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Dylan felt his heart stutter in his chest. He glanced out his rearview and side mirrors, making sure the lane next to him was clear before he flicked on his blinker and pulled onto the shoulder.
Rose sniffled again, giving him a confused look when he put the car in park and turned to face her.
“Rose,” he grabbed her hands, “I love you with my entire heart. I will nevereverlet anything bad happen to you. Do you understand me? You’re mine. Forever. And that means I protect you to the ends of the earth.”
Her eyes watered more. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.” He chuckled softly, reaching over to brush the falling tears away from her cheeks. “Of course not. I’m sad that you didn’t want to tell me any of this, but I understand why.”
“Are you mad about me being on stage? Me being Tish?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. If anything, I wish you would’ve told me when we met. I would’ve kept you away from Slick. I know where he likes to skulk around most days.”
She gave him a watery smile, tilting into the hand resting against her cheek.
“I love you.” Leaning across the center console, Dylan pulled her into a soft kiss. “I’m glad you didn’t sign those papers,” he said against her lips.
“Me too.”
“I love you, Rose Hauser. Now, let me take you home.”
* * *
Wakingup with Rose still in his arms was enough to make him want to cry.
After they’d gotten home, he’d immediately dragged her upstairs to put her to bed. The dark circles under her eyes hadn’t been missed by him, along with the way her energy had been waning since their talk.
She begged him not to leave while she slept, which he was more than happy to oblige. Who would turn down resting with their mate in their arms?
Absolutely no male shifter in their right mind.
Dylan kissed Rose’s cheek, taking in her sleeping form. He loved every inch of this woman, and the next person that threatened to take her from him would end up in a body bag.
Slipping away from her and sliding off the bed, Dylan headed through his penthouse and to his home office. He sat in his chair, shaking his mouse while drumming his fingers on his desk.
Since Rose’s career at the school was now over, that put her in a unique position. Being that she needed to make a choice about her future, he was willing to provide her with another avenue to choose from.
He wanted his mate to be happy, not just settle for whatever was thrown her way. She deserved so much more. She was incredibly talented, and that needed to be showcased properly.
Clicking through his emails, he drafted up a new one to his head director of talent acquisition and forwarded it to him along with a few attachments with samples of Churlish Slither’s demos and live performances.
Hitting send, he leaned back in his chair and waited. He knew that his talent manager would get back to him relatively quickly ... he always did at this hour ... with an answer to what he was asking for.
Well, asking was kind of overselling it and more of a formality in this case. Being the owner of his own label gave him the power to hire or take on any client he wanted, regardless of what anyone else said.
But he at least wanted to give his team a heads up before going through with it.
“Dylan?”
He swiveled in his chair, seeing Rose’s head popping into the doorway.
He smiled at her and held out his hands. She immediately walked to him. Once she was within reaching distance, he leaned over and pulled her into his lap, folding her into his chest and kissing the top of her head.
“What are you doing?”
He smiled at the sleepiness still clinging to her voice. “Emailing my talent head.”
She settled against his chest. “Mmm … for what?”
