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“An eavesdropper, more like it,” I said. “She knows I don’t want Dylan to hear anything about the drive-by.”

Mia sighed. “Yeah, that’s wise. I didn’t hear anything else from Hawk, but I was chatting with a girlfriend of mine at the café yesterday, and she heard Blakely was talking it up.”

I frowned. “What does that mean, ‘talking it up’?”

“Ace saved her life,” Mia said. “He suspected she was involved in planting the drugs at the garage after seeing a girl on the security footage.”

“Right, that’s what Hawk told me on the phone.” I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess, Blakely is taking Ace pulling her away from open gunfire as proof of his undying love for her.”

“Exactly,” Mia said. “Apparently she won’t stop talking about how romantic it was, and how protective he is over her.”

“I really thought I had finally gotten through to her.”

“Your intimidation tactics are nothing in the face of her delusions,” Mia said with a smirk. “You’ll probably have to do it a few more times before it really sinks in. Or a lot more times.”

“I’m beginning to think there’s nothing I can do to really get rid of her,” I said.

“Well, there’s probablyonething that Harley would take seriously.”

“Which is?”

Mia raised her eyebrows, then tugged the neckline of her shirt to the side just enough to reveal her claiming mark. It was a little paler than her skin and faded with age, but still a visible bite mark. “Not trying to pressure you, but it might be what it takes to get Blakely to stop being a total psycho.”

I rubbed my neck in that very spot. I didn’t say anything for a long moment as I watched the kids play outside.

“Have you thought about it?” Mia asked.

“How’d you know it was the right time for you and Hawk?”

She smiled softly, like she was recalling a beloved memory. “I had my reservations, but when we were dating, Hawk proved he was a man of his word. There wasn’t one particular moment, really. It wasn’t like a lightning strike or something. I just woke up one day and knew I wanted to spend my life with him.”

I knew I wanted to spend my life with Steph.

Could it really be that simple?

“Are you ready?” Mia asked. “Is that something you want with Ace?”

“I don’t know. It’s… it’s a big commitment.”

“Bigger than marriage,” Mia said. “You know what happens, right? The whole soul-connection part?”

“Yeah. It’s a lot.”

“It is, but I wouldn’t change a damn thing about it. I love having that bond with Hawk.” Mia rubbed her chest, right over her heart. I wondered if there was a physical sensation to the bond, too, like she could feel Hawk’s presence in her heart itself. “It’s intense. I can’t lie about that.”

“It’s hard for me to open up to someone in that way,” I admitted. “Even someone like Steph. I’ve been on my own basically my whole life, you know. Especially with my mom being so…”

Mia rested a hand on my forearm in understanding. The only other person in my life who was supposed to love me unconditionally, my mother, had proven that love was, in fact, quite conditional, and always came in second place to her one true love: alcohol. That still hurt me, and I still struggled to really believe that Steph would always put me first. That hewantedto put me first. I was afraid if I let him claim me, one day he’d decide I wasn’t enough for him and he’d leave me—like my mother had, like everyone had. And it would be even more painful because we’d be bonded. Because I loved him.

But Steph wouldn’t do that. He promised me he wouldn’t leave me. And he never reallyhadbetrayed me, no matter how many times the world tried to pull us apart. He always came back.

I was ready to stop letting my fear control me.

“I’m scared. I think I’ll always be scared about letting Steph claim me, but I think I’m ready, Mia.”

“Honestly, I’d be worried if youweren’tscared,” Mia said. “It’s a big deal for dragons, and even bigger for humans. But I think it’s the right thing. The right next step.”

“Me too,” I said softly. “Thanks, Mia.”