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Chapter Twenty-Three

M alik held his mate in his arms, afraid to move for fear that he’d learn it was all a dream. That she wasn’t with him, that he didn’t have the most beautiful daughter in all the world, and that he was alone once more .

Brooke kissed one of his tattoos. “That was amazing .”

“Yes, it was,” he said, running his hands into her long hair. “I’m not sure I can stand. My legs are still shaking from it all .”

She laughed and bit lightly at his chest. “Bet you say that to all the girls .”

He tensed. “ Brooke .”

“Yes?”

“I’ve not been with another woman since I was with you in Egypt,” he offered. “When Boomer said as much, he was right. I explained I bound myself to you. That means you’re it for me for the rest of my days. You are the only woman I will ever want. You’re my wife in the eyes of the supernatural world .”

She glanced up at him. “You haven’t had sex in five years ?”

“No. Well, I’ve masturbated. That doesn’t really count,” he said .

She kissed his chest and laughed softly. “You really want us to stay with you here for a bit?” she asked .

He caressed her back. “I want you to stay with me forever .”

She slid out of the bed and went into the bathroom, leaving him lying there, unsure if she was staying or if she’d want to go. It wasn’t safe for her or Bethany to be out in the world unprotected with Elm and Johnson still unaccounted for. If he had to, he’d shadow them to assure they were safe and well—even if it meant he’d forever have to follow behind her .

He’d do that for her .

For his daughter .

Pride welled in him as he thought of Bethany. Over the course of the week she’d been living with him, he’d gotten to know her. She was funny and so very bright. She was also incredibly intuitive. James wanted to look at her, in an attempt to figure out what The Corporation had done to her in utero, but Malik couldn’t stand the idea of her being subjected to any testing, even if it was painless .

The very idea that Brooke might want to take his daughter far from him was like being stabbed in the gut. Already Malik had missed so much time with her. He didn’t want to miss another day .

While he’d never imagined himself a father, he now couldn’t imagine her gone from his life .

Brooke emerged from the bathroom and walked towards the bed, her naked form making his cock harden instantly. He pulled a pillow over his groin but found he couldn’t tear his gaze from his mate. She was even more beautiful than she’d been when he’d first met her. All he wanted to do was get lost in her again. To feel her wrapped around him and to know she wasn’t ever going to leave him .

Brooke sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I see Gram ?”

The moment the words left her mouth, his desire was doused. She wanted him to take her to her ex-lover? She was going to leave him .

A slight nod was all he could manage .

“Thank you .”

He looked away .

She traced her hand over his leg. “ Malik .”

He looked at her and knew he was about to do the one thing he hated to do—he was going to cry .

“I need to make sure he’s okay and I need to tell him something,” she said, still tracing her hand up and down his leg. “He should hear it from me that we’re going to be a family. He shouldn’t hear that from anyone else .”

It took Malik a moment to wrap his mind around what she was saying. “You’re not leaving me for him ?”

“No,” she said, sliding her hand under the pillow and touching his cock. “When you asked me to marry you and move in with you years ago, I wanted that. I wanted to be with you. I didn’t know why. I get it now. We’re supposed to be together, right ?”

“Yes. A mate is the other half that makes a supernatural whole. You make me feel whole,” he confessed. “Without you, I’m empty inside .”

She moved up and over him, her lips finding his. Her kiss was hot and branding. He slid his hands through her hair and held her face to him, returning the kiss. He made a move to slide the pillow out from between them and Brooke laughed as she stopped the kiss .

“Malik, we need to go downstairs. Our daughter is currently at an incredibly impressionable age and she’s with Striker .”

When she put it that way, he cringed .

She laughed more. “And besides, we need to discuss some form of birth control or we’ll have another child to add to the mix before you know it .”

He thought about how he’d released in her, filling her beyond the brink with his seed. The very idea of planting his seed in her again excited him. He wanted a life with her. A big family. Everything .

She kissed his cheek quickly and then eased off him, leaving him too hard to move with any kind of ease. “If I wanted to return the claim, how would I do it? Would I have to bite you during sex too ?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. For me, it was instinctual. I did what felt natural. My body took the lead and I simply followed .”

