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“What the hell are you laughing about?”
Mickey finally sat up and crossed her legs. She looked like a child, staring up at Strap with a keen sense of awe on her face.
“That. Was. Fucking. Awesome! Seeing you shift into a bird. Flying like that was so cool. What a rush.” She hopped up, and Strap could only stare at her, dumbfounded.
We almost died, and her thoughts are about me shifting into a condor.He smacked a hand over his face and let out a loud groan. He was exasperated with her. He didn’t even know what to say.
“Get in the car. We’re going home.” He stomped his way to the car, and Mickey was quick to follow. She handed him the keys, and they both climbed in quietly, Mickey placing her backpack in the backseat next to his. He was tempted to drag it forward to see what was so damn important that she had to lie to him and risk her life. Whatever it was, it wasn’t important right now.
The first half of the drive was quiet. Strap turned on the radio and set it to the lowest volume. His face was still sour, and he noticed Mickey stealing glances at him from the passenger side. Finally, she spoke up.
“Why are you so mad?” Her voice was quiet but aggressive. Strap glanced at her before casting his gaze back on the road. She kept talking, and his grip on the steering wheel got tighter.
“Not everything goes to plan, you know. It’s a part of the job. You have to be adaptable.” Strap stayed quiet.She doesn’t even understand.He fumed on the inside, but he had to communicate with her. They weren’t getting anywhere if he only gave her the cold shoulder.
“Mickey, you could have died. Do you understand how devastating that would be?” His voice was soft but sad. Mickey didn’t reply, instead taking to chewing on her lip. Strap continued.
“It would have been unimaginable.” He took a deeper breath, trying to calm himself.
“Is it a mate thing?” Her question answered his silent one. She reallydidn’tunderstand.
“Yes.” The conversation stopped there. Strap’s thoughts took over, and the sound of the radio fuzzed out from his consciousness.
I had said the same words to her that her father said to me the night I was captured about not getting greedy. How ironic.He almost made an audible laugh but stopped himself. Instead, his fingers rapped against the wheel.I guess it just goes to show how times change. Ialmostunderstand how Old Mick felt. But he let me be caught. He betrayed me.
Strap glanced at his mate.She wouldn’t do that, would she?As if she could read his thoughts, she looked at him, and her hand gently touched the top of his. She rested her palm over his on the gear shift.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the figurine. I feel bad. I should have been honest. I didn’t mean to make you mad, but I saw it and just had to get it. I don’t know if another opportunity like that would have come again.”
Strap shook his head lightly, his lips pursed. He made a soft sound close to ahmmbefore he spoke to her.
“Possessions aren’t everything, you know.” He sounded like Mick, but it was true. If she was really that dead set on material objects, then it was going to be an unfulfilling life for her.
“Right now, they’re everything to me.” She mumbled, her tone grumpy.Is she really that obsessed with money?She didn’t speak after that, and the way she turned in her seat made him think she was done talking. She didn’t move her hand, though. Her soft palm squeezed his knuckles as she looked out the window and leaned her head against the passenger-side door.
Strap tried to keep his attention on the road as the sun started to come up. Before long, the deep inhalation sounds of his mate’s sleep snapped his attention from the road.
Her hand was still on top of his, and his heart swelled at the feeling. Mickey looked quite beautiful without the stress of her life on her mind. Her usually scrunched-up features had all melted away, and her smooth, plump lips were parted with gentle breathing,
Strap couldn’t remember the last time he was this peaceful. Having his mate here and her holding his hand made his chest swell with pride.It’s unbelievable how much I’ve changed since meeting her. She makes me want to do nothing more than protect and cherish her. But she’s a thief.
He had to find a way to make her stop before she went to prison or was killed.
His phone rang, and it tore him from his thoughts. He frowned at having to move her hand off of his, but he did.
Against his better judgment, he reached into the backseat and grabbed the phone out of his backpack’s side pocket. He didn’t even look at the caller ID. He knew who it was … the only person on the planet who had the phone’s number. He didn’t even let her speak.
“Not now. I’ll call you back later.” Hanging up, he put the phone in the center console and glanced at his mate. He hoped that the ringing hadn’t woken her. Her even breathing and unmoving face said she was still asleep. He breathed out a sigh of relief.
After what felt like a long, serene drive, they arrived at Mickey’s apartment. He grabbed his clothes from the back and put them on to keep up appearances. The last thing he wanted was to garner more attention than he already was by carrying an unconscious woman upstairs in the middle of the morning.
He unfastened her seat belt on her side of the car, and she didn’t even flinch. Strap reached in and scooped her up. Enjoying the way she felt in his arms, he noticed her stir.
“Fuck,”he quietly cussed. He didn’t want her to wake up and walk on her own. He liked holding her this close without her yelling at him. Instead of wanting to get out of his arms, she wiggled and wrapped herself around him, snuggling into his neck.
Strap bit back a large smile. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and carried her inside. He climbed the five flights of stairs to her apartment one by one. She stayed tightly holding on to him the whole time. Elation lifted him higher than his condor ever could. He wanted nothing more than to press soft kisses all over her sleepy face and take care of her.
When he got to her floor, she spoke for the first time since the car ride. “Don’t forget to give the neighbor back their key …” she mumbled, her sleepy voice making Strap chuckle softly.
