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But I want it to be her decision. I hope after all this crap is over, she will be comfortable enough to finish our bond so we can move on, together. If she turns away from me, I will be miserable forever.

“She is fine,” Logan says quietly.

“How do you know?” I ask.

“She’s not human. She tore a man apart. She is far from helpless. She is strong,” he replies.

“I know she is,” I start, adjusting my hat, pulling it down further. “But she doesn’t have to be. She has spent her life having to be strong and relying on herself. Why should she have to be when she has me? I will be her strength when she is weak.”

“You will be.” He steps beside me. “This is something she needs to do.”

“I don’t like it,” I say gruffly.

“I realize that. You won’t stop chewing, and you’re messing with the hat.”

“So?”

“Those are your tells,” he says.

“I don’t have ‘tells’,” I deny, stopping my hand mid-motion as I was going to pull at my hat. “Fuck off.”

“She will need you once this is done. She won’t appreciate you swooping in before she does what she needs to do,” he informs me.

“Don’t you think I know that?” I snarl. “I would be beside her right now if I thought for one minute she would welcome it.”

“You love her,” he states.

“Of course, I fucking love her. She is everything to me. I know it sounds crazy.” I cross my arms. “We’ve known each other for less than a week, how can I love her? I am nuts about her.”

“That’s a good thing,” he whispers.

“What if she can’t return my love?” I ask the burning question that has been haunting me. “She has been through so much. How can she trust me?”

“We all have been through something.” He leans against the window, his body pointed towards me but his gaze focused outside. “I have been chased, tortured, hunted, starved, and humiliated. I somehow lived through that, thanks to Ava and her mates that set me free. I had lost my brothers and never thought I would have them back. I haven’t spoken to my parents, afraid of their judgment and condemnation,” he whispers, his words so quiet I have to strain to hear him. “I lost myself but I am slowly building my life again. I have scars, physically, and emotionally. I am a weak man right now, but I know if I met my mate, I would never let her go. I would thank the universe for giving me that gift. I would do whatever I had to, to be the man she needed me to be. I have never felt so low as I did stuck in a cage. Do whatever she wants to make her comfortable in completing the bond. Don’t let her slip through your fingers because of your pride.”

I blink, and blink again. “I believe that is the most words I’ve ever heard you say at one time.”

“I am your friend. I want you to be happy. I appreciate all the times you have let me sit in silence with you on your porch. You don’t realize how much I needed it. I just needed someone to be there with no judgment or pressure.” He looks at me directly. “You mean something to me. Now Saylor means something to me. I will be beside you tonight, whether you go to her now or later.”

“Fuck,” I whisper, once again shielding my eyes with the brim of my hat. “Thanks.”

“Of course.”

“You didn’t tell me how you connected to your brothers again,” I accuse, effectively changing the subject.

He looks over at them. “I wasn’t sure it was going to last,” he muses. “I didn’t plan to see them. After my freedom was granted, I wanted to disappear—lick my wounds. Instead, I went to find them. I wanted to at least see them at a distance. They had other ideas.”

“I’m glad. You need them.” I look back out the glass in front of me. “I would like to get to know them when everything is settled.”

“I’m sure we can work that out.” He clears his throat. “How long are we supposed to wait?”

“Jesus,” I sigh rubbing my jaw. “Grant’s pack needs to make an appearance before we show ourselves. Then we kill them and ride to the rescue.”

“Great plan,” he says dryly.

“Yeah.” I look at the others around the room as they try to hide the fact they can hear everything we have said. “Are you sure the vampires will protect Saylor?” I can’t get rid of the pit in my stomach telling me to never to trust one of their kind.

“Dude, they are the good ones,” River says.