“I thought I’d hurt you,” she said softly. “When we were having sex, I felt this overwhelming urge to let go of what I can do. To let it be totally free. I was scared of hurting you so I held tight to it. Was that my body trying to return the claim ?”

He sat up slowly, his body stiff, his erection still in full force. “More than likely, yes. But we won’t know exactly what you are until James’s test results come back .”

“Edee can tell you what I am. She memorized our charts while we were being held. All I wanted to know was if what they did hurt my baby. I didn’t care about me .”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he said, meaning every word of it .

She nodded. “I know .”

Malik toyed with her breast. “I understand that you don’t feel for me what I feel for you, but Brooke, I would like a chance at being a mate to you and a father to Bethany .”

She slid up and over him again, licking his thigh on the way up his body. She lifted his cock and licked it as well, making him harden once again in the blink of an eye. “ Brooke ?”

She caressed his erection lightly. “I can’t let you in again and then not be with you for five years. Do you understand that ?”

He pushed her hair back from her face. “My sweet, I can’t be away from you for a minute. I more than get it .”

She slid her mouth over his cock head and Malik’s body instantly strained. His lion wanted to peek out. He didn’t let it. Brooke moved her mouth down his shaft, taking him to the back of her throat .

He nearly lost it then and there. “My sweet .”

Her head bobbed up and down on his cock and she drove him mad with pleasure. The same energy he’d felt five years ago began to emanate from her. He eased in and out of her and all he could think about was being buried to the hilt in her pussy once more .

Surrendering to the pull, Malik grabbed for Brooke and lifted her before lining up with her wet core and driving himself into her while he yanked on her shoulders .

She moaned loudly as she tipped her head back. Her power ran through him more, letting him know it was coming—they were going to fully bond .

Malik took hold of her hips, thrusting into her, grunting like a wild animal. He didn’t care how he sounded. He wanted to fully join to her. He wanted to know he was her husband. That they’d never be apart again .

Brooke’s jaw dropped and she met his gaze. “M-Malik, something is happening…deep inside .”

“Don’t fight it,” he said, on the verge of coming .

Brooke’s olive-green eyes swirled with icy blue a moment before she dipped her head, putting her lips close to his. “ Mine .”

His beast rushed up, pushing through the surface, making his mouth change shapes. “Mine,” he returned, grabbing her and drawing her down on him before biting her neck .

Suddenly, his body felt as if an electric charge went through it. Everything on him hummed with pleasure and it felt as if hundreds of thousands of webs were being woven between them .

He took hold of her hips and began pumping up and into her with a speed that was far from human. She cried out in his arms and he released his mouth’s hold on her neck, licking the spot at once and swallowing down her blood. She came and he followed quickly behind her. The moment he released, the threads between them snapped in place, leaving him no doubt they’d completed the ritual. They were a fully bonded pair .

Husband and wife .

His lion curled up deep within, totally and completely content for the first time in his entire life .

Brooke kissed him tenderly. “Is it done ?”

“Yes,” he said, unable to stop himself from starting to move in her again. “My sweet, if we don’t get out of this bed right this second, we might never get out of it .”

“Can we shower fast, spend time with Bethany, and can I please see Gram?” she asked, staying on him. “I have to see him. I need to know how he’s doing .”

“I know, love,” he said, his jealousy over her with Gram lessened now that she was his wife in every sense of the word. He slapped her butt cheek playfully and then growled, barrel rolling her, leaving him on top. “Mmm, woman, I love you so much .”

She smiled up at him and he realized she’d yet to tell him she loved him too. While it stung, he understood why. He withdrew from her and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll shower in the bathroom next to this one. If I don’t, I’m not going to be able to stay out of you .”

She laughed as he rolled off her and stood, his legs nearly going out from under him. “Woman, you have got to stop making my legs shake after sex. It’s going to take away from my manly vibe .”

Brooke laughed so hard she was silent .

Malik chuckled as he grabbed his pants, throwing them on quickly for fear he’d step out of the bedroom and his daughter be near. That or Striker would start talking about measuring contests again .