Page 90 of Chased

After they thanked Jace and Kane and received everyone’s congratulations on their mating, Sanchez wrapped his arm around Madison’s shoulder.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get down to your cabin. You can have one of those bubble baths you like so much.” He looked down at her with that little softening of his mouth that she loved. “I’ll wash your hair. And then I’ll make sure you forget all about that fucking fox.”

“Mmm,” Madison said. “I would love that.” And all the things they could do when they were naked.

But then she saw Cisco and Matéo, heads together at the side of the path. “Don’t be a dork,” Matéo mumbled, shoving his brother. His voice was so low she could barely hear. “They want to be alone. Obviously.”

Cisco gave one look behind at Sanchez, opened his mouth, and then turned and walked away.

Sanchez took her hand and started to head out, but she pulled him back. “Hold on,” she said. “I want to go back to the cabin, but there’s something we need to do first. Something important.”

She put her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. A smile spread across his face, and he kissed her softly. “Okay.”

Twenty minutes Sanchez was walking through the door of his cabin with Madison, just as Matéo was saying, “Let’s just go down to the fucking mess hall. There’s nothing here to cook anyway.”

“Already done,” Madison said. “The mess hall has come to you.” Sanchez was loaded down with boxes and bags of food, having refused to let her carry anything.

Matéo stared. Cisco said, “What are you doing here? We figured you’d be on your second orgasm by now.”

“I hope you’re talking to her,” Sanchez said. “Because if you meant me, that right there explains why you don’t have a girlfriend.” He started unloading stuff onto the kitchen counter. “We brought you yahoos food. Because you never think ahead.”

Madison said firmly, “But first, we have family business. Come on.” Sanchez grabbed the whiskey and a chair, and she grabbed four glasses. Then they headed into the back room.

Cisco and Matéo were rooted to the spot. Madison stuck her head out the door. “Are you paralyzed, or what? I didn’t delay my orgasms to watch you stand there like idiots.”

When all four of them were in the room, Sanchez poured the whiskey and lit the candle. “Matéo,” he said. “You’re up.”

Matéo took the knife from the table walked up to the wall, finding the day’s date. He carved his line in the square, and said, “Yo sobrevivo.” He gave Cisco the knife and sat.

Cisco, grinning ear to ear, walked right up and put his knife to the wall, not even looking for the date he’d almost lost his leg. He carved his own line, touching Matéo’s. “Yo sobrevivo.”

When he walked back, he hesitated, looking from Sanchez to Madison. Madison made a little gesture toward Sanchez, and Cisco looked a little disappointed, but he gave the knife to Sanchez.

Sanchez walked up to the wall. He’d wanted Madison to go on the wall too. She was the one who’d been in real danger today. She was the one who’d barely survived. And she was the one who had joined their family.

Unless she didn’t want to be part of it. She’d let him bond her, but he’d known she didn’t really want it. She’d been desperate.

He was going to have to show her how much he wanted her. All the time. Until she really felt like one of them.

But he did what he always did, because this was la familia, and they had to know they mattered to him. That they’d always matter.

So he carved his line across the bottom, the foundation of the family, sure and deep. “Yo sobrevivo,” he said. “Todos sobrevimos.” All of us survive.

He went to sit back down, but Madison looked up at him, smiling that wicked smile of hers, and held out her hand. Something expanded inside him, and he put the knife into it, hilt first. As he sat down, she got up and walked to the wall.

She faced them, and then said to Matéo and Cisco, “Thank you for coming after me today. Thank you for protecting me and letting me know how much you care. Gabriel is my mate, but you are my brothers. Mi familia. Because of all of you, I’m here. Yo sobrevivo.”

Then she turned and carved something in the wall. Two strokes. When she walked away and sat down, Sanchez could see the marks. Two little ones, starting at each side of the triangle and angling up towards the corners of the square.

“What are those?” Cisco asked.

“Duh,” Madison said. “Bunny ears. Be thankful I didn’t add whiskers and a little pink nose.”

Matéo was already laughing. “We’ve got Murder Bunny on our side. Our enemies are toast.”

“Bet your ass,” Madison said.

Sanchez raised his glass, happiness and hope sparkling through him for the first time in years. “La familia.” And they drank to that.