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ACE

F inally, I had my mate back in my arms, exactly where she belonged.

I’d seen the war in her mind—in her heart—when I told her what happened. Her heart knew I was telling the truth, but she’d been hurt and wronged so many times she had trouble believing it. It was a completely ridiculous story, so I had to get the screenshots from Tori to prove it.

I’d come too close to losing her again. First because of Blakely’s scheme, then Sean had kidnapped her.

Maybe that was why my dragon had reared his head and drawn our attention to the perfect pale skin of her neck, where a claiming bite would go.

If I claimed her, our bond would be so much stronger than it already was.

I’d be able to feel her like a beacon, know where she was, keep her safe.

A claiming bond did that between any mates, but it was much stronger between fated mates.

My dragon yearned for it. He was tired of seeing her hurt, scared, and lost. He was ready to do whatever it took to keep her safe.

If I proposed that now, however, Harley would balk. She was fiercely independent, and I had a feeling she wouldn’t want to be marked until she was sure she was going to spend her life in Lakeview.

With me.

If I wanted that to happen, I needed to deal with Sean.

“I want to talk to Blakely,” Harley said.

“What?” I blinked at her. God, she looked gorgeous with her lips all kiss-swollen.

“I want to talk to her. Woman to woman.”

I tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The steely look in her eyes didn’t budge an inch. When she got that look, there was no arguing with her. Her mind was made up, but I had to say my piece. “She’s psychotic, like you said. She might try something even crazier if you ask to meet up.”

“I know,” Harley said. “She probably thinks I’m afraid of her.”

That made me pause.

“I haven’t done anything to defend myself or my relationship. If I were her, I’d think I was a scared little girl calling in my dragon boyfriend to defend me.”

“That’s not?—”

She squeezed my arm. “I know it’s not what’s actually happening, but Blakely’s crazy.

She thinks she can walk all over me, so I need to show her that’s not the case.

She needs to understand that I’m not going to let her get away with threatening my family.

” She smiled and kissed the corner of my mouth.

“I know you want to keep me safe. And you do. But I have to be the one to handle Blakely.”

It was a bad idea, but I couldn’t get rid of the fond smile on my face. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to stop you, is there?”

“Nope.”

“If you’re determined to do this, I’m sending one of our enforcers with you,” I said.

She didn’t fight me on that—not that I’d thought she would. With what Sean had pulled, I wasn’t going to let her go anywhere without an enforcer anytime soon.

I pulled her into my arms again, and she laughed. I loved that sound. I’d missed that sound. It was even better when tinged with relief like this. We exchanged a few more lazy kisses in the kitchen to the distant sound of Dylan’s laughter and Cassidy’s playful shouts.

I wanted to live in this moment forever.

Eventually, I had to pull away. “All right. You win. I’ll set something up with Blakely.”

“Thank you.”

I sighed. “I’ve got some of my own stuff to set up, too.”

“Then who’s finishing dinner?” Harley asked with a half-smile. “Not me, certainly.”

“Definitely not. Cassidy agreed to keep an eye on the stove. I’ve got to head to the clubhouse and make a few calls.”

“What kinds of calls?” Harley asked with a suspicious tilt to her head.

“Nothing too sketchy. Don’t worry, I’m not getting back into the criminal world. But I do have some people who owe me favors. It should help me deal with Sean.”

Her gaze softened. “Right. Listen… I know you could’ve killed him at the compound. I know you almost did.”

I said nothing.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Harley continued. “I know it would’ve eaten you up inside. I don’t know much about dragons, but I know you guys need your rules. Your rituals. We’ve got to take care of him the right way.”

Even though she was a human, Harley understood. That was yet another reason I knew she was the only woman for me. “And I will. I promise.”

Cassidy and Dylan came back inside, and I hugged my son tight before I left the house again.

It was hard to leave Harley behind, even for a moment, but I had enforcers on the premises and the knowledge that she wasn’t going anywhere.

Harley walked me to the front door, then stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind her.

She pulled me into a searing kiss. “Be safe today, and come back to me tonight.”

The heat in her eyes had my desire for her surging. My dragon told me to forget the clubhouse, forget the plans, scoop her up, and drag her upstairs. To claim her. Claim her now.

I exhaled hard through my nose, then leaned down and kissed her neck right where I’d bite. She shivered, like she could feel my dragon’s desire, and her hands flexed on my hips.

“I will,” I growled.

