Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) by Nalini Singh

“You didn’t misunderstand.” Canto rubbed his jaw, his stubble rasping under his fingertips. “It’s brilliant, you know. The reason no one watches for anchor children is because we’re just there, doing our work in the background. I think it’s time we step out of the shadows.”

“I just met with the Ruling Coalition.”

“But who knows about that?” He tapped the arm of his chair. “Are you up for an interview with the PsyNet Beacon?”

“Me? The robot?” Payal folded her arms and spread her legs apart. “You do it.”

He adored her. And he was not a man to use that kind of word. But he did. Adore her. “You’re our gladiator, my beautiful, intelligent, fascinating Payal. Also, wouldn’t you like to rub Gia Khan’s face in your rise to power?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t feel such petty emotions … but set up the interview.”

Canto crossed the floor to grip her hips. “You dazzle me.”

A sudden hesitancy to her. “What if it doesn’t work?” Soft words. “What if the only way I can stay functional is to keep up the iron walls?” Her fingers lingering delicately against his jaw, as if he’d break if she pushed too hard. “I let them fall today with you, and I feel stable enough, but what if it’s a false hope?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve had this conversation—no matter what, no matter how, we stick.”

“7J and 3K?” she whispered.

“Always. Always.” Sometimes it wasn’t a childhood thing; sometimes you found your person early. She was his person and always would be.

“I don’t want to go back to Vara.” It came out naked, her face devoid of protective shields. “The repair is holding for now. It might be the only window of stability we have for some time.”

“Can you stay?” She was the CEO of a major family. More, she was being watched by unfriendly eyes. “The medication?” he asked, biting back his rage at the ugly drug leash her father had put on her.

“I need a dose of the meds—that’s the biggest hurdle.” Payal chewed her lower lip. “I can do a lot of work remotely.” A small nod. “I’ll tell Lalit and Father that I’ve been inducted into the Ruling Coalition and asked to remain close to Krychek so I can shadow him and learn my new duties.”

“Payal, you don’t have to hide me from them.” It came out hard, a near-snarl.

“Yes, I do.” A solemn statement that cut him to the bone. “Because you’re my person. The only one I have. I need to protect you.”

Canto chafed against restrictions, protections, but when she put it that way … when she looked at him with such raw vulnerability … Fucked. He was fucked. He’d give her anything she wanted. He couldn’t, however, stop himself from muttering, “I’d prefer to just shoot your father and brother, but yeah, that should work. Chances they have a spy in Krychek’s base?”

“Nil. His HQ is airtight—Kaleb is a man who inspires loyalty.”

“I’ll ask him to cover for you.”

He squeezed her hips when she parted her lips to reply. “It won’t be an official request like you’d make, it’ll be one among friends.” Krychek and Mercant were now entwined. “It’s the less complicated way.”

Payal frowned. “No, let me ask. In an unofficial way.”

The way she said it had Canto holding his words. He watched as her gaze went distant, as if she was telepathing. She was back within seconds. “He’s agreed,” she murmured. “He also said he’d answer any other questions I want to ask him.”

A stab of quite ridiculous jealousy had Canto scowling. “Why are you asking him questions?”

“Because he’s like me.” A whisper as her body jerked a little toward Canto. “And he has the life I want.”

Love smashed through every bone in his body, a love so pure and so visceral that it devastated pride and jealousy and anything but the desire to give her what she needed. “Come here, baby.”

She all but melted into him, curling into his lap with her head against his shoulder and one hand on his chest. He wrapped her up, holding her close, this woman who was powerful and complicated and had been deprived of tenderness all her life.

Canto knew zilch about tenderness, but he was a quick study. He’d watched how the bears treated their mates, seen how Arwen was with his bear. And the thing was, it came naturally with Payal. He wanted to hold her, wanted to kiss her stupid, wanted to keep her warm and safe in his arms.

PAYAL could still feel Canto wrapped around her as she stood in front of the comm screen later that afternoon, ready to make the call to her father. Canto himself was upstairs, but she knew he’d be with her in a heartbeat should she need him, their minds entwined.

The broken girl inside her had learned that it wasn’t only okay to lean on him, such things were unremarkable between the two of them. The watchful, robotic part of her had come to the same conclusion: there was no ledger between 3K and 7J. Canto Mercant would give Payal Rao whatever she needed and vice versa.

Because they were each other’s person.

“Payal,” her father said coldly when his aristocratic face appeared onscreen. “What’s the meaning of this disappearing act?”