He didn’t need to ask how the bond had clicked right into place. He could feel why. Could feel her wolf’s trust, her clarity, her total acceptance of him, and her faith in his ability to protect her. He could also feel Jaime’s heartbeat totally in sync with his own, feel her inside him, a part of him.
He didn’t remember moving, but soon he was carrying her back to their room, wanting nothing more than to be alone with her. It wasn’t until they were inside the room that he finally lifted his face from the crook of her neck, searching out that smoky-blue gaze he’d missed so fucking much. Then his mouth was on hers, taking it almost violently. He clutched her to him, running his hands over every part of her, unable to stop touching her.
Not a word was spoken as he pressed her against the wall, reached down to snap open his fly and free his cock, and then slammed into her. It didn’t last long. It wasn’t about pleasure. It was about a need to reconnect, to know it was real, to know that she was really with him and he had her back.
Maybe that was why when his climax hit he came harder than he ever had before in his life. He had his crazy, stubborn bitch back.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Opening her eyes the next morning, Jaime found Dante wide-awake and staring at her. The fatigue on his face told her something she already knew through their bond—he hadn’t fallen back asleep after he brought her to their room. All night he’d watched her sleep, frightened that if he closed his eyes, she’d be back in her wolf form before he could do anything to stop it. Softly, she ran the tips of her fingers across his jaw. “You needed the sleep as much as I did.” His voice came out gruff. “Don’t care. I wanted to look at you. I’ve missed looking at you.
And I’m not moving from right here unless I absolutely have to.” She gasped when he flexed his cock inside her. After taking her against the wall last night, he hadn’t pulled out of her. Instead, he’d lain down in bed, still joined with her, which had suited Jaime just fine. Then—absolutely exhausted—she’d gone straight to sleep like she’d been dealt a blow to the head.
“You don’t have to worry so much,” she told him. “My wolf…She’s not healed, but she thinks of you as safe, as ‘home.’ The bond…she’s letting it center her now. Before, she was content with it, but she wouldn’t relax into it. I think if anything can heal her, it’s the bond, our bond.” That very bond allowed Dante to know these things were true. After having her wolf distrust him for so long, it was the biggest relief to know that she now regarded him as safe. “It’s weird to think that just a little time around a baby could change everything.” Jaime shook her head. “No. It started when you rejected Bitch Face. We’ll be having a separate conversation about her in a minute, by the way. My wolf saw it as a demonstration of loyalty. When you slung Bitch Face out of the room, you also slung out Trey. I know it was because they were suggesting you put me out of my misery—I’m not feeling good about Trey right now. But what my wolf saw was you chasing away two people who she regarded as threats to her. The fact that you protected her went a long way. You might have realized that if you hadn’t walked out in a huff.” He ran a hand over her hair, wanting, no, needing to touch her. He still couldn’t quite believe she was back. “I just needed to have a minute somewhere alone to pretend that none of it was happening.”
She kissed him lightly. “I know. She was intending to follow your scent and find you, but then she scented Kye. It’s hard to explain…his scent was like a calling for my wolf. It’s comforting and inviting. When I first held Kye, my wolf felt drawn to him, but I hadn’t wondered about it. Anyway, when you protected her from Trey a second time while we were in his room, she again saw it as a demonstration of loyalty. She saw you as someone who would protect her. If it hadn’t have been for any of that, no amount of time around Kye would have made her very receptive to you right then.
Kye…He oozes safety. At that moment, she felt safe, and it meant that she wasn’t defensive or feeling too threatened by everyone else to be open to you.”
He joined his forehead to hers, tightening an arm around her. “I was so scared that you wouldn’t come back.”
“So was I. Thank you for not giving up on me or my wolf.”
“I would never have given up on either of you. Don’t be too pissed with Trey. What he suggested might have seemed cold, but Trey’s a guy who functions on logic. You’re one of his wolves, he felt some of your pain, and he could relate to what was happening to you. Logic told him that you were suffering and that it was fairer to you to put that to an end.” She huffed, though she did see his point. She never used to huff. Greta must be rubbing off on her—a scary thought. “Whatfreakingever.”
“You’ll be pleased to know that Laurie’s gone.”
Both Jaime and her wolf growled. “What? I can’t believe you let her leave! She was the one who—”
“Let your wolf out of the crate,” he finished, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. “We know. Dominic smelled her scent on the key and then caught her trying to sneak out in the middle of the night with Leif, so she’d most likely heard you were alive and calming. There was no way she was going anywhere. Trick and Ryan found out from one of Glory’s relatives who we kept captive that Laurie had conspired with them. Apparently, when Taryn and Trey confronted her about everything, she eventually admitted it, hoping it would lighten her punishment. Did you know she was also the one who hired the lone wolf?”
Jaime nodded. “What punishment was decided?”
“I think it would have been death if it wasn’t for Leif. The poor kid’s already lost one parent.”
“Blane’s dead?”
“No. But he was involved in a bar fight with a human, so he was dealt with by human laws.
He’s in a maximum-security prison, where he’ll stay for a very long time. Laurie’s parents spoke with Trey over the phone. They asked if he’d accept her punishment as being isolated to a cabin on the border of their territory, where she’ll be away from her pack but Leif can still visit. It gives her the opportunity to try to earn a place in her pack in a few years, but she’ll forever be confined to pack territory.”
Jaime winced. Being confined was one of the worst punishments that any shifter could have.
“Who’ll be caring for Leif?”
“His grandparents. They’re good people, and he loves them. They’ll give him the stability that his parents could never have given him. From what I understand, he more or less lived with them anyway. They’ve got no problem with me staying in contact with him.” That was good news. “I really need to take a bath.” When she felt his arm contract around her, she rolled her eyes. “I’ll only be in the next room.”
“I know. But I don’t want to let you go yet.”
“I know. But I desperately need one, and then I need food.” He nipped at her mouth. “I’ll ask Grace to bring some breakfast for us.”
“Why? We can go to breakfast with everyone else.”
“I don’t want to share you with everyone yet.”
That made her smile. “I have to at least see Gabe. He’ll be a mess until he knows I’m okay.” Dante couldn’t deny that. He’d received several text messages from her brother in the past hour—among many more from others within the pack, all of which he’d ignored. He would bet that the only reason Gabe hadn’t barged in was that he knew his sister needed rest. “Fine.” Smiling, she kissed him. “Thank you.”