Page 16 of Vein & Vow (The Bouchers #1)

Chapter 15

Reese

“Y ou don’t have to pretend,” I ground out, forcing myself to maintain eye contact. “I signed up for this, remember? So, we’ll figure it out. You don’t have to pretend.”

“I’m not pretending anything,” he replied quietly, his thumbs wiping at my cheeks. “Gods, Reese. Haven’t you noticed? I can’t get enough of you.”

I didn’t cry. I grit my teeth, and I dug my fingernails into my palms if necessary, and I moved the fuck on. I’d been doing it since I realized that tears served no purpose. They changed nothing and usually just made me feel worse.

But I couldn’t fight the stinging in my eyes. It was as if I’d been turned inside out, and I couldn’t figure out how to fucking fix it.

“It’s the heat,” I reminded him with a shudder. “It’s not real.”

“It’s the realest thing I’ve ever had,” he countered. “The physical ache, yeah. That’s the heat. Breaking down your door because you weren’t answering it—even though I’ve known how to pick a goddamned lock for the last hundred years? That’s not the heat. Wanting to murder my parents for cornering you and putting this shit in your head? That’s not the heat. Calling your friend who hates me because I didn’t know how the fuck to help you? Not the heat. The mating bond physically pulls us together. It doesn’t make me care that you’re upset.”

“Vampire instincts?—”

“Would force me to keep you from harm, yes. They don’t care what kind of food you like or make me follow you into antique stores all day.”

“You could’ve had someone else. If we hadn’t met at the bank?—”

“Then I would’ve seen you walking down the street, and I would’ve pulled the fuck over. I would’ve run into you at a restaurant or a grocery store or somewhere else, and we would’ve ended up exactly where we are now,” Beau argued. He winced and shook his head. “And maybe I would’ve figured shit out earlier and realized what I had the moment I met you, and you wouldn’t be on our bathroom floor arguing with every single thing I say because you don’t trust me.”

Someone knocked on the outside door, and Beau’s head shot up angrily.

“Go the fuck away,” he yelled.

“It might be important.”

“Not as important as this,” he assured me, leaning forward to brush his lips over mine.

God, he was trying. He was trying so hard. I could see the sincerity in his eyes. He meant everything he said—but I couldn’t get past it.

I’d never been anyone’s first choice. No one had ever looked at me and thought, that’s her. I have to have her. She’s mine.

I grew on people. That was my superpower. I wore them down until they thought I was funny and cool and worth knowing. I’d done it with Rena when we were kids, I’d done it with Mr. Miranda in high school, and now I’d done it with Beau. Even with the mating bond pulling us irrevocably together, it had taken him days to actually want to be around me.

Why couldn’t I have that one person who thought I was incredible the moment they met me? Why couldn’t my mate be that person? I’d learned early that life never gave you what you wanted and rarely gave you what you needed, but why couldn’t I have that one thing?

I stared at Beau.

Maybe I didn’t get that , but I did have him. He was there in front of me—all of him. Every barrier between us was gone. I could feel it.

That should be enough. I’d make it enough.

Gripping his shirt, I pulled myself toward him and pressed my mouth to his. It would be enough.

So what if I wasn’t his first choice? He was choosing me now.

“Baby,” he murmured, pulling me into his lap as he tumbled to his ass. “Fuck. More .”

His tongue slid into my mouth, and my skin tingled from my scalp to my toes.

I needed more of him. Grappling for the hem of his shirt, our lips parted briefly as I pulled it over his head.

“Are you sure?” he asked, pulling me closer. “You’re upset.”

Instead of answering him, I pulled off my own t-shirt.

“Hold that thought,” he rasped, gently untangling our limbs.

He helped me to my feet and moved carefully around me, disappearing into the shower. A moment later, the sound of running water filled the room.

“What are you doing?” I asked, looking into the massive shower.

Beau was standing next to the tub, his jeans unbuttoned and hanging precariously on his hips.

