“I trapped him,” she sobs.
“You did nothing of the sort. Look at me.”
I push her wet hair off of her face, and she wipes her eyes before looking at me.
“All of us wanted to bond with you. Look at all the bruises on your neck. Declan wanted the same thing, too. You didn’t trap anybody. We’re lucky. Finn knows he’s lucky.”
“He didn’t even want to be here.”
I stroke her face and shake my head in disagreement. “I’ll let you two talk about things. I don’t want to speak for him, but you should know that you don’t have all the information. How are you feeling about the bond, otherwise? That matters most to me, that you’re okay.”
She licks her lips, and I make a mental note to shove as much food and water down her throat as I possibly can once we get out of the shower.
“I don’t regret it like I thought I would. It actually feels nice. Comfortable.”
I stroke my thumb against her mark, and she shivers.
“I know it’s not what you wanted, but it looks beautiful. It suits you.”
She smiles at the praise of her bond mark. Her hands come up and cup my face, her eyes boring into mine.
“How in the world did I ever think I could spend my life without you?”
I lean forward and kiss her.
“When you’re ready, I want my bond mark on you too. Just you and me, none of the others. However you dreamed it up, I want to make it happen.”
She bites her bottom lip and nods. Her tears dry as we sit on the shower floor, the steam floating around us.
“I’d want it to be romantic,” she whispers.
“Like what specifically?”
“Promise not to laugh?”
I smile at her, loving that she’s back to herself and that she’s happy to be with me again.
“I promise.”
“I love gambling, like, slot machines are my kryptonite. My dad would hardly ever let me go. He let me do a lot of things, but casinos were crowded and a big liability. I think I’d like to go to a nice casino, gamble, drink, and act like normal people. Then we’d go up to our suite, rose petals lining the floor, champagne, soft music. I’d want my bonding to be soft, sweet, and intimate. I’d want to remember it for a lifetime.”
“I think that would be perfect,” I tell her honestly.
“You haven’t seen how much I can spend at a slot machine,” she jokes, and I laugh.
She rubs my chest before kissing the center of it.
“I love spoiling you so that won’t be a problem.”
Elena’s fingertips are exploring my body, not in a sexual way but in a way that lovers want to know every inch of your body in an intimate sense.
“I haven’t forgotten about the cat either.”
“I’m just waiting for it to be old enough to bring it home.”
Her movements still, and she sits up straight, all of the tension and worry leaving her body with the new excitement.
“You better not be fucking with me.”
