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“I love you,” I said. I couldn’t hold it in, it had to come out.

I’d said it every day, and I’d keep saying it. One day soon, she’d say it back. I believed that. I had to believe that. Then I squeezed her ass and swatted it, making her laugh, taking the tension away when the seconds stretched out and I knew today wouldn’t be that day.

I’d asked her again who fucked with her mind, but she wouldn’t tell me who blocked her love for me, like she knew that as soon as she did, I’d go after them and tear them apart. I’d make them fix it even if they died trying. She was right. No one should be able to fuck with people’s emotions that way, even if she had asked for it.

We got out of the shower and I hooked a towel around my hips and grabbed the other before Jaz could so I could dry her off. We may not be officially mated, but my fox didn’t care. We needed to take care of her. Bathe her, feed her, protect her, and make her come as many times as she could handle, and today when she left for work, we’d make sure our den was perfect for her as well. We’d make sure my room was completely different, that she was the only female to see what was in it, touched the things in it—new paint on the walls, new bed, new bedding. New bedside tables and two new dressers were arriving this afternoon as well, one for Jaz. And I was going to put the bed on the opposite wall so the room looked nothing like it did now.

“So you’ll be gone all day?” I asked as I rubbed the towel over her shoulders and arms. My gaze slid to her mouth. God, her mouth was addictive. I wanted to kiss her all the fucking time.

“Yeah, I have a busy schedule. A couple new clients as well, and things always take longer with newbies.” A smile curled her lips. “You know I can dry myself.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Jesus, I wanted her again. I wrestled my need into submission. It wasn’t easy.

I finished drying her, which was more torture for me than her because everywhere I trailed the towel, I wanted to taste her skin afterward. She smelled different now. My scent was all over her, and both my fox and I loved that as well. It filled me with pride, made me feel fucking ten feet tall

She headed to the small room we’d been sleeping in, and I followed, pulling on a pair of jeans, then hovered at the door, watching her dress. “You want anything in particular for dinner?” I asked, eating up every smooth, inked inch of her.

She glanced up at me. “Mags wants to hang out. Have a girls’ night, so I’ll stay at home tonight.”

I gripped the doorframe tighter, and my claws punched through the tips of my fingers. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

She seemed distracted and nodded absently as she tugged on her boots, then proceeded to gather all her things that had accumulated over the last week, stuffing them in her bag so there’d be nothing left of her except her scent. I didn’t like it. My fox clawed at the ground, growling his displeasure, but there was nothing I could do. If I pushed her, she’d retreat. She was already scared she’d hurt me, that if this didn’t work, she’d have to leave and it’d fuck me up. She was right, of course, but I couldn’t let her know that.

We’d had a healing session last night, and I knew she’d seen how big my feelings were for her. She hadn’t said anything, but she’d been quiet afterward, at least until I’d tugged her ass to the edge of the couch, yanked down her panties, and ate her pussy until she screamed out my name.

Some might call what I did avoidance, but they’d be wrong. I just didn’t want her getting in her own head about us.

She hitched her bag over her shoulder, and the little comma butterfly that’d been hanging around her lately fluttered around her head as she tilted it back to look up at me. “I better take off.”

I nodded as I gripped the side of her neck and used my thumb under her chin to keep her head tilted back, then I bent down and kissed her, hard and deep, before hooking her around the waist and holding her close so her body was pressed to mine, branding her with my scent as best as I could. While she was away from me, I wanted everyone to know she was taken. I couldn’t mate her, so this was the next best thing.

I lifted my head a little and gave her another small kiss, then another, then forced myself to step back when what I wanted to do was toss her on the foldout and fuck her over and over again until she loved me back.

Her face was pink and her lips were puffy again. “Fuck,” I said low.

“What?” She licked her lips.

I groaned. “I’m two seconds away from tossing you back on the bed, butterfly.”

She grinned, pressed a kiss to my bare chest, patted it, then stepped around me. I followed her to the door, trailing her like a sad fucking pup. She opened the door and looked back at me.

Her smile softened. “You know…you’re the best male I’ve ever known,” she said.

I didn’t know what to say. There was this look in her eyes I couldn’t read.

“I just…I wanted you to know that,” she added, then she flashed me another smile and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Jasmine

* * *

I stared up at the house, so tall and forbidding. The look on Ren’s face, the tone of his voice when he told me he loved me again this morning and I couldn’t return the sentiment was branded on my mind. I was hurting him, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

I took the steps and knocked, wrapping my arms around myself, feeling chilled even though it was warm today.

The door swung open. “Hey,” I said, like an idiot, not entirely sure of the reception I’d get.

Xavier tilted his head to the side. “This is an unexpected surprise.”