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A child.

Conceived of love.Raised in union with the man who owned me, body, heart, and soul.

My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it.My heart was pounding even before I read who the text was from.

Emmet

Good morning, Angel.Call me when you get to work.I love you.

I couldn’t stop my smile if I tried.I brushed the screen with my fingertips, my heart beating erratically.

Me

Okay!I will!I love you too!

I cringed at all the exclamation points, but I couldn’t help it.I was just that excited.Smiling, I slipped on my fur-lined boots and grabbed the thick hooded sweatshirt I swiped from Emmet’s closet with the Motley Crewd Ranch logo stamped across the back.

It was warm and soft, and even better, it smelled just like him.

My phone buzzed with a text from Avery, and I chuckled at the ridiculous gif she texted of a tiny little mouse hefting a stack of boxes, begging me to come get my order already.

She must be at the store, I mused, then replied.

Me

Be right there

I got in my car and started the engine, which my super sexy and talented mate had somehow managed to get working again.

My thoughts were so full of Emmet as I turned onto the main road that led into town and raised the volume on the radio, that was probably why I didn’t notice the man in the backseat until he clapped a hand over my mouth and growled in my ear.

“So, Quinn found himself a human mate, did he?Let’s see how he likes it when I take his betrayal out of your filthy hide!”

“What?No!”I yelled before a meaty hand slapped over my mouth.

Before everything went black, I had one last thought.

Emmet.

Chapter Twenty-Three-Emmet

The sign for Cow Country Rodeo had been decorated with some fall themed garland and lights, but it could probably stand to be repainted.

I walked past the separate bull pens, wondering which of those big bad bastards I was going to draw during my event in just a few hours.The smell of fur, sweat, hay, and dung was thick in the air, making my hypersensitive nose twitch.

I was used to the smells of ranches, farms, and animals, so it wasn’t as repulsive as it sounded.

It was human smells that were often the most offensive.Not sweat or excrement.More the scent of intentions or emotions like cruelty, fear, mendacity, and deviant impulses.

But I wasn’t paying attention to any of the men or animals in that place.My mind was elsewhere.My mind was on my mate.

“Yo, Emmet, help the boss out for a sec,” Kian shouted to me.

“On it,” I said, and turned, flipping him the bird.

It was like a thumbs up as far as I was concerned.More than the ornery Bull Shifter deserved.He’d been ribbing all of us all morning long about our lack of skill and finesse when it came to rodeo events, which was, for lack of a better word, bullshit.

I’d been competing in rodeos since I was fifteen and if Kian needed a reminder, well then, he could just watch me break one of his wild brethren in just a few hours.I walked off towards the stables where Max was checking out the broncos.