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“It doesn’t matter what he wants, you weren’t old enough to make that decision.”

His eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”

“He told me.”

Curse him for being so bloody honest. “I’m old enough to be here, I’m old enough to decide what I want.” He leaned back and crossed his arms.

“The Coven prefers both parties to be over twenty.”

Bailey shook his head and stared up at the ceiling. He was not losing the best thing that had ever happened to him because of some arbitrary bureaucratic rule about age. “It was an accident.”

“It usually is. All I need to know is if you want it or not. Then I can start proceedings.”

Without the bond, he’d be trapped in jail with nothing and no one. “I need to talk to him.”

“It’s a yes or no.”

“I don’t know. We hardly know each other, except through the bond. We need to figure that out.”

“There is no obligation on your part to be more than a familiar and assist with magic. Some take it further and become familiar mates.”

Yeah, they’d been experimenting with that already. He didn’t want to rush, but he didn’t want to break the connection. “I’m kind of stuck here for the best part of a year, so I don’t want to be making life-altering decisions.”

She considered him for several heartbeats. Could she see the bond? Did she know what they were using it for? It probably wasn’t meant to be used for fucking and running.

“Do you have your shifting under control? I can have something prescribed that will stop your shifts if needed.”

“No.” He said a little fast. As inconvenient as it was, he didn’t want to lose what little magic he had. Being able to disappear in prison was very useful for staying out of trouble. Nor did he want the drugs to dampen the connection to Kass. “I’m fine. I hide under the covers and pretend I’m running free.”

“If you were to shift where people can see you, you understand there’d be consequences?” She held his gaze, and he didn’t want to discover what those consequences would be. “However, I have been reviewing your case and your previous lawyer was terrible.”

“He was provided by my family. I’m sure he’d been told to make sure I got the maximum possible.”

“I’ll do what I can to shorten your sentence, but expect a few more months. I also need some information on your family.”

Bailey shook his head. “I can’t, they’ll take it out on Gran, and while she’s…” the word bitch rested on his tongue. “She’s old and scared and knows nothing other than their lies.”

“Can you tell me anything?”

“I don’t know their names, or where they base their operations.” If he’d started work like they’d demanded, he might have discovered more. “Gran might, but I doubt she’d tell.” He frowned. “The one I called Crooked Nose worked at the police station near home.”

Lucy looked at her file and read out Bailey’s old address. “Is that correct?”

“Are you going to talk to Gran or him?”

“I won’t talk to either, but someone will. Be prepared for a court date. Any other questions?”

A thousand tumbled through his head. Why had no one stepped in earlier? If the Coven knew about his family, why hadn’t they done a welfare check and helped him? What should he expect from the bond if he kept it? Did shifters and witches really shack up as couples? Was there more than one potential mate or was it one and one only?

“How common is the bond?”

“That’s a good question. Rare. Few ever find their familiar. Fewer are compatible in a way that lets them make the connection deeper. Some say it’s bad luck to throw away what the Fates have offered.”

“Is it?”

“I can’t tell you what to do. Nor can Kassidy.”

“So, I have the final say?”