She gave me one more kiss, then slipped back into the house. I stood on the porch for a minute, inhaling and exhaling, until my dragon settled down and I didn’t feel like I needed to chase her back into the house and take her immediately.

Hawk was already waiting when I got to the clubhouse.

He was nursing one of the Night Shift beers.

I couldn’t blame him for wanting to take the edge off after this morning.

He gestured for me to sit down next to him.

Other than the two of us, the clubhouse was quiet.

Good. I didn’t want to explain to the rest of the clan how our plan had already gone off the rails.

“What’s next?” Hawk asked. “What’s our next move?”

“Start calling in favors. There’s a wolf that’ll definitely give us some information.”

Hawk snorted. “He better.”

Levi, a wolf shifter who had worked with Sean, answered after the third ring. “I told you I was done with this mess, Steph,” he snapped in greeting. “I told you not to call me again.”

“Glad you’re doing well,” I said, putting the phone on speaker. The last time we’d spoken, Levi had made it clear he was leaving town and never working with Sean again. “You settle down somewhere?”

“Far away from the mess of Lakeview, yeah.”

“Good. I need your help.”

“I told you, I’m out ? —”

“I don’t need you to do anything, Levi,” I said. “Just information. Sean kidnapped my mate. We got her back—well, she got herself back—but Sean tried it as a last-ditch attempt to gain control of the clan.”

“He’s getting desperate,” Levi said.

“Any idea why?” I asked.

Levi exhaled hard. “When I left, he was trying to set up some serious deals. And I think his mouth was writing checks that his ‘clan’ couldn’t cash. That might be coming to bite him in the ass.”

“Who was he dealing with?”

“He’s got a guy out west. Castille. You know him?”

“Never heard of him.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Levi said. “I bet he’s heard of you, though.”

“You have his info?” I asked.

“What are you going to do?”

“Undermine Sean.” I was confident Levi wouldn’t share anything with Sean, but even if he did, what would Sean even do about it? “Whatever he’s offering this Castille, I’m sure I can beat it.”

Levi huffed a laugh, but there wasn’t any humor in it. “Yeah, I don’t doubt that. I’ll forward it. Just stop calling me, Ace. For real this time. I’ll change my number if I have to.”

“I won’t darken your doorstep anymore. Thanks for the information.”

“I feel like I owe it to you,” Levi admitted, “but the debt’s paid. Deal?”

“Deal.”

The line went dead. I was lucky Levi had picked up in the first place, so I didn’t begrudge him for dropping the call like that. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a text from Levi.

“Castille, huh?” Hawk said. “Never heard of him. What are you going to offer him?’

“Dunno yet,” I admitted. “I’ll see what Sean offered him, and then I’ll outbid him. It’s not like Sean has that many resources.”

“Good point.”

“If Levi is right, Sean can’t make good on the deals he’s made. If this Castille guy is smart, he’ll see the benefit of dealing with the Lakeview clan instead of their enemy.”

Hawk frowned. “We’re out of the game, though. No more criminal deals, right?”

“Right,” I said. “I’m not looking to actually make a deal, just push Sean out. When Sean loses his connections, he won’t have any options left. He’ll have to challenge me.”

Hawk pressed his lips together. He didn’t look totally convinced, but it was clear he couldn’t come up with a better option. He heaved a sigh. “I hope you’re right, but I don’t think either of us can really predict what Sean is going to do these days.”

I couldn’t deny that.

It didn’t take much to convince Castille to meet. He wasn’t interested in talking on the phone, especially on an unsecured line—smart man. He agreed to meet me at Lola’s that evening, the gas station–slash–diner where I knew we wouldn’t be bothered.

When I ended that call, I dialed Harley. She answered on the first ring. “Everything okay?”

I hated the flicker of fear in her voice. God, I wanted all of this to be over. “Everything’s fine. I’m just calling to let you know I won’t be around for dinner.”

She sighed. “I had a feeling that might happen.”

“I’m sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay. Just be safe out there, okay?”

My dragon grumbled in frustration. He wanted us to go back home and see her again before we left, but I still had details to work out with Hawk, including setting up Harley’s meeting with Blakely, and it was a long ride to Lola’s.

Besides, if I went back to see Harley, there was a good chance my dragon wouldn’t let me leave again.

I’d see her tonight when I had nothing else to focus on. Then I could give her the love and attention she deserved after all she’d been through.