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Slater lifted a paper bag from the wicker chair behind him. “It took me a couple of days longer than I thought. Beaufort isn’t exactly equipped with all the latest technology, but this one should be compatible enough.”
He handed me the bag. I peered into it, my brows lumping together when I saw the PlayStation 4 compatible controller. “I don’t get it.”
“I, uh—” He scrubbed his neck. “Well, I accidentally smashed the controller in there.”
I frowned. “Slater, are you serious?”
“I didn’t mean to do it, Ginny darling. That’s why I said it was an accident.”
“Are you that much of a sore loser that you’ll break a kid’s controller just because you didn’t win?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. Gods, why did he have to look so good doing that? Disappointment dripped from every movement, yet all I wanted to do was ride him until my legs gave out.
He shook his head. “No, the twins were telling me about those bullies at school.”
I lowered the bag but didn’t set it down, keeping it locked between my hands as an anchor to keep me from launching right off the planet from embarrassment. “Oh, I didn’t…” I sighed. “I knew about it. I just didn’t think they spoke to anyone else about it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me it was getting worse?”
“Because it’s not your problem, Slater. Okay? It’s just notyourproblem. It’s mine.”
Even though I want it to be your problem. Those words were right on the edge of my lips. I could have said them. I even opened my mouth to do it.His stupid parents will get in the way. They hate me. They’ll never accept us. Just like my parents.
Tears pooled in my eyes. I turned away, trying to hide my face in the nearby shadows. Darkness had taken over the yard hours ago and the kids were asleep, yet I didn’t feel like I had anywhere to hide.
I didn’t want to cry again.
Slater caught my shoulder. “Ginny, stop hiding everything. You have to let it out or it’s going to eat you alive.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” He crushed me to his chest, forcing me to drop the bag. “Just let it out, woman. Jesus, fucking cry already.”
Angry tears flooded my face as I clenched my jaw. Words tumbled from my mouth altogether like they had been waiting for ages to appear. Plenty of lashings. A few phrases of longing. But mostly, it was just blubbering. Lots of sobbing and blubbering that made me feel like I was losing my mind.
Slater brushed his fingers through my hair. He held me tightly. He swayed me a little bit too. Everything he did provided comfort, attention, care. And each thing just made me feel that much worse about the whole situation.
“I’m tired,” I whined. “I don’t want to hide anymore. I don’t like waiting all day to touch you. I want tobelongto you, Slater.”
Gods, I was getting away with myself. The grief was just taking me over and pushing my yearnings right through the dirt. They weren’t flowers. They were weeds. Totally unwanted and ugly little weeds, and they’d always be those things. That was why Slater came under the cover of night—because he didn’t want to be seen with me.
“I don’t want to hide anymore either, Ginny,” he said in a low voice that rumbled through his chest and tickled my ear.
I yanked my head out of his grip. “W-what?”
“I shouldn’t be denied a mate just because of some fucker who was jealous,” he growled. “You know Bentley did that because he wanted you?”
“I mean, I knew he didn’t like me turning him down once, but—”
He kissed me hard. Between each peck, he whispered, “Mine, mine,mine.”
Grounding had never felt so good in my life. Each kiss provided me with a step to keep me from falling over. His shoulders became handrails. His arms became floating devices. Here, now,thiswas what would keep me from disappearing into oblivion. This was exactly what would keep those gossiping jerks away.
Slater, and only Slater could deliver us from persecution.
After all, why would the alphas deny the twins their own father?
“We can petition them,” Slater continued between love bites and kisses. “We can tell them we need each other. I’ve been protecting you. That’s evidence enough.”
