Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours, and you need the rest.”
“I’ll stay in bed,” I conceded, relaxing into the mattress again. “But I’d enjoy it a lot more if you took off my clothes.”
Reese scoffed and leaned up on her elbow. “You’re already naked.”
I flicked at the t-shirt hanging off her small frame. “You’re not.”
“I’m not getting undressed when people are coming in here whenever they want.”
“I’ll lock the door.”
“Not happening,” she said dryly, perching her head on her hand. “You look so much better today.”
“I’m betting anything would be better than how I looked yesterday.”
Reese’s eyes grew unfocused for a few moments. When she looked at me again, they were dark. “I was so scared,” she said quietly. “I’ve never been so scared.”
“I’d never let anything happen to you,” I promised, curving my hand around the side of her neck where her pulse beat furiously.
“I know that,” she replied. “I wasn’t scared for me.”
“I had to make sure that none of them could get to you.”
“There was so much blood, Beau.” She winced. “First Kenny and then you…you were bleeding everywhere. When you came out of the hallway, it didn’t seem that bad. With your coat on, I couldn’t really see any of it. But when you came back from outside…” She paused. “I couldn’t understand how you were still standing.”
“Moving around outside probably got things moving,” I explained. “I had to chase one of them.”
“God, Beau.” She grimaced.
“It’s over, love,” I reminded her.
“I still see it when I close my eyes. It’s like it plays on a loop. Over and over, I see you stumbling back through the doorway. I thought you were dying. I thought I was watching you die.”
“I’m right here.” Pulling her closer, I let my eyes drift closed as her face tucked into my neck. “Bite, baby.”
“No,” she replied quickly, jerking her face back. “No, you need every drop of blood you have left.”
“It won’t hurt me,” I countered, catching the back of her head in my hand. Pressing her forward, I tilted my head away. “You need it.”
“I don’t. It’s a want, remember? It’s not a need. I won’t get sick without it.”
Tipping my head back down, I met her gaze. Her pupils were still shot.
“It is a need,” I told her gently. “You thought I was going to die. I’m your mate. You need that connection as much as I do. Bite.”
She didn’t fight me as I pressed her face back to my neck, but she didn’t bite, either. She sniffled, her body shuddering as her tongue laved my neck. I couldn’t understand why she was fighting it so hard. We both knew that the blood exchanged was minimal. She needed the taste of me on her tongue, and I should’ve realized it earlier. That was on me.
“Bite, my love,” I whispered soothingly, smoothing my hand down the back of her head. “Do it now.”
I nearly groaned when I finally felt her pierce my neck, but I was afraid that if I made any noise at all, she’d stop.
Her body relaxed against mine as she licked the small punctures just seconds later, the same way I did to hers when I was finished. I didn’t need her to close the wounds, my body did that itself, but the small aftercare made my chest ache. She was taking care of me the same way I took care of her.
Reese’s face was wet as she lifted her head.
“Better?” I asked softly.
“I love you,” she replied with a sob. The words were almost defiant.
“That pisses you off?” I teased, wiping at her tears.
“You’re an asshole,” she cried.
I couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that made pain radiate through my torso.
“Stop laughing!”
“I hate to break it to you,” I said, kissing her. “But so are you.”
“I am not.”
“You are, but I love you anyway.”
“This is not how it’s supposed to go,” she complained, wiping angrily at her face. “You’re supposed to say it first, and you’re supposed to say a bunch of other sweet shit, too.”
“Sorry,” I replied dryly. “First timer here.”
Reese glared. I smiled.
“Your soul matches mine, Reese Matthews,” I whispered against her lips. “I was made to love you.”
Reese was quiet for a moment, her tongue coming out to slide along my bottom lip.
“That’ll do,” she grumbled, her eyes twinkling.
“As soon as I can move without these stitches ripping, I’m going to fuck you for hours.”
“Ooh, that’s even better,” she joked.
We were still smiling at each other when a knock at the door interrupted us.
“Come in,” I called, untangling from Reese so I could sit up.
“Such an idiot,” Reese mumbled under her breath as she stacked pillows behind me.
“Hey, we’re heading out soon,” Ambrose announced, leaving the door open as he strode into the room. “We got a hit on the sister’s passport. She left Belgium for France yesterday.”