Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(104)

The memory made Bracken’s mouth curve. “Yeah, it did.” But his smile faded when he recalled something else. Something he’d delayed telling Madisyn several times already. Grazing his cheek against hers, he tightened his hold on her. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What?”

“I know what’s blocking the mating bond.”

Turning slightly in his hold, she met his eyes. “You do?”

“At first, I thought the bond was blocked because you still had a few doubts you hadn’t yet consciously acknowledged. But it’s not you. It’s me.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I saw your cat lying on the ground, bleeding and covered in wounds, I realized a few things. Realized I was holding back from the bond because a part of me thinks I have no right to have it or you. No right to be happy.”

Madisyn frowned, heart hurting for him. She hated that he’d ever think such a thing. “That’s not true.”

“I know. But a tiny part of me must disagree because, even though I’m acknowledging what the issue is, the bond just isn’t snapping into place.”

“It will. Give it time.” She skimmed her fingers over his jaw. “Because, realistically, it could in fact take time for it to sink into your brain that I’m not going anywhere. That you don’t need to deserve me, don’t need to protect me, don’t need to do anything but love me.”

He gently turned her to fully face him and pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers. “I love you more than anyone could ever love another person.”

“So let that be enough for now,” she softly urged, sliding her arms around his neck. “Pressuring yourself won’t help. Dwelling on it won’t help. You can’t force something like this. It will happen at its own pace. It could snap into place tomorrow, it could happen months from now. Just . . . leave it be, yeah?”

It wasn’t that easy, as much as Bracken wished it otherwise. “I want you to have everything you want. I want to be able to give you anything you want. This makes me feel like I’m failing.”

“You’re not. If you were consciously blocking the bond, it would be different. But you’re not. You’re giving it, giving me, as much as you can. That part of your subconscious just needs a little time to catch up to what you already know—which is that its little issue is senseless.”

Knowing she was right, he nodded. “Just don’t let this make you doubt that you’re everything to me.”

She gave him a soft smile. “How could I doubt that, when you drum it into my brain with everything you do?”

His mouth quirked. “Yeah,” he agreed, “how could you?”

“And you know you’re everything to me too, right?”

His smile widened. “Yeah, I know that.” He took her mouth in a slow, languid kiss that made his cock twitch back to life. “I need you again.” Claiming her mouth again, he eased himself back, lying flat, keeping her tight against him.

She groaned. “No, not the porch again.”

He rubbed his hands up her thighs, pushing up the shirt and hiking it around her waist. “I’ll take the pounding this time. Ride me, Madisyn.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

TWO MONTHS LATER



Head tilted, Bracken peered into the opening of the rockery. He could smell his little cat. Knew she was in there, so he waited patiently. After a few moments, a small silver-gray head appeared, amber eyes staring at him. “Morning,” he said softly.

Looking somewhat crankier than usual, she snarled.

His lips twitched. “Not feeling too good, huh? I’m not surprised, given the night your human half had. It’s called a hangover.” He could feel the echo of her headache through their bond. It still hadn’t clicked fully into place, but it had strengthened to the point that they felt each other’s emotions more strongly.

He tapped his fingers on the ground. “Come on out, gorgeous.”

She bared a fang instead, glaring at him like he was trespassing. Well, she didn’t share her rockery with anyone. Didn’t even like him or his wolf getting too close to it.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “I’ll pet you and cuddle you and make you feel better.”

She just continued to stare at him, seemingly unimpressed by the offer that Madisyn had no doubt communicated to her.

He pouted. “I’m lonely out here.”

There was that “Lord, give me strength” look again. He had to admit, he kind of loved it. Slowly, she walked out of the crevice, looking as disgruntled as always.

“Attagirl.” He carefully lifted her and held her against him, nuzzling her head. “So soft and snuggly. And, unlike your human half, you don’t smell like vodka.”

She snarled again, but he had the feeling that the sound came from Madisyn this time.

Knowing what would most relax his cat, he headed to the front porch and sank into a rocker. Stroking his hand over her fur, he used the heel of his foot to rock her gently. Soon she was purring. “Come back to me, Madisyn.” Seconds later, he had a naked woman in his arms.

Groaning, Madisyn buried her face in his chest. “Why does the sun have to be so bright?”

Considering the sky was pretty dull, he’d say that was her hangover talking. He gave her back a soothing rub. “Maybe if you hadn’t spent last night downing cocktails like it was your job, you wouldn’t be feeling like shit.”