Page 129 of Tethered Souls

He takes my heart right out of my mouth and swallows it, making it his. Making everything about me his.

Pulling away, he murmurs, “So do you, Micha Eurelia Black, wish to blood bond with me?”

I tremble beneath him, wondering if it’s wise. I love him, but we’ve only just started this relationship. A blood bond isn’t just for life. It’s for all the lives.

“What happens if I can’t get pregnant?” I ask. “You need heirs.”

“We’ll adopt. Or I’ll name Leno’s kids as my heirs.”

“But don’t you want kids?”

“I want you, Micha. I don’t care about anything else.”

“Well, what about your lifemate? What if you find her after?”

“Then you can do the same thing to her that I will do to yours.” A darkness flashes in his eyes.

A bubble of laughter rises in my throat. “Let me guess, kill them?” I say.

He nods sharply. A definite answer with no wiggle room for negotiation.

“What about the blackmailer? Don’t you want to know what they were using against me?”

“I’m assuming it’s Dayne.”

I blink.

“But you don’t have to worry about him,” he says. “I’ve been watching him for months. I have one of my best men on him at all times. I know how much he means to you.”

My mouth drops open. “You’rethe one who was having him followed?”So did the real blackmailer, what…steal the images from his camera?

His eyes narrow. “Whowas?”

“But the number he texts you on isn’t your number!”

“I have various phones for various people,” he says.

My jaw drops, and I wrench it back up again. “Dayne got the drop on him weeks ago,” I say. “He’s currently torturing him. Fucking hel, I’m glad he hasn’t killed him yet.” My eyes snap wide. “Oh my gods, I need to call him before he does.”

I start to sit up, but he shoves me back down. “But your man –”

“If he cockblocks me right now, I’ll kill him myself,” he growls.

My jaw has damn well broken its hinges with how much it’s falling open. “Varius –”

“I thought you were going to steal the ledger because you wanted to, Micha,” he says softly. “And even then I wasn’t sure if I could punish you for it.” He leans down to kiss my neck, causing shivers across my skin. “Blood bond with me,” he murmurs. His teeth latch onto the lobe of my ear.

I swallow hard.

This is too big of a decision to make without thinking it all the way through.

Varius is paranoid as hel.

Although he might believe my innocence in this matter, what happens when it’s a brother that accuses me?

Or his mother?

“I don’t –”