Anchor of Secrets by Tessa Hale
25
“How do you feel?”Colt asked as I pulled my discarded shirt over my head.
My cheeks heated. “Good.”
He moved in close, wrapping his arms around me. “Truth.”
I buried my face in his chest. “Happier than I’ve ever been.”
Colt’s hold tightened. “Love hearing that. Love you.”
Everything in me warmed. “I love you, too.”
“How are you feeling physically?” he pressed.
“A little tender,” I confessed.
“Warm bath for you tonight. Need to make sure I’m taking good care of you.”
I pulled back, searching Colt’s face. “What about you? I’m not sure what we just did was wise, given your injuries.”
Colt’s lips twitched. “LeeLee…I would’ve given a kidney for what we just had.”
I scowled at him. “Not funny.”
He brushed the hair back from my face. “I’m fine. No pain at all. I’m just going to have lower energy for a few days.”
I watched for any sign that he wasn’t being truthful, but I didn’t see anything. “Is that your shifter healing?”
Colt nodded. “That, Ronan’s blood, and, I think, having you close.”
My eyes flared. “Me?”
“You’re my mate. After we’re bonded, we’ll be able to help each other heal, but even just having you close can increase health and well-being.”
“That’s incredible,” I whispered.
Colt brushed his lips over mine. “You’re incredible.”
I jerked back. “Wait, if you had this magical healing all this time, what about your broken arm when you fell out of the tree? You were in a cast for six weeks.”
He gave me a sheepish smile. “Dad was so pissed. He’d always told me I had to be careful not to get hurt around people who didn’t know.”
“But you were so determined to climb that damn tree.”
Colt chuckled. “My punishment was having to stay in the cast even though I didn’t need it.”
I shook my head. “No wonder you were cranky.”
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “At least I had you to keep me sane.”
“Always.” My fingers twisted in Colt’s T-shirt. “Did anyone see Damien in the caves?”
In the hours we’d sat vigil at Colt’s bedside, the guys had spoken in low tones about the vampire and the trap, but I honestly hadn’t been able to take much in.
Colt stiffened, and I instantly regretted my question.
“You don’t have to talk about it,” I hurried to assure him.
Colt ran a hand up and down my back. “It’s okay. I’m just pissed as all hell that we didn’t see this possibility.”
“The trap?” I asked.
“That he might’ve been working with the shadow demons.”
A chill ran down my spine. “I thought they were after all supernaturals. Wouldn’t they want to kill Damien, too?”
“They usually are. But Damien must have some sort of deal with them. Information in exchange for giving them a targeted hit list.”
Anger bubbled down deep. “I’d like to castrate him with a rusty butter knife.”
A startled laugh burst out of Colt. “I had no idea you could be so vicious.”
“He tried to kill you. He almost succeeded. I would do anything to stop that.”
Colt wrapped his arms around me. “I’m good, LeeLee. I’m not going anywhere.”
I burrowed deeper into his hold, relishing the feel of his strength and the beat of his heart against my cheek. “Promise me.”
“I promise.”
I pulled those two words deep inside, holding them close.
Colt gave me one more squeeze and then released me. “Let’s get out of here. It smells like a hospital.”
I shook my head. “It basically is a hospital, which only a billionaire like you would have.”
He shot me a cocky smile as he led us to the door. “Comes in handy sometimes.”
“Let’s not have any more need for this room, okay?”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.”
Colt guided us down the hall toward the lounge room. Each step made my stomach churn.
Colt’s steps faltered, and he glanced down at me. “What’s wrong?”
“How do you know anything’s wrong?”
“I can smell your anxiety.”
My jaw dropped. “You can smell it?”
“Shifters have a keen sense of smell, and every emotion has a unique scent.”
“I really can’t have secrets around here, can I?” I grumbled.
Colt laughed. “You’ll get used to it.” He sobered. “What’s wrong?”
I worried the corner of my lip. “Are they going to be mad? That we…you know?”
Colt’s hands came up to frame my face. “We’ve known we would share a mate our whole lives. We want you to be close to all of us. It’s not the same as being with you ourselves, but there’s a comfort in knowing you’ve been with one of our bond mates.”
I wanted to believe him. I just wasn’t sure how that was possible.
“Come on. You’ll feel better after you see everyone.”
Colt gently pushed me forward and toward the sound of explosions coming from the TV in the lounge. The moment we stepped inside, four sets of eyes swung toward us.
Declan’s and Ronan’s nostrils flared as they breathed deep, and my face turned fire-engine red. Damn that shifter smell. Trace’s eyes went molten purple, and I knew his incubus sensed it, too. It took Dash a second longer.
He scanned me up and down, then grinned. “Looks like you gave Sleeping Beauty a hell of a wake-up call.”
Ronan threw a remote at Dash. “Grow up.”
Dash just smiled wider. “Does this mean the band’s back together?”
Colt wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close. “What do you think, LeeLee? Ready to give this a real shot?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look around the room. Each of the guys wore a different expression, but there was an element of hope in all of them. “Do you want this?”
Dash was the first to answer. “You know I do.”
Declan gave me that warm, reassuring smile. “I’ll always want this. Always want you.”
My stomach gave a flip.
Ronan took a deep breath. “Never felt more grounded than when I’m with you. Yes, I want this.”
My gaze shifted to Trace. His hands were fisted tight, a battle raging in his eyes.
Dash turned to him. “This is it. All of us. We’ll have your back.”
Trace’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He shook his head as he pushed to his feet. His eyes locked with mine. “I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe. I’d give my life for yours. But I can’t give you this.”
And then he was simply gone.