Page 16 of Love Bites Really Hard (Mated to the King #4)

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ZORA

I was bleary-eyed when I woke up with a blanket draped over me instead of my usual snuggly, stone wings. The blanket was nowhere near as good as an actual coffin, but it was dark and heavy, so it seemed to have done the job for however long Bane had been gone.

I pushed it off my face and sat up, looking around.

There was no sign of him in the bedroom or the connected bathroom.

I couldn’t hear the shower running, either.

My forehead creased, and I called out, “Bane?”

He didn’t answer.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up straighter. When I moved a little, I heard crinkling under my arm.

I pulled out a folded piece of paper with my name scrawled over the top. Opening it, I read the note quickly.

Good morning, Sweetheart.

I have to check on the Oscar situation and meet with the inner circle, and didn’t want to wake you. I figured you wouldn’t sleep long without me, so I put your coffee in the microwave when I was done making it.

Text me when you’re up, and I’ll come back for you.

Love,

Bane

I read the message a few times before I dropped my head to the pillow with a sigh.

Things were going to change now. There was no way around that. He was going to have way more patience and control of his emotions, which meant way more time and energy to focus on the Manor. I was going to be alone sometimes. Or a lot of the time.

That was shitty.

I liked waking up with Bane.

Instead of texting him right away, I rolled out of bed and shuffled into the kitchen to pull my coffee out of the microwave.

It wouldn’t be as good if it sat for an hour or two, but the gesture was sweet anyway.

When I sipped it, I could tell it had been out for a while, but didn’t bother remaking it. Not when he’d already gone to the trouble, and done it perfectly.

I was still naked, so I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me. When I was covered, I plopped down on a chair on the balcony with my phone and texted my sisters.

Me

Lex saw Layla without the ski mask last night and imprinted on her

Clem called it

Clem

OMG

FINALLY

Me

It was less than a day

Clem

We went back to the realm last night, so it’s been a few days for me, but OMG

Was she excited?

She has to be excited, he’s a hunk!

Me

When I called to check on her, they were in bed together and she sounded happy, so I think so

Avery

Aww, that’s sweet

They sound like they’ll be good together

Me

Guess we’ll find out

Izzy

Why did they see each other?

Porter got a message that Bane dealt with the Oscar drama, but it didn’t say what happened

Blair

I’ve been wondering about that too, Damian got the same message

Clem

Kai did too!

Me

It’s a long story

Blair

?

Izzy

?

Clem

?

Avery

?

Me

Basically, Oscar challenged Bane for me. He could never win, because of the gargoyle thing. I told Bane to drag out the fight and called Layla, asking her to bring Sierra over ASAP. She did. Lex and I packed the food. When we dropped it off in the conference room, Lex imprinted on her bc she didn’t have time to grab the ski mask. He took off with her while I told Bane we were ready, and Bane tossed Oscar into the conference room with Sierra

Now we’re just waiting for them to decide they like each other and come out, I guess

Idk

He left me in our room while he went to meetings this morning because I slept in for the first time ever

Clem

It’s sweet of him to let you sleep

Meetings are sooo boring

Izzy

Are you going to help him run Monster Manor now?

Me

I don’t know

We haven’t really figured anything out yet

Not loving being ditched, though

Blair

Just tell him that. I’m sure he didn’t do it to hurt you

I knew she was right, but that was…

Well, it was uncomfortable.

Opening up was shitty, and I felt like I’d already done it too many times since I met him.

A new text came in as my sisters sent a few more messages. It was from Bane, so I tapped on it first.

Bane

Are you awake?

The other kings seem to have gotten the full story of what happened last night from someone

Me

Yeah, I told my sisters

I didn’t think it was a secret

Bane

It wasn’t

But you were supposed to text me when you woke up

Me

Was I?

Bane

I’m sure you found my note

Didn’t you?

Me

Yeah

Bane

Then why didn’t you text me?

I didn’t answer the message right away.

My sisters were still messaging too, but I didn’t answer them either. I just lifted my gaze to the view and stared out at the forest.

Damn, I loved seeing it. The trees. The city. The fog.

