“What can I do then?” I asked, then clarified, “As his anchor, I mean.”
“He’ll need you beside him when he works. Whenever he starts to feel overwhelmed, he’ll need your energy to boost him.”
Pete stepped closer to me, eyeing me with a mix of worry and intrigue. “Just how close have you two gotten?”
“What’s with the look?” I deflected instead of answering.
Pete just kept staring at me almost as if he saw through me. Then he turned to face Rino. “Bonds like an anchor don’t just appear, they have to have already formed an emotional attachment, correct?”
“That is true,” Rino nodded.
“But what happens when they get partners? Anchors are often couples, not just friends,” Pete asked. “They won’t be able to be apart now; how will this work long term?”
I understood Pete’s worry but was growling on the inside. He was talking as though this miracle I’d been handed was something that wouldn’t work, and why? Because Pete thought we would meet other people and had to live together while in relationships with other people? I couldn’t even blame Pete for thinking that. Mike was probably not as straight as I’d first thought, but Pete still believed him to be, and I’d never spoken to Pete about my crush on his brother either, because hello,awkward.
Rino gave me a soft smile before he answered Pete’s question. “I don’t think you have to worry about them finding other partners.”
“What do you mean?” Pete demanded, looking at me with that odd look again.
“I mean, I've never once heard of a medium and their anchor being just friends. It’s always mixed with romantic affection. Don’t ask me why, but the fact that family members can’t act as anchors should be answer enough.”
Pete’s eyes went comically wide. “Oh, my, God!” His gaze shot to mine. “Are you twofucking?!”
I didn’t like the way he’d asked that. Pete was likely in shock and felt betrayed because neither of us had said anything, but what Mike and I had wasn’t just fucking, mainly because no fucking had happened. I had feelings for Mike and Pete made it sound like Mike wasn’t the most important person in my life. And he was.Mike was everything.
I just glared at Pete. I wasn’t about to tell him how perfect I found his brother while he was resting his head on my lap, his body drained and hurting.
“Pete,” Rino warned, and somehow just that one word of warning had Pete slumping and moving away from us, approaching Rino instead to give me some breathing room.
“Sorry, Dyl, I was just surprised.”
I sighed. “Mike is important to me, but that’s all you need to know at the moment.”
My fingers kept stroking Mike’s hair, and I selfishly enjoyed myself. I could watch and touch Mike without him knowing about it.Okay that sounded creepy even to me.
“Let’s get the two of you home,” Rino decided.
“We need to pick up some burgers on the way,” I decided, smiling down at Mike’s relaxed expression. “He’ll need it when he wakes.”
I was mother-henning hard, but I didn’t give a single fuck. Mike was sleeping in his bed with Erik spending time in mine while Mike recovered. I’d undressed Mike down to his boxers, and was currently tucking him in like he was the most precious kitten in the litter.
I was his anchor.
The thought kept popping up in my head, reminding me how much Mike was depending on me from now on. I wasn’t even mad about it. Maybe I should’ve been. Anchor bonds couldn’t be broken; Rino had said as much when he was driving us home. He seemed to speak more plainly once Pete wasn’t with us. Perhaps Rino had sensed I preferred the facts rather than some half-spoken truths. Once I’d learned Mike was stuck with me, things had settled inside of me. Although I worried that Mike would reject me, or, worse, think he was cursing me to live the same life as him. I knew Mike would hate to bring the bother that was ghosts to my life, but I, myself, was all for it if it meant keeping Mike.
Also, Rino had said in a not at all subtle hint that Mike would need to be attracted to me before latching on. Which was the best news in the world, honestly. I just had to make Mike realize we were perfect for each other. That wouldn’t be as easy as comfortinghim was. I already knew as much. Vera had done a number on his emotions and how he perceived himself as a man. Her ick with men crying was just a cruel ridiculous thing that likely would take me months, if not years, to erase from Mike’s conscience.
And even with the knowledge that Mike was indeed into me, I had no idea if he knew it himself. That’s where project temptation came in. I would need to seduce Mike. Show him how irresistible I could be in every way. Cooking, offering comfort, snuggling, and of course, my tight leather pants because my ass wasamazingin those.
When Mike woke up, he would be fed burgers and fries that hopefully still tasted better than the sweet potato soup. Then I would begin tempting him.
A wide grin formed on my lips as I got undressed, too, and joined him in his bed. I hoped Mike was ready to be swept off his feet.
Chapter Ten
Mike
I vaguely recalled eating a burger in bed. That couldn’t be right? I shook my head and washed my hands in the bathroom sink. It was light outside, but I had no idea what time it actually was or what had happened after I’d gone to work. My head had a dull ache that kept jabbing at my skull as I walked back into my room.
