the last time I saw you,” Adryan said, his tone easygoing enough, but we knew what lay underneath.
An arrogant, sardonic and sadistic vampire who reveled in bloodletting.
Family or not, Adryan was a beast you needed to keep an eye on.
“Aye,” I said and rubbed a hand on the back of my neck. “We haven’t seen each other in years.”
Adryan grinned wider and looked over at Odhran and Tadhg, sizing them up and down before bringing his attention back to us, clearly not worried in the slightest about them being threats. “Damn, you boys are big fuckers, bigger than those two even.” He tipped his chin toward the other two Lycans. “And they’ve got some years on you. You’re like fucking babies in age compared to them.” Adryan started laughing, which had the cousins doing the same. “You boys must be taking after your old man.” He eyed us up and down again. “Or maybe not. Maybe you’re leaning more toward the Darris side.” He pounded his fist against his chest, his grin from ear to ear. “Our line has some big bastards in it, boys.” He sobered at our no doubt dark looks. “Well, enough with the chitchat bullshit, yeah?”
Tavish and I straightened, our animals inside pacing.
“How’s your mom doing?” Adryan’s voice was deep, dark. Concerned.
“When we left the estate, she was no’ doing great. Worried for Ainslee.”
Adryan’s gaze darkened. “And it’s this Romanian Lycan bastard who has our little Ainslee?”
I nodded. “Yet I think she’s more worried about the fallout, no’ so much about Luca—”
A low growl left Adryan. “That his name? The one who has my niece? Luna didn’t tell me.”
I gave a sharp nod.
There was a long moment of silence. “Well then, let’s go see my baby sister so we can figure out how to get yours back.” He grinned again. “I know your mother doesn’t want bloodshed...” He leaned in close, flashing his fangs that were so fucking long I snapped my head back, my own canines lengthening at the visual threat. “But I’m hoping we get a fucking waterfall of it.”
20
Ainslee
It was a wave that woke me, this rushing and retreating feeling inside me that gripped icy but also hot fingers around my consciousness to pry me awake.
My belly cramped for only a second before it went away, my desire rushing to the forefront once more. I was hot, then cold. Sweating. Then chilled.
The sheets and blanket felt too heavy on me, and I pushed myself up into a seated position. I immediately saw Luca sitting in the chair by the bed, his massive body leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest, his head resting against the wall. His eyes were closed, his breathing even.
I wondered how long he’d been sleeping. He must’ve been up for so long—hours, days. Maybe since the moment he’d gotten to Scotland? I couldn’t imagine him resting, not when he’d been frantic to get to me.
And the fact that he hadn’t woken at the same time I had, even the smallest noise altering him to be that protector once more, his instinct pushing him to be present for his mate immediately, told me how exhausted he truly must be.
No, I wouldn’t wake him. He needed this, just like he let me rest to heal. And at that thought, I took inventory of my body. Aside from the smallest of twinges when I shifted on the bed, I felt fine.
I exhaled slowly and looked around the room, the fire still roaring, Luca obviously keeping it fed and stoked. On the small table beside the bed sat the tray that held the dinner he’d brought me, remnants of the food I hadn’t been really hungry for scattered on the ceramic. Gods, how long ago had it been since he coaxed me to eat?
Hours? Days?
It felt like time was blurring together, slowing to a standstill. I couldn’t say I hated it. And as I looked at Luca... no, I didn’t hate it. I wanted more of it. A lifetime of moments like this. Where it was just us. Where we could explore each other in every single way.
Another wave of heat slammed into me, and I exhaled slow and long. I wondered what he’d think, say, if he knew I hadn’t called my parents when he’d given me the cell. I’d been too afraid, scared of what that reality would shove into our lives, terrified I wouldn’t be able to control the situation.
So I just hadn’t done it, had set the phone aside and let myself bask in this moment... with my mate.