Bane texted me again.

Bane

Hello?

I didn’t want to admit the truth… but what would happen if I didn’t?

He’d never know how I felt.

And that would be worse.

Probably.

So I let out a long breath and messaged him back.

Me

Waking up alone threw me off

Dots appeared as he started texting me back, then disappeared as he decided against sending whatever he’d typed out.

Me

Do you want me to help run Monster Manor now? All of my sisters help their mates, even though Clem’s role seems more laid-back than Izzy’s and Blair’s. Blair and Izzy are insanely busy with it

Bane

The vampires and wolves have a lot more to manage than the fae, now that the eclipses have ended

I haven’t thought about you helping, to be honest. I’ve never particularly needed help, but I’m not opposed to it. I do work a lot. More than I’d like to, with a mate to take care of

Me

I don’t need you to take care of me

Irritation swept through me at the insinuation that I did. I was fine on my own.

Bane

Of course not

But I want to

I stared down at the message.

Bane

And if I knocked you up, you’re probably going to get sick soon. Especially if you’re growing a gargoyle. Our pregnancies aren’t known for their ease.

My eyes widened.

I’d forgotten about that. Not about the potential pregnancy, but about what it would mean for me. The changes in my body. The changes in my life.

I could, very literally, have someone to take care of.

And I didn’t hate the idea.

Not at all.

Me

I wish I could know now

I hate wondering

Bane

I hate not fucking you

Me

Color me shocked

Bane

I’d rather color you red and panting as you recover from multiple climaxes

Me

Color yourself with blue balls until my period shows up

Bane

Believe me, I have

This morning’s shower can attest

Me

You jerked off?

Bane

I was going to be hurting all morning if I didn’t

Me

You should’ve woken me up

Bane

You needed your sleep

Me

Maybe I needed your touch even more

Maybe I’ll slip my hand between my thighs and take care of myself, now

Bane

Don’t even think about it

I have a meeting with the inner circle in five. I’ll be up as soon as it’s over

Me

K

Bane

If I smell your release when I get up there, I’m tying you to the bed for the rest of the day

Me

That’s not the threat you think it is

But maybe I’ll do it in the shower

So you can’t smell me

Bane

Don’t fucking dare

Me

Waking up alone is lonely

I need to comfort myself somehow

I didn’t have to be next to him to know his neutrality would falter with that message. My lips stretched in a wide grin.

Bane

It won’t happen again

Wait for me

I debated it for a minute, biting my lip.

I didn’t want to cause him issues with the circle… but I’d sat through one of those meetings. They could send him an email, and he probably wouldn’t miss out on any important information. Anything he did miss could probably be summed up in a two-minute phone call.

And we’d just sealed our mate bond a few days ago. The council could get along just fine without him for a few days. Or at least a few hours. He was my mate .

I padded back to the bedroom after picking a pair of panties and a cropped long-sleeve shirt out of the closet, and slipped onto the bed. My coffee cup went down on the sheets next to me. My heartbeat picked up, and I couldn’t hide my grin.

He was going to be so pissed.

Goodbye, neutrality.

I tugged the panties on and adjusted the blanket over my legs, slipping my hand in the waistband before snapping a quick picture. It was far from a professional photo, but it would do the trick.

I waited for dots to pop up on the screen, to tell me he was typing something, but they didn’t appear.

My excitement faded a little.

He’d probably put his phone away for the meeting or something. That was fine. He’d text back when he texted back.

I grabbed my coffee and padded back to the balcony, getting comfortable on my chair again.

I replied to the dozen unanswered messages from my sisters and debated texting Layla. Before I had the chance, the sound of wings flapping caught my attention.

Bane launched into my view—and landed on the balcony a heartbeat later in his gargoyle form.

His shirt strained against his gigantic muscles, and his jeans were unbuttoned, his rock-hard erection stretching his boxer-briefs.

“I hope you didn’t go to the meeting looking that good,” I said, sipping my coffee.

Bane took the mug from my hand and set it on the table.

I lifted an eyebrow.

He leaned over—then grabbed me by the waist and carried me into the apartment.