~ TESS ~ I shouldn't keep thinking about the time I have left. But the more I try not to, the faster the minutes seem to fly. To make it worse, Killan has been on the phone all day. Things between us had gotten hot more than once, but then Ronan, Cain, or Magnus would call and interrupt. And because Killan can’t just ignore the call, he promised to return to me as soon as he could. His sly smile and grumbling about his job as Beta were the only things that kept me from snapping. But then the wait began. I waited. And waited. And waited... until I couldn't do it anymore. I wasn’t about to lie in bed all day doing nothing. Killan still hadn’t returned after I showered, so I spent several long minutes drying my hair, passing time however I could. I cleaned, I paced, I tidied up the kitchen. And finally,
~ TESS ~ I muster my courage and release Killan’s shoulders, bringing my hands up to my breasts. At first, I just cover my nipples, avoiding his gaze. “No,” he whispers, voice thick and rumbling. “Look at me.” It’s not easy, but I do. “I want to see it when you come. I know you love nipple play. Touch them for me while I keep touching you. You don’t have to hide your needs, sunshine. Not with me.” My hands twitch, then move, pinching my nipples gently between my fingers. I moan at the sensation, and his eyes hood, heavy with heat. The look he gives me is almost enough to tip me over. Combine that with the way his cock fills me and how he rubs circles against my clit, and I know I won’t last long. “Do I feel good, baby?” he rasps. “So good,” I pant, the tension rising in my belly. “You feel so good.” We stay like that,
~ TESS ~ Taking in a deep breath, I adjust the towel covering my breasts and march out of the kitchen. After all the care Killan’s shown me, I refuse to give him anything less. The hallway isn’t as long as I imagined, and I find myself walking into the bedroom before I feel fully ready. Swallowing my nerves, I meet his gaze as I near the bed. He hasn’t pulled the blankets up, and it’s easy to see his cock remains semi-hard. My eyes drift up to his torso, and I nearly wince. Dark bruises mar his beautiful skin. His ribs look the worst—mottled with a deep, angry blue. My uncertainty vanishes. He’s in pain. He’s exhausted. There’s something I can do for him. Something that won’t take effort on his part. It won’t be easy for me, I’ll want more, but I can give him what he needs. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, Sunshine?” Killan asks, a faint smile softening his battered features. I drop
~ KILLAN ~ I wait until I hear the fridge door open before dragging myself to the bathroom. Just my luck. The one night I have time to be with my mate, I’m too shitkicked to act on it. I peel off my pants and step into the shower without waiting for the water to warm. The cold stings, but it’s exactly what I need against my bruised skin. Running a hand over my side, I feel where one of my ribs was cracked. Still tender. But healing. I arch my back and let the water pour over my head as it slowly warms. It feels good to rinse the sweat and blood off. I don’t bother with shampoo, just scrub at my scalp with my fingers, trying to ignore the pain. I focus instead on the thought of my bed. Once I finish the steaks, I plan to curl around Tess and sleep for hours. The shower door opens, and Tess steps inside, completely bare. My breath catches. I’m not sure what she’s doing, and a wave of guilt hits me—I might not be able to give
~ KILLAN ~ Ronan takes in a deep breath and continues, "They want a fucking password for us to enter some super-secret room." Swiping at the pad, he grunts. "It’s Cowboy? Freaking Cowboy?" He pauses for a minute, then continues after Magnus responds. "If you don’t hear back from me by the morning, you’ll know who’s responsible. I’ll be sure to tell them we chatted as soon as I get inside. Just so they know their asses are grass if they fuck this up. Keep our girl safe. I’ll be in touch." "Nice." I grin and crack my neck. The wolves have the right to challenge Ronan, but killing him would earn them Magnus’s eternal wrath. He’s the male’s father-in-law. If Ronan dies, Lyra might not survive. "Can we get this over with?" "Absolutely," Ronan grunts and puts his cell away as he strides to the door, the loud boom of music nearly drowning out his voice. "The sooner we get this over with, the better." As we
~ TESS ~ “I wouldn’t give him any cash,” I began to explain, deciding not to play things cool. Lyra had been around Garrett through the years. She knew the score. “He tried to throw a huff, but Killan stepped in, telling him he could stay until a Realtor took a look at the place. Maybe I would have let that slide, but I’ve honestly had enough. I told him to leave before I called the police.” “You know it’s not your fault, right?” Resting a hand on my leg, Lyra continued quietly, "He’s been doing this to herself for years. No one can help her but herself.” “I know.” I rested my fingers over Lyra’s and squeezed them. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve missed having you around.” “I've missed you too.” “So are we watching a movie or what?” I said, rising from the couch. “I’m not sure what kind of liquor Killan has, but we can raid the cabinets if yo