“Taking you to heaven,” he said, his lips quirking up on one side.

He remembered what I’d said about the tub.

He remembered everything .

We spent an hour in the water. Kissing slowed us down. It added another layer to what had already been incredible sex. Exploring each other in soft touches and gentle movements, our skin slick from the bath oils he’d added, Beau dismantled me in a way I wasn’t sure I could come back from.

By the time we got out, my fingers were wrinkled, and the rest of my body was pliant. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been more relaxed, and I stood with my hands in Beau’s hair as he carefully dried me off. The strands were spiky and wet, clinging to my skin.

“Get in bed, baby,” he ordered, kissing my sternum softly. “I’ll be right in.”

My hair was huge, and goose bumps covered my skin as I left the bathroom. Beau had never turned on the light in the bedroom, and everything was in shadow as I slid between the sheets, shivering. It was the first time I’d been actually cold since we’d met, and the implications weren’t lost on me.

I couldn’t feel the heat.

Trying not to let myself worry, my mind still raced as Beau finished up in the bathroom. Why couldn’t I feel it anymore? The heat had become so normal that I hadn’t even really noticed it except when it was amplified. Now that I couldn’t feel it all, the lack was making my chest tighten with panic.

“I’m going to light the fire,” Beau said as he crossed the room, naked. “If we leave the door open, it’ll keep things warmer in here.”

I barely noticed the flex of his bare ass.

He didn’t feel the heat anymore, either.

What did it mean? Had we somehow broken it? Was that even possible?

“I’m wrecked,” Beau said as he climbed into bed, immediately pulling me into his arms. “Fuck, you’re like an ice cube.”

“It’s cold in here,” I replied, pushing in closer.

“It’ll warm up quick,” he assured me, his hand briskly rubbing up and down my back as he wrapped his legs around mine. “Kiss me.”

“In what universe would I take orders from you?” I replied, hiding my fear with a joke as I tipped my head back to look at him.

“This one, apparently,” he said smugly, leaning in. The kiss was deep and wet. My toes curled, and my arm around his back tightened, my nails digging into his skin as his hand gripped my ass.

I wanted him closer. Dread made my heart pound as I pressed myself against every inch of flesh I could reach.

“Warmer now?” he asked, lifting his head a little as his body relaxed into the bed.

“A little,” I agreed. I wasn’t freezing anymore, but I still couldn’t feel the comforting presence of the heat.

“Sleep, baby,” he murmured, tucking my head beneath his chin. “It’s late.”

“I wonder who came to the door,” I mused, closing my eyes.

“They’ll still be here in the morning,” he replied easily. “If it was an emergency, they’d have used the intercom.”

I thought about how the intercom system worked until I fell asleep, refusing to let myself spiral.

That night I woke up too many times to count, my pulse racing. I couldn’t remember the nightmares that had held me captive, but every time I escaped them, Beau was there. He held me through the night, never once loosening his grip.

When morning finally dawned, I opened my eyes to bright light coming through the curtains. Beau rolled to his back with a groan as I climbed out of the bed and walked over to the window. Outside was a blanket of white. Snow covered every surface, making the entire property look like some kind of wonderland.

“Too bright,” Beau grumbled as he walked up behind me, kissing my bare shoulder. “Ah, snow. No wonder it was so cold in here last night.”

“It’s gorgeous,” I murmured, leaning back against him.

“You’re gorgeous.”

Rolling my eyes, I stepped away.

“I’m sure I’m a regular beauty queen this morning,” I said dryly, pushing my hair away from my face.

“I like it,” Beau said easily, moving to his dresser. “You look thoroughly fucked.”

I let out a surprise bark of laughter. “I’d say that’s accurate.”

Something had changed between us, but we were still careful of each other as we got dressed and ready for the day. Beau let me brush my teeth alone. I didn’t stay to watch as he put his clothes on. By the time we were ready to join the rest of his family in the main part of the house, a strange tension had built. It wasn’t uncomfortable, really.

