Page 54

I moved the bag of ice away and assessed Lucian’s injuries. “How’s your face feel?”

Lucian was lying on one of the bench seats of a horseshoe-shaped booth in the back of the Rabbit Lounge, his head in my lap. I hadn’t left his side since coming in.

“It feels like it got used as a punching bag,” he replied.

“You’re a barrel of laughs.”

Word had spread around town pretty quickly, and the bar had drawn in a new crowd of curious locals who wanted to hear the gossip. And the Arrowhead pack was more than willing to recount the tale.

“I might need you to hire me back,” Lucian said. “I’m gonna have to pay for Lakota’s truck repairs.”

“Don’t worry about that.” I set the bag of ice on the table and stroked his beautiful black hair.

The gash on his lip had sealed up after he used his own healing saliva to lick it.

Unfortunately, his tongue couldn’t reach all the way up to his eyebrow.

Though I suggested he lick his finger and see if dabbing it would work, Lucian didn’t seem concerned since his accelerated healing would have him feeling better in no time.

I blew out a breath.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I was planning on telling my father about my engagement tonight. Now I’m glad it never happened. He won’t ever have to know.”

Lucian sat up and grimaced before twisting to face me. “I want him to know.”

I tapped my fingernails on the table, bemused by his remark. “Why?”

“Because I’m courting you. I want him to know I fought for you.

” Lucian took my hands in his. “You said you were afraid my kindred would come along one day and I’d leave you.

Let me put that fear to rest. What I feel for you is different.

With Mae, a pull tethered me to her. It was only a promise of a life I could have.

But with you, I feel love, and that’s different.

It changes everything.” He frowned at our hands.

“Mae and I were like drinking glasses—a matching pair that go together. But you’re the water that fills me up. ”

I scooted closer and nestled against his chest. That was everything I needed to hear. “If you want to tell my father the story of how you won my hand, then do it.”

“Does that mean…?”

I leaned my head back and smiled up at him. “It means you don’t have to keep growing your hair until it reaches your ankles. You don’t have to challenge every suitor in town. I’m yours, Lucian Cross. Maybe I always was and just didn’t realize it.”

“I need to win your father’s approval. Maybe telling him about tonight will give me an edge.”

“Don’t worry about my father. I wanted to give him peace of mind knowing that I’d be happy when he left this world, so that’s why I was arranging my own marriage.

I never thought I’d mate for love, but this feels right.

I’m more sure now than ever. All he wants is my happiness.

” I stroked his neck while gazing into his sparkling eyes.

“We can’t predict what the future will bring, but I think we’re off to a pretty good start. Don’t you?”

Lucian kissed my forehead. “Yeah. Do you want me to call you honeybunny or pookie or something?”

I burst out laughing. “How about… my female ?”

He growled his approval and delivered a molten kiss.

Boisterous laughter erupted from the other side of the room, and we listened to Tak recount the story for what must have been the fifth time.

With each retelling, his story grew more descriptive and tension-filled.

Archer had his arm around Virgil, both men grinning at Lakota and Krys, who were reenacting the scene like actors in a play.

“When do you want to get mated?” Lucian asked.

“Hmm. I need to have a talk with your Packmaster first.”

“You mean we should have a talk. We’re a team. And don’t worry—you won’t be sleeping on the floor in my room. Tak agreed to moving the security room downstairs, so you can decorate the bedroom however you want.”

“I wasn’t concerned about that. It’s about my father.”

“Tak knows. He’s cool with it.”

“What do you mean, ‘he’s cool with it’? Wolves don’t invite just anyone in.”

“They took me in, didn’t they?” Lucian rubbed his head. “I don’t know where he’ll sleep, but trust me, Tak would give you the side-eye if you left your father behind.”

“He’ll have to sleep downstairs. Are there any rooms left? There’s no way he could sleep on the second floor. That’s worse than the basement because of all the steps he’d have to climb, and I don’t want him trapped up there.”

“He can have my room. We’ll pick another.”

“You would do that?”

Lucian frowned with one eyebrow while arching the other, a look that implied I was crazy for asking such a silly question. “It’s only a room. As long as we share a bed, I don’t care if we sleep in a treehouse.”

