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Silence squares his shoulders. “Calm down. Nothing good will come from panicking.” I’ve seen him soothe Hex using a similar tone. I begin to wonder if his gifts are more extensive than I know.
“If it was your mate missing, could you do the same?” Bane swipes a clawed hand over his face.
“Oh,” I whisper, suddenly looking at the situation in an entirely new light.
“It would appear this night isn’t yet over,” Malice says from behind me. “Sorry I’m late, kitten.” His shadows encircle my middle, and I’m pulled back into his chest.
“You’re a fucking nightmare?” Bane growls.
“Indeed. Remember that next time you talk to my future wife.” Malice chuckles darkly. “Otherwise, who knows what type of mental prison I might be tempted to create.”
“Hey, asshole.” Silence spins around, jabbing a tattooed finger at Malice. “That’s not a done deal. She’s already married.”
I laugh, stretching out a hand and intertwining my fingers with Silence’s. “We have more important things to focus on.”
Malice pulls my hair to the side before kissing my neck tenderly. “I’ll do some reconnaissance.”
“I’m coming,” Bane says, moving to follow.
“You’re not in any shape to try,” Silence says.
Malice gives me a peck on the cheek and promptly disappears.
“Fuck!” Bane snarls.
“Ali might be able to help you heal your injuries. How about inviting us inside?” Silence suggests.
My eyes widen.
I take a step back, yanking my hand away from his.
I’m considering fleeing, but Silence wraps his hand around my wrist. It’s strange to feel his skin against mine where my bracelet always rests. I never stopped to put it back on before we left.
My chest heaves.
“I believe, if you focus your intent, you’ll be able to heal his injuries.” Silence palms the back of my head, pulling me close, but he looks at Bane. “Head inside and remove your bandages. If nothing else, I’ll change them out for you.”
Bane grunts, swiping a hand through the air before disappearing inside.
“I’m not Atlas or Hex; I’m not going to coddle you and try to protect you from yourself. Not anymore.” He brushes his lips over mine. “I haven’t much fondness for my family these days, but there are a few things my fathers taught me that I should have taken to heart sooner. I’ll do you a great disservice standing in your path while trying to protect you. I’ve already made that mistake once. From here on out, I’ll walk at your side, fighting beside you, because I have faith that, together, we can tackle anything.”
That’s more than I could have dreamed of. My chest rises and falls rapidly, but Silence settles me with a kiss. He’s an excellent kisser. An unexpected pang of jealousy hits me square in the chest. It’s ridiculous. I have no right to be jealous, especially when it’s clear he hasn’t been intimate with anyone since we met.
Gods, that’s a lot of years of waiting.
He intertwines our fingers again, pulling me inside Bane’s house. It’s eerily similar to the floor plan of my home. The kitchen is on the right, along with a small dining room. On the left is the living room and the stairs that I’d bet lead to the bedrooms. My house has one bedroom downstairs, but this place has a larger living room.
Bane lies across the couch in jeans, but no shirt. Four jagged lines of claw marks mar his chest. They’re still torn open.
My head tilts, studying the injury. I’m pretty sure his ribs are visible in a few places. If he were human, then he’d be dead right now.
“I’ll be by your side,” Silence murmurs softly. He kisses my neck just below my ear, and I’m hit with an unexpected pang of arousal. “Not the time, love. But it will be very soon.”
I nod and Silence releases me.
I sit on the coffee table and frown, taking in Bane’s extensive injury.
“Get on with it,” he snaps. His jaw is covered with more dark stubble than I’ve ever seen on him, and it’s tight with tension. “Please.”
