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“Takes one to know one.” He kissed me again when I laughed, then draped an arm over my shoulder. “Ready to see the rest of it?”
“So damn ready.”
He grinned at me, and I grinned back.
Fuck, I really did love him.
twenty
BRYNN
Christmas arrived soon enough—andwith it, came the dragons.
Bash and I were in the kitchen with his brothers, parents, and my best friends when the doorbell rang.
“Just play it cool,” I whispered to Bash, though I was fanning my face.
I, for one, was not playing it cool.
The bastards really might hurt him.
“It’ll be fine, Brynlee.” Bash grabbed my hand, and I reluctantly let him pull me along. When we reached the door, he tucked me against his side and pulled it open.
All three of my brothers were on the doorstep, wearing their usual grumpy expressions. They all looked nearly identical, with golden skin and blond hair that matched mine. Unlike me, they were covered in tattoos. The tattoos were a shifter tradition of some kind, but they’d never explained it to me.
All three sets of eyes narrowed the moment they saw me and Bash.
Yikes.
“Hey, guys!” I exclaimed, letting go of Bash to throw my arms around all three of them. The bastards were so big, I could barely get my arms around all of them.
My nerves were just going to have to deal with the awkward group hug, because if I wasn’t enthusiastic enough, there would be even more fighting.
“Jas, Eli, it’s been ages. You should really make it a habit to visit me more often,” I said, stepping back beside Bash and slipping an arm around him. His hold on me was loose, but there could be no doubting the possessiveness in it, as always. “August, I’ve decided to forgive you for playing babysitter for so long. It actually turned out really well.”
“What the fuck is on your hand?” August growled at me, taking a menacing step toward me.
Bash didn’t flinch.
I didn’t either, though I kind of wanted to.
“A mate mark.” I lifted my hand cheerfully to show them. “As it turns out, Bash had been fighting the pull of a potential mate bond between us until you moved me into his house. It took some persuading, but I finally convinced him to seal the deal.” I winked at August.
August snarled, and stepped toward us again.
“Shit,” Jasper muttered under his breath.
Eli set a hand on August’s shoulder. “You can’t kill the bastard or take him to the prison. They’re bonded.”
“What do you have to say for yourself, Villin?” August growled.
“You asked me to protect your sister, and there’s no better protection than a sealed mate bond. If anyone touches her, they’ll die,” Bash said bluntly.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
Obnoxious, overprotective man.
I couldn’t help but love him, though.