As we made our way downstairs, I realized what it was. After the day before, when we’d shown each other all the little broken pieces that we normally hid, neither of us knew how to behave. It would’ve been funny if I’d known how to handle it.

“Sounds like everyone’s here,” Beau murmured.

I paused. I wasn’t ready to face them yet.

“I’m going to go check out the snow,” I said, trying to smile. “You go ahead.”

Beau searched my face. “Okay. Wear a coat.”

“Yes, sir,” I replied, giving a halfhearted and very dorky salute.

He watched as I grabbed my coat out of the closet by the front door, but by the time I had it zipped, he’d disappeared into the kitchen.

It was cold as hell outside, but I welcomed the chilly breeze on my face as I sat on the porch swing. Beau hadn’t mentioned the lack of mating heat, and I wondered if he was as worried as I was. Nothing in our relationship had been normal, that had become startlingly clear, but the fact that I didn’t feel the physical urge to be in his presence already? It scared me. If the heat was gone, then what the hell would hold us together?

“Do you mind if I join you?” Helen asked kindly as she stepped out of the house. “I love the snow.”

“It’s pretty,” I agreed as she sat down in a chair a few feet away.

“I wanted to apologize for yesterday,” she said immediately. “Sometimes, when my mate gets something in his head, it’s hard to dissuade him.”

“Sounds like a man,” I granted.

“And Vampires are worse,” she joked. “Especially the old ones.”

“What’s considered old in Vampire time?” I asked curiously.

“I’m sure it’s different for everyone,” she mused. “But I think it’s safe to say anyone born before the Europeans reached this continent.”

My laugh came out wrong, and I ended up choking, coughing for a moment before I got it under control.

“When we tried to explain yesterday,” she said softly. “About our souls reincarnating, I hadn’t considered the fact that your experiences would shape your feelings about that differently than we’d intended. I was raised to believe that reincarnation was just another part of life, and so…”

She shrugged.

“Knowing that Mordecai had known the life before mine, however briefly, was a comfort to me. A sign that I was on the right path.”

“You didn’t feel like second choice?” I asked, the words tripping off my tongue before I could stop them.

“No,” she replied in surprise, frowning. “It is the same choice.”

“But the woman he met before you was different,” I argued. “She didn’t look like you or act like you or?—”

“Why should that matter?” Helen asked curiously.

“It’s not the same choice.”

“Our souls are matched, Reese,” she said gently. “There is no better match for me than Mordecai, no better match for him than me.”

“Or the woman he met before you,” I retorted impatiently. “Maybe she would be a better match.”

“You’re speaking of Beau. Why would you think such a thing?” Helen asked, aghast.

“Because he loved her so much he couldn’t even talk about her.” I shot to my feet, the swing jerking behind me. “I’m supposed to compete with that? I don’t even want to compete with that.”

The woman beside me made a noise of dismissal in the back of her throat.

“Sit,” she ordered.

I dropped back down.

“I still believe you’re viewing this in the wrong way,” she said shortly. “Your soul is a match for his. Two pieces of a puzzle that fit together flawlessly. Nothing else is of any concern.”

She lifted her hand to stop me when I opened my mouth to argue.

“But I will tell you this.” She looked me in the eye. “She was no match for him. I’m sure that is why the bond wasn’t completed. I met her.”

“You did?”

“Mordecai was concerned for Beaumont,” she said with a sigh. “We traveled to London so my mate could check on him. I suppose I was curious. Millicent was beautiful, yes. Sweet. Very kind to her neighbors. Devoted to her spouse.”

I swallowed hard.

“Beaumont would’ve walked all over her,” Helen said flatly. “His personality is too strong for a weak mate. She also showed no signs of the mating heat. Beau was overcome but she was only concerned with the departure of her human husband. I don’t believe the Boucher brothers crossed her mind once out of sight.”

