King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(130)

She swallowed, closing her mouth, but damn, what a woman she was as she still looked down her nose at me. “Don’t hurt him.”

I chuckled, moving past her again. “Mrs Zeller, I love your son, and I don’t intentionally hurt those I love.”

“Intentionally?”

I flopped down on the bed next to Antonio where he lay on the edge of the one closest to the door. “Shit does happen.” I peeked at her from under my arm, my eyes still glowing I was so out of sorts. “I don’t know how much Elder Zeller has filled you in, but Ezra was the father of my twins. They died. He and I were both hurt by this. Their death wasn’t intentional.” I placed my arm back over my face, seeing the shock on hers, knowing Cahal hadn’t told her that little tidbit of information. “But, like I said, shit does happen.” Understatement.

There was a heartbeat of silence, then Antonio stated, “You should probably go to sleep, Lil.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, knowing that was the truth, before I said anything else I couldn’t take back, but I was beginning to feel a little delirious, and starting to worry. I rubbed my face hard, then, with a shove, I literally flew off the bed, landing directly in front of the window. I pushed the curtain back, scanning the parking lot. And saw Ezra, walking from the SUV to the door, Clyde following. Turning, I muttered, “I’ll be back.”

I stomped out of the room. I couldn’t sleep without him. I needed him next to me, his warmth and his breathing and his scent surrounding me. I ran to the elevators and paced back and forth in front of them. He was what I wanted. What I needed.

Hearing the elevator ding, the doors opening, I launched myself at him as soon as he stepped out. Even hindered with the bags he was carrying, he didn’t wobble, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other threading into my hair, keeping my face close to his neck. Clinging to him like a monkey, I tightened my legs around his waist and hugged his throat tight, scenting him deeply. My wolf huffed in contentment, settling down just as I did, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry, baby. I just wanted to protect you, but I’ll write everything down. All of it. Promise.”

“Hush, sweetheart, I know,” he whispered, running his hand up and down my back, soothing me with the repetitive motion. He began walking. “I’m not mad anymore.” A pause. “But I would like that list.”

I yawned against his neck. “And you’ll have it tomorrow.” I snuggled into his embrace, sighing as his very being calmed me. “I love you, baby.” My eyes closed, and I felt myself going limp in his hold, complete exhaustion flooding my system.

“I love you, too,” he whispered, tightening his hold.

Time must have passed because when I next I opened my eyes, I was sitting on the countertop in the bathroom of our room as Ezra held me while changing my clothes, and I mumbled, “Feet cold. Leave…socks.” My eyes closed again at the sound of his rumbling chuckle.

I blinked again when my head hit a pillow, staring up into green. “Come to bed.”

“In a minute,” he whispered, kissing my nose, and then moving away.

I growled a little, closing my eyes, and rolled…into a warm body. I sniffed. “Antonio, what the hell are you doing in our bed?”

“It was either you two…or them.” He patted my head. “And I chose you two.”

I growled, “Floor.” Never mind how I snuggled against his familiar warmth.

“Showing the love there, Lil.” He snorted. “Bonnie and Clyde won’t even sleep on this floor.”

Eyes still closed, I patted the bed behind me drunkenly. When I found nothing there, I whined loudly, “Ezra!” My wolf growled. “Ezra, it’s been a minute!”

“Dear, get out of the bathroom so we can all go to sleep!” Vivian called loudly.

“Hold on, goddamn it,” I heard Ezra gripe from the bathroom, and my wolf huffed in contentment hearing his growly voice. Twenty seconds later, I felt a rush of wind, then warm arms were circling me, pulling me away from Antonio and lying me almost completely on top of his warm, half-bare body. Feeling him adjust the blankets around us, I sighed happily, whispering, “Better.”

“Much,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

I yawned, his scent seeping into my pores. “‘Night, baby.”





Chapter Twenty



Sipping on a strawberry milkshake in an old school ice-cream parlor, I said what no one else was willing to say, “My Prodigy’s family have to be f*cking idiots.”

Ezra’s lips twitched, but he stayed beautifully mute as he ate his rocky road treat.

“Now, you don’t know that,” Vivian stated slowly, poking at her mint chocolate chip ice-cream as if she had never seen the stuff before. “Sin City’s known for many unique individuals.”

Cahal actually chuckled. “Unique.” He seemed to be enjoying his double scoop of vanilla bean on a waffle cone.

“Fucking morons,” Antonio muttered, sipping on his own shake. “Living in plain sight…right now? I mean, come on, who the hell does that?”

“Apparently, the family of the next Shifter Ruler.” I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “An individual I’m going to have to train.”

Ezra rubbed the back of my neck. “The ice-cream was supposed to make you feel better, so quit thinking about the id—” His chin trembled. “Um…the family.”