A veil of silence passed between us, yet we communicated easily through touch.

“You don’t have to take my name,” he said matter-of-factly. “Everyone in town knows you by your father’s name.”

I honestly hadn’t given it much thought. Immortals carried different traditions and didn’t hold to one belief. Some changed their names, others didn’t.

Lucian retracted his arm. “It’s up to you, but it’s not a big deal.” He glanced across his shoulder at me with a sexy smile. “Should I take your name instead? We could start a new tradition.”

I laughed at the suggestion. “What if I kept them both? I could hyphenate. It’s not about my career; I want to keep a piece of my father with me. How would you feel about that?”

He swung his eyes up. “Eden Thompson-Cross. Sounds more distinguished.”

I kissed his shoulder.

Calvin sauntered up to our table with a red serving basket. He set a mountain of overcooked onion rings in front of us. “On the house.”

Lucian pushed the burnt snacks away. “I don’t have a death wish.”

Calvin cackled and sprinkled salt over the onion rings, which smelled simply awful. “Coulda fooled me. Next time you put on a show, do it over at Dragonfly’s and steer those customers my way. Go on and eat up.”

Lucian stared at the basket. “Do they come with antacid?”

Calvin chowed down on one of the onion rings as if to prove the point that they were perfectly edible, but his grimace told another story. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked me.

One thing I liked about Mr. Lachance was that he never called me honey or sugar .

“No, I’m fine.”

Calvin stroked his dark grey goatee and studied me for a beat.

“I’ve known you a few years. Never thought you went for Chitahs, but I guess you two probably have more in common than I thought.

Fuck me ,” he said with a laugh. Calvin took the basket of onion rings and headed back to the bar, but not before Virgil snatched them away.

I smiled warmly. “This is going to be my new family.”

“We’re a bunch of loons. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

“Not to stall our future, but I have loose ends I need to tie up first. Talking to my father about us, making sure he’s okay with moving in with wolves, selling the house, selling my things—there’s a lot to do.”

“Why would you sell your stuff?”

“Well, only so much can fit in a bedroom.”

Lucian sipped his water. “We have a ton of empty rooms that could use decorating. Anything sentimental or valuable, keep it. Except for that cheap-ass shelf in your bedroom. Then again, we can always use firewood.”

I poked his side. “Leave my furniture alone.”

“I’m gonna buy us a low shelf made from solid wood.” Then he leaned in tight and said against my ear, “Something with curved edges that won’t hurt your thighs when I fuck you on it.”

“Stop talking like that,” I whispered with a smile in my voice. “You’ll give me ideas, and I need to get home to my father. It’s late.”

Lucian held me tightly against him. His delicious scent smothered me. He was no longer hiding his claim on me since it wasn’t a secret.

“Does your pack really want me there? I’m a tiger.”

“And I’m a Chitah. Cici’s a horse, Archer’s a tripod, and Krys is just an asshole.”

The thought of living with a large family thrilled me.

They had so much respect for Tak, as did I, which left me hopeful that he would be a fair leader.

It would be complicated because of my position as a Councilwoman, but that only made me determined to remain a fair leader myself.

I needed to work harder to erase any doubts the locals might have.

“Stop that,” Lucian said.

“Stop what?”

“Thinking. Whenever you get in your head, your emotions go on spin cycle. I may not be much of a talker, but I’m a good listener.”

“Don’t sell yourself short.” I kissed him softly. “You have the biggest mouth I know.”

Lucian growled sexily. “Is that so, female?” He tickled my side until I squealed with laughter. I squirmed out of his grasp, and as I moved around the horseshoe booth, he scooted right after me.

Lucian waggled his eyebrows. “A quickie in the car?”

“Stop that.”

“Don’t make me chase you down.”

I sprinted across the bar as fast as my heels would carry me. “Talk to you soon!” I called out to Tak.

The breath left my lungs when Lucian scooped me into his arms and flashed to the door.

Cheers erupted behind us—howling, clapping, and whistling.

“Get her!” someone shouted.

Lucian pivoted at the door. “Already got her.”