“How is that possible?” I asked in confusion. The heat had been unbearable before we’d completed the bond. Even directly afterward, I’d felt like I was coming out of my skin.

“Erik mentioned that your experience has been more acute than he’d encountered before,” Helen said, lacing her fingers in her lap. “I have a theory on that.”

I nodded when she paused.

“Because Beau walked away by his own choice,” she said slowly. “I believe your bond started out stronger than others so he wouldn’t be capable of it again.”

“So, he should’ve bonded her,” I said, pointing at her.

She side-eyed me. “Perhaps you should be thankful that your mate recognized, however unconsciously, that it wouldn’t be a successful mating bond in the ways that matter.”

“Is that even possible?”

Helen let out a small laugh. “Oh, yes. I’ve met many mates who were bonded in all ways and chose to never move beyond that. Building a life and family with someone creates a sense of intimacy, of course, but without love, what is the point?”

“Beau doesn’t love me.”

“Do you love him?”

“No.”

Helen scoffed. “If you did not care you, would not be concerned with the mate he never bonded.”

“I don’t like being second choice,” I shot back.

“You really believe that is the reason for your heartache,” she said in sympathetic surprise. “Child, you would not be jealous if you did not care for Beaumont. The opposite of love is apathy, an emotion that I’m not sure you’re capable of when it comes to my godson.”

“He’s your godson?”

“He is. He and Daniel, both. As my sons are the godsons of Erik and Matilda. It’s a custom my mate insisted on.”

“You didn’t agree with it?” I asked curiously.

“In my experience, a person’s loved ones take care of children if the parents are lost. There is no need for specific plans.”

For a moment, as her eyes grew unfocused, I wondered what her story was. She was obviously Native American. Her beautiful bone structure and sleek black hair were evidence of that. How long had she and Mordecai been together? Where was she from? When? What had she seen in her long life?

“What are the two of you doing out here?” Beau asked, sticking his head out the front door.

“Visiting,” Helen replied, looking at him over her shoulder.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked, his eyes rising to meet mine.

“I’m fine.”

“We’ll be in soon,” Helen said, shooing him back into the house. She turned to me. “He worries I will say something that upsets you.”

“He doesn’t like it when I get cold,” I countered.

“The heat should take care of that for the time being,” she joked.

I jerked in surprise. I wasn’t cold. The heat that had become a part of me was back, and it throbbed gently when Beau was close.

I let out a shuddery breath of relief.

“You and Beau are an excellent match,” Helen said, smiling gently at me. “Your soul has found his again in this life, when the time was right. Your experiences had shaped you into true equals, and perhaps most importantly, when the two of you needed each other most. It was the same for Mordecai and me. He appeared precisely when he was supposed to. Something to consider.”

She rose gracefully to her feet and went back into the house while I turned her words over in my head. Was that the secret? Had we met again in this life because that’s when we needed each other?

I thought about it as I headed back inside.

I hadn’t been in any particular need when Beau and I met. I loved my job and liked my apartment. I had friends and a social life. It wasn’t anything special, but I hadn’t been unhappy. I hadn’t been particularly happy, either, but I figured that was pretty normal. Happiness happened for me in moments. It had never been a sense of being.

Beau , though.

I carefully hung my coat in the closet, remembering the stiff way he’d stood at the receptionist’s desk the first time I saw him. The flash of anger and fear in his eyes when the heat had pulsed between us. The way he’d asked to hold me, like the words were torn from him. The stillness of his body later, when Ambrose had begun detailing the place where their brother had been tortured.

He’d been so angry, and I didn’t think it stemmed from finding me. I thought that maybe he’d been angry for a very long time, and losing Zeke had been a trigger that made everything worse. By the time he found me, he’d shielded himself so well that it was a miracle I’d ever broken through.

Without the intensity of the bond, Beau may have never shown up at my apartment that first day.

