I always knew that beneath the whole ‘tortured soul, kind doctor’ act beat the devious heart of a schemer. At least when he finally revealed his true colors, he brought us along for the ride.
As Amara turns to face me, I tighten my grip on my thighs to hide the tremors in my hands so I don’t scare her again. I slipped for a second and fucked up; I know she saw it. I have to do better,bebetter. But her story has the bloodlust riding me hard enough that it’s damn near impossible to fully conceal my rage on her behalf.
Who knows what stories her parents filled her head with to have her so terrified of any male shifter finding her that she stayed hidden for so long. Taught to be invisible, dismissed when she tried to be seen by the few people in her life that were supposed to protect her.
‘I’d be a badass ghost that scares people away.’
Fuck, this girl taught my heart how to beat just so it could torture me with every timid word that comes out of her mouth.
“Don’t think of it like dating, think of it as gaining scary dog privileges. You can go out and do all of the things you’ve always wanted to try, but were unable to risk doing. Your own personal security team to escort you around while you live your best life, and there to make out with if the mood strikes.”
I can feel the others’ attempts to laser my face off, but they’re so busy glaring at me, they miss the way a little more of the tension eases out of her taut muscles. I’m not going to bullshit Amara, and it’s important to me that she understands that. I can be her distraction, the escape she needs when the world threatens to crush her spirit. Whether or not she ever welcomes me into her bed, I intend to become her best friend so there’s no doubt in her mind that she always has someone on her side from here on out. But I won’t lie about how I feel. She needs to hear that someone cares, and by all that’s unholy, I care. Far more than I knew I was capable of.
As she contemplates it, Raiden softly adds, “I know you’re overwhelmed right now, Amara, but keep in mind, this is life changing for us as well. We may not have been nearly as restricted as you were, but there are plenty of things we haven’t been able to experience either.”
We all stare at her in anticipation, and the moment that the flash of determination crosses her golden eyes will forever be preserved in my soul. “Okay, let’s give this a shot. We should lay down a few ground rules, though.”
“Of course,” Stone says, giving her some breathing room and taking a seat on the couch. “Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
Her tongue darts out to wet her lips. “I can walk away at any time. No strings or expectations. From the date, or from you three. We don’t have to live together simply because we’re marked, just try not to die for each other’s sake.”
“Obviously. That’s basic decency, coyote, nothing that should even have to be established. Ball is one hundred percent in your court.” She doesn’t even acknowledge the nickname, so I mentally chuck that one in the reject bin.
Struggling to come up with something else, she asks me, “Stabbing privileges still apply?”
I can practicallyfeelRaiden’s desire to leave me bound and gagged in a closet for a few days. “Let me guess. Kodiak encouraged that if you were uncomfortable, just stab us a few times to clue us in?”
She chuckles. “Pretty much.”
The lighthearted sound eradicates any annoyance he may have felt towards me. “Pick anything you like out of Kodi’s collection, and let me know if nothing catches your eye. I’ll send Avery on a hunt when she returns from delivering a message.”
Clapping my hands together, I get to my feet. “Now that’s settled, the guys haven't stopped complaining that there’s nothing healthy to eat in this place, so I’m going to run to the store. Wanna come?”
“Really?” She fists the bottom of Stone’s shirt, and the surprise on her face has my knuckles itching to lay someone out.
Snagging the keys to the SUV out of Raiden’s pocket, I toss them her way, giving her some control back. “We have no intention of locking you away, beautiful. We’d much rather show you off.”
***
“So your affinity is... metal?” she casually brings up as I fill the cart with everything she spares a second glance at.
Even when things were a chaotic whirlwind, she was watching, and I damn near preen under her attention. Adjusting my stance so that my back is to the camera at the end of the aisle, I double check that the coast is clear. Lifting her gloved hand to my lips, I kiss her knuckles, keeping it captive as I study her wary face. Her eyes widen slightly as the silver band I always wear around my upper arm becomes a fluid liquid, traveling down my sleeve and over her hand. It snakes around her wrist, resolidifying as a bracelet of coiled ivy. Her breath hitches, and I immediately call it back, mentally kicking my own ass.
Ofcourseshe’d look at it as a shackle, what the fuck was I thinking?
“What about you?”
She clams up, and just as I decide to hunt down some super glue to seal my stupid mouth shut, she tentatively slips off her leather glove. I remain perfectly still as she steels her spine, reaching up to press two fingers against the metal band ringing my upper arm again. It’s a small spark, barely more than a shock of static electricity, but it goes straight to my cock.
“I knew we were made for each other.”
Rolling her eyes, she fights a small smile as she pulls her glove back on. “Don’t get too excited, the best I can do is fry a TV.”
The mystery now lies in why she didn’t reflexively shift in any capacity to protect herself during the explosion. If she’s only quick to get exhausted because of how neglected and malnourished she’s been all of these years, that’ll change from here on out. Same to how little access to her affinity she claims to have. If we’re lucky, all it’ll take is a few hot meals and a nap, then Amara can smite her tormentor herself and finally know peace.
She pushes the cart as I grab a little of everything to toss in, heeding Stone’s warning about not overwhelming her with options.She doesn’t have to choose if I give her everything.
“So what you’re telling me is that I was going the wrong way on the nickname front. Less honey badger, more lightning bug.”
