Warrior (Relentless #4)(87)
She smiled brightly. “But when the month is up, go get your girl and sweep her off her feet. There is no way any female could resist you for long.”
“You don’t know Sara,” I replied dryly. “But she’s worth the wait.”
“Okay, now I really have to meet this girl.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “You know, you seem to know a lot about bonded males for someone who’s avoided relationships as much as I have.”
Her smile faded. She pressed her lips together and looked away from me. I was not expecting the next words to come out of her mouth.
“That’s because I’ve experienced it firsthand.”
My jaw dropped. “You bonded with someone?”
“It was a long time ago, and no one you know. I met him in Germany in my third year out of training, and we felt the bond immediately.”
She let out a short laugh. “He was an arrogant piece of work, and I couldn’t stand him. He thought courting me meant talking about him and telling me I no longer needed to be a warrior. I broke the bond a week after I met him, and I haven’t seen him since.”
I stared at her. “All these years, why did you never say anything?”
She lifted a shoulder. “It’s not something I like to remember.”
“If you were hurting, I would have been there for you, had I known.” She would do the same for me.
“It was uncomfortable, but I never let the bond grow, and it dissolved a few months after I left. I wasn’t in pain; trust me on that. He probably wasn’t happy at first, but he didn’t pursue it.” Her smile returned. “It was nothing like what you have with Sara.”
The waitress came with our check. I paid it, and we left the restaurant.
“I’m going to miss our time together,” Vivian said wistfully as we waited for the valet to bring the car around. “But I’m happy for you, Nikolas.”
“Thanks, Viv.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “You know, there are going to be a lot of disappointed women when word gets out that you’ve mated.”
I laughed. “They’ll get over it.”
The valet arrived with the car, and we headed back to the safe house. At the house, Vivian put the car in park and looked at me.
“Well, you seem to be in a better mood, so I’d say my job here is done.”
I smiled at her. “I’m glad you came by.”
Chris came out of the house and walked up to my side of the car. “Hey, you two planning to sit here gabbing all night?”
“You have something better in mind?” Vivian asked.
“We just got word about another nest with at least a dozen vampires. We’re heading out in five minutes.”
“After dinner entertainment. You guys think of everything.” Vivian grinned at me. “What do you say, Nikolas? It’ll be just like old times.”
I smiled and reached for the door. “Let’s go.”
*
“Nikolas, your timing is perfect.”
“Why is that?” I walked to my bike in the parking lot of the steakhouse where Chris ate at least twice a week.
Tristan’s chair creaked as he settled into it. “I just got back to the office. Sara and I had our first dinner together tonight.”
“How was it?”
I was happy he and Sara were getting to know each other, but I couldn’t help feeling envious of him. I wanted to be the one sharing meals with my mate.
“It was very nice. I can tell she’s still a bit uncertain about me, but I can’t blame her after what her mother did. We’re taking it slow.”
“I’m glad she has you.” I stood beside my bike and waved for Chris to go on without me. “How is she?”
“Good. She’s still adjusting and getting to know people. It’s a big change for her, and she misses you.”
My chest fluttered. “She said that?”
Tristan let out a breath. “No. She tries to hide it behind her anger, but I can see it when your name comes up.”
“I should have waited to say good-bye to her.” She’d deserved some kind of explanation for me leaving, instead of waking up to find me gone. I didn’t blame her for being upset with me. She probably thought I didn’t care for her at all.
“You should have said good-bye,” he agreed. “I still stand by my reason for asking you to leave for a month, but I think we both could have handled it better. I was feeling a little overprotective when she got here, and I didn’t stop to think how it would hurt her if you left. I should have asked you to delay leaving for a day or two.”
“What’s done is done,” I said. “I’ll make it up to her when I come home.”
I hated hearing she was hurting, and my first instinct was to grab my stuff and head back to Westhorne tonight. But I’d left to help her settle in without me hovering. If I went home now, it would mean I’d put her through that for no reason.
“How’s her training coming along?”
“She’s struggling, but it hasn’t been that long.” He chuckled. “Yesterday, she had her first training with Celine, and probably her last.”
Sara and Celine? I wasn’t sure whether to be alarmed or amused. “What happened?”