“I was just coming to get you,” Beau said, breaking me out of my thoughts as he strode toward me. “Breakfast is ready. My mother made a feast since we’re all here.”

“Great,” I said distractedly, still grappling with everything Helen had said and what it meant.

“You okay?” he asked, cupping my face in a motion that was becoming familiar. “I didn’t realize Helen had gone outside.”

“I’m fine,” I assured him. “It was a nice visit.”

“Did she tell you about all the trouble I used to get into with her boys?” he asked with a small smile. “When we moved west, we lived near them for a time. We were technically adults, but you’d never convince our parents of that.”

“No,” I said, curling my hands around his wrists. “She told me about Millie.”

“Shit.”

“No, it was okay,” I assured him quickly. “She was mostly apologizing for freaking me out yesterday.”

“Maybe we should go somewhere,” he said, leaning down to brush his lips over mine.

I didn’t think the sensation would ever get old.

“Just me and you,” he continued. “And a private beach.”

“Sand,” I replied, wrinkling my nose.

His lips tipped up as he kissed me again. “Fine, somewhere else. You pick.”

“I liked that hotel we stayed at,” I mused, leaning in. If I was honest, I didn’t really care where we were. I had a lot to consider about how our lives would unfold going forward, but as long as Beau was beside me, I could do that anywhere.

“England?” he asked, pulling back a little. “You said you wanted to go to London.”

“Not London,” I blurted. I guess it did matter where we were. I did not want to return with him to the place where he’d found Millicent Davies.

Beau winced. “Right. Italy, then. The Colosseum.”

“We don’t need to go anywhere,” I argued.

“Our mother’s making us wait on you,” Chance called loudly. “Move your asses.”

I hadn’t even realized that Beau’s brothers were home. I wondered if that meant they had news about Zeke’s mate.

“There are too many people here,” Beau breathed, kissing me once more before pulling away. He took me by the hand and tugged me toward the kitchen.

Another leaf had been added to the table, and Beau’s entire family sat around it with Mordecai and Helen, waiting on us.

“You could’ve eaten,” Beau chided, pulling out my chair. “I told you we’d be back in a minute.”

“That’s rude,” Mattie argued primly.

“Nice to see you again, Reese,” Danny said cheerfully. He smiled at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. In fact, all of Beau’s brothers looked absolutely exhausted.

“You, too,” I replied, smiling at him and then at Chance.

“I hope my brother isn’t being an idiot anymore,” Ambrose said from across the table.

“Ulf,” Erik said in warning.

“It’s touch and go,” I replied easily.

Beau pinched me under the table.

“Actually, it was your father being an idiot yesterday,” Erik said, setting his glass down as his eyes met mine. “Was it not?”

“It’s fine.” I waved him off.

“No, it wasn’t,” Beau countered stiffly.

“We apologize, Beau,” Mordecai said quietly.

“It’s not me you should apologize to,” Beau shot back.

“Beau, stop,” I whispered, putting my hand on his thigh. The muscle under my hand was rigid. I tightened my fingers as if I could hold him in place.

“We overstepped,” Erik said with a sigh.

“What the hell happened?” Danny asked, glancing around the table.

“Reese heard Mom and Dad talking about Millie,” Beau said flatly, making his brothers straighten in their seats. “And instead of realizing that they’d done enough , they invited Mordecai and Helen over to…what?” He stared at his father. “Do damage control? Which backfired after they cornered her while I was sleeping.”

Ambrose cursed under his breath. The tension at the table was palpable. My face burned.

Mattie spoke quietly. “We thought they could help you both understand?—”

The look Beau shot his mom was so full of rage that my breath caught.

Erik’s fist slammed onto the table, the sound as loud as a gunshot. Dishes rattled.

Everyone braced as Beau looked to Erik. Ambrose placed his hands on top of the table like he was going to vault out of his seat. Daniel carefully put down his water glass. Chance pushed his chair back from the table. Mordecai’s gaze sharpened.

“Beau,” I murmured, my heart pounding. “Hey.” Reaching up, I cupped his cheek the way he always did to mine. “Beau.”

I held back a flinch as his gaze met mine.

“It’s okay. We’re okay. Leave it.”

“They made you—” His teeth snapped together, his cheek flexing under my hand. “You were hurt.”

“We’ve already gone over this,” I whispered, running my thumb over his jaw.

I was acutely aware of the table full of people watching us, but I was terrified that the moment Beau looked away from me, he’d do something stupid, like lunge across the table at his father.

“I’m okay,” I reminded him. “It’s over.”

“They hurt you,” he ground out.

The bottom of my stomach dropped out at the vibration in his words. I’d known that Beau was upset when I’d gone into my own head the day before—it had been impossible to miss—but I hadn’t understood the depth of it.

I’d scared him.

“You disappeared,” he said, the sound so soft that I barely heard him. “I couldn’t reach you.”

I hadn’t realized how much it bothered him that Rena had been the one to snap me out of it. She’d gone through it with me before and had the tools to reach me. She’d known to throw the blankets back and pull me to my feet. She’d known to force me to meet her eyes and bully me to respond to her. She’d known that I needed to let it all out, however it came, before I could move forward. Someday, I’d explain it all—but not with an audience. It was something Beau deserved to know, for both our sakes. It didn’t belong to the others.

“It was good that they came,” I assured him as he leaned closer. “Helen explained some things this morning that?—”

I barely held him in place as his head jerked in her direction.

The table was achingly silent.

“We’re moving past it,” I reminded him, leaning up to brush my lips over his. “Remember? Let it go.”

Beau let out a long breath, and I watched as the worst of the tension drained out of him.

Finally, he nodded.

As I let go of his face and turned toward the others, Beau’s hand drifted up to wrap securely around the back of my neck like he was grounding himself.

“Shit,” Chance said, sliding his chair back in with a screech. “Thank Gods Reese is the Bjorn whisperer. I thought things were going to get rowdy there for a minute.”

“Do you ever shut up?” Ambrose asked with a glare.

“Nope,” Chance and Danny replied at the same time.

Chance flipped Danny off, and his mother reached over, backhanding his chest in rebuke.

Helen met my eyes across the table, lifting one of her brows.

“What are you guys doing here?” Beau asked as the flow of breakfast began again, and everyone started serving themselves.

“We have news,” Danny said, glancing at Ambrose.

“Which we would’ve told you last night if you would’ve answered your door,” Chance complained, his mouth full.

“We were busy,” Beau said flatly.

“We have to head out after breakfast,” Ambrose said, setting his fork down. “We think we might have a lead on Zeke’s mate.”

“You’re kidding,” Beau said, stiffening.

“His name is Charles Franklin,” Ambrose replied with a nod. “Facial recognition pinged him pretty quickly. Finding an address has proved a bit more difficult.”

“His last known address was in Baltimore a year ago,” Danny added. “Chance and I went out there and spoke to the neighbors. No one knew him.” He rolled his eyes. “But one lady—you know the type—had quite a bit to say. Charlie and his sister were supposedly going to Europe. She was really put out that they’d saved up so they could take the year off and travel. Like it had anything to do with her bitchy ass.”

“They’re traveling?”

“That’s what she said,” Danny replied with a shrug. “So, who the fuck knows where they are now. Ambrose has been searching for where they’ve crossed borders?—”

“Nothing since Zeke was captured,” Ambrose cut in. “Dead end.”

“But we know he’s in Europe,” Beau said, as his hand wrapped around mine. I didn’t even think he realized what he was doing as he laced our fingers together.

“His passport hasn’t left Belgium,” Ambrose confirmed.

“Unless he’s traveling under the radar,” Chance said with a little whoosh of his hand. “If he knows Zeke is gone, he might’ve decided it was best to lay low.”

“There’s no way he hasn’t realized his mate is gone,” I blurted, even though I knew I had no role in the conversation. My stomach clenched. I wasn’t sure how Zeke and his mate had separated in the first place, but I knew down to my bones that if it was Beau, I’d know the moment he was gone.

Just the thought of it made the fire under my skin flare.

“It’s time to start searching,” Danny said, glancing at us. “And we could use some more eyes out there.”

“You’re due for a trip anyway, right?” Ambrose asked as he dug back into his food. “You were just talking about it.”

Right. Because they always heard everything Beau and I discussed unless we were in his rooms.

“You want me to go?” I asked in surprise. I’d never even been out of the country. I wasn’t sure what kind of help they expected me to give.

“It’s not like dumbass could go without you,” Chance said with a shrug. “We’re just looking for Zeke’s mate so we can introduce ourselves and let him know that he’s got family. We’re not doing any cool shit.”

“It’ll be safe,” Ambrose told me with a sigh. “But we can cover more ground if Beau’s with us.”

“Okay.”

“We’ll discuss it,” Beau said at the same time.

“What’s there to discuss?” I asked, lowering my voice as Mordecai and Ambrose started talking.

Beau glanced around the table and then stood, snatching a few muffins as he pulled me out of my seat. I hurried to catch up to him as he marched toward the stairs.

“Your mom made breakfast for everyone,” I reminded him, glancing over my shoulder.

“I got muffins,” he replied, tugging me toward his rooms.

As soon as he stepped inside, he closed the door behind us, locking it for good measure.

“What’s your damage?” I asked in exasperation.

“What?”

“ Heathers ?”

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Nothing.” I waved him off. “What’s wrong? Why are we up here?”

“Because I’m sick of having every conversation with an audience,” he replied with a scowl.

“You don’t want to go to Europe?” I asked, trying to figure out what his issue was.

“Of course I do.” He tossed me a muffin and set the others on the table. “But we don’t know how long this could take.”

“Okay.”

“It could be months, Reese,” he said, watching my face. “You have a life here. What about your job?”

“Will I be able to go back to my job in the next couple of months?”

“I don’t know,” he confessed, running his hand through his hair. “The heat calmed down last night but?—”

“You noticed?”

“Hard to ignore,” he said with a grimace.

“Is that normal?”

“Sure,” he replied easily. “For short periods of time. Why do you think I started a fire last night?”

“Oh.” So, we hadn’t broken anything.

“I’m guessing it was a reprieve after the bathtub,” he said, his lips twitching. “Our bodies needed time to recover.”

“Speak for yourself,” I blustered. “I could’ve gone all night.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Promises, promises,” I sang.

Beau’s expression fell. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet,” he warned. “This Charles guy might not want anything to do with us.”

“But you have to try, right?” I asked gently. “You want to go?”

“Yes.” He sighed.

“Then we’ll go.”

I didn’t have a sibling, but if I knew that Rena’s mate was somewhere in the world, devastated and possibly scared? I’d be on the first flight out.

“I’ll run down and tell them,” Beau said, scrubbing his hands over his face. “I—this is bad timing.”

“We’ve got plenty of time,” I reminded him. “Go tell them, and I’ll call Rena and Mr. Miranda to let them know we’re headed out of town.”

He nodded and moved, stopping in front of me. “Thanks, love,” he whispered, leaning in to give me a soft kiss. “I’ll make it up to you.”

He was gone a moment later, and I stood dumbly in the middle of the room, the muffin crushed in my palm.

Our relationship had shifted. It was no longer Beau and Reese, pushing and pulling to see where the limits of our bond were. Suddenly, we were a single unit who decided together whether or not to do something.

There had been no pressure from Beau. He hadn’t tried to persuade me. He’d been fully willing to stay behind, again , if I’d wanted to.

Ignoring the lump in my throat, I walked to the bedroom to get my phone.