The day went by fast, and there was still not enough time to talk about everything. Tia called and said Sawyer reserved the house for another couple of days and that they’re going to spend tonight on the boat they rented, giving Kami and me the place to ourselves. I told Tia it was too soon for that, but she was adamant about giving us alone time. I’d give anything to feel Kami’s body wrapped around me, but I was serious when I told her I’d wait for when she’s ready.
Kami and I spent most of the morning talking about our childhoods, but I left out the attack on the Royal pack that took my parents away from me and separated me from my sisters. Kami was raised to follow in the Grayson family's footsteps and help manage Grayson’s Construction, but she wanted something different.
I try not to think about the past, but I have to let her in if this is going to work. I want to let her in. Once she takes my blood, she’ll have access to the thoughts in my head. She’s only let me inside of hers a few times here and there, but she always brings the wall back up. I don’t know what she’s hiding, but I don’t doubt there’s a good reason for it. I’m not going to push her. She’ll let me in when she’s ready.
Kami dries off the last dish I give her and glances out the kitchen window. She’d made a lasagna for dinner, and much to her surprise, I helped her cook and clean. Growing up with Zayne as my protector, he made sure I knew not to expect someone else to do those things for me.
Kami puts the plate in the cabinet and looks over at me. “The sky’s getting darker. Want to go out on the deck and wait for the stars? Since Sawyer left it up to me to figure out our next move, I can coordinate it with your schedule. Plus, it’d be nice to see what you’ve been working on.”
“Sure,” I say, finishing off the rest of my beer. “You might get bored looking at them. It’s not as exciting as what you do.”
She rolls her eyes. “I find it very fascinating, but then, I never wanted to tell you that. Your head didn’t need to get any bigger.”
This is what I’ve missed with us. Our bantering back and forth is our usual routine, only this time Kami’s words aren’t laced with hate. “I’ll get my laptop and meet you outside.”
She grabs my arm and pulls me down so she can kiss my cheek. “Be right out there,” she says before disappearing down the hall. So much has changed in this small amount of time we’ve had together. Never in a million years would I have thought she’d be this comfortable with me.
My phone rings, and I walk outside to answer it. “What do you want, Faith?” I say, heading over to my rental car so I can grab my laptop out of the trunk. Faith scoffs, and I smile.
“That’s not the way to greet your favorite sister. Don’t tell Bailey I said that.”
“I won’t,” I laugh, setting my laptop on the patio table.
I’m not as close to Bailey as I am with Faith. Bailey was always strong-willed, and it took me a while to see that Faith was the same way. I think it’s because she’s the youngest. Now that both of my sisters are mated, I have Kami to protect, even though she doesn’t need me to. It’s my duty as a mate to be her protector.
“You haven’t given me any updates. Have you found Kami yet?”
“I have,” I reply, preparing myself for the squeal that’s about to sound off in my ear. “She doesn’t hate me anymore.”
I move the phone away from my ear just in time. “I knew it!” Faith screams. “How did she take it when you found her? Was she mad? Did you two figure out what you’ll do next?”
Kami walks outside with her laptop in hand, shaking her head at me. “I could hear her all the way inside. Tell her it’s none of her business what’s going on.”
Grinning, I press the speaker button and set the phone down on the patio table beside my laptop. “Why don’t you tell her that?”
There’s a loveseat big enough for two people by the table, so I sit down and put Kami’s laptop down beside mine before pulling her into the seat beside me. She looks at my phone and giggles. “You’re being nosy, Faith.”
Faith bursts out laughing. “Well, it sounds like you’re getting along at least.”
Kami smiles over at me. “Sort of. I haven’t killed him yet. We had a good day.”
“I’m glad,” Faith says, breathing a sigh of relief. “What’s the plan now?”
I stare into Kami’s silvery-gray eyes. I’m hoping we’ll have answers to that question soon. “We’re still figuring it out,” I say to Faith. “We have a lot more to talk about.”
Kami nods and lowers her voice. “We do.”
“I understand,” Faith agrees. “You’ll get there. I have faith in you both. Until then, have fun and enjoy the ride. It’s a special thing when you find your mate.” She clears her throat. “Do you want me to tell your brother, Kami?”
Kami laughs. “Go for it. He likes Colin, so I’m not worried.”
We say our goodbyes, and I pull her into my arms. “Everyone liked me but you,” I tease.
She shrugs. “You wouldn’t have given me a second look if I swooned all over you like the countless other women.” Her mind opens for a split second, and I can see visions of other women and me. What I feel when I see them is jealousy … her jealousy.
My smile fades. I tilt Kami’s chin up to look at me, and I kiss her, sucking her bottom lip to taste her. She trembles in my arms, and I hold her tighter. “You couldn’t be more wrong, Kamille.”
“Only my close friends can call me that,” she murmurs against my lips.
“Don’t you think I’m entitled to it now?”
Her eyes stare into mine, and her lips pull back into a seductive grin. “Okay, fine. I guess you are. It does sound kind of sexy when you say it. In truth, you’re the only one who calls me that. I only said otherwise to mess with you.”
“Yeah, it figures,” I say, chuckling.
She pats my leg. “All right, let me see these designs of yours.”
I let her go and grab my laptop off the table and boot it up. I click on the file with all my clients’ designs, and I pass it over to her. “Some of them are just the blueprints for houses that are currently being built, but if you look around, you’ll see ones with the blueprints and then the finished product.”
Her eyes light up as she clicks through the photos. She’s the only female besides my sisters that I’ve shown my work to. It’s not something I want just anyone seeing.
“Colin, these are amazing.” She clicks on a design and turns the laptop toward me, her mouth gaping in shock. “The name on this one says William Zabka.”
I smile. “It does.”
“Are we talking the real William Zabka? Like the actor from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai?”
“That’s him,” I say, loving how excited she is. “He’s a great guy. I’ve worked with other celebrities as well.”
She scrolls through all the names and slaps a hand over her mouth. “What the hell, Colin? Why didn’t you tell me you worked with famous people? This is amazing.”
When she looks at me, I shrug. “It’s not something I wanted to boast about to you. You already thought I was an arrogant jackass. I didn’t need to brag about this on top of that.” I take my laptop from her. “Now, it doesn’t mean I didn’t brag about it to other people.”
Kami smacks my arm. “Of course.” She looks over my shoulder and points at another folder on my screen. “What are those designs in there?”
I click on the folder where I have four different designs, one of them being the house I’m living in now. All of them are modern-styled cabins, but some are bigger than others with more opulent features. “When I decided to move to Wyoming to be closer to my sisters, I put together these sketches. I didn’t know what I wanted at the time.”
Kami inspects all four of them and points at my favorite one; it’s the one I chose. “I like your home. It’s smaller than the others but perfect all the same.”
Closing my computer, I set it back on the table. “We haven’t talked about where we’ll live once we complete the bond, but I feel like it’s something we need to discuss. Where do you see us in the long run, Kami?”
She blows out a sigh and leans her head against the seat, exposing her neck. “Good question. I know once we complete the bond, I’ll be a royal.”
I lean in and kiss her neck. “And an alpha’s mate. You won’t have to live by anyone else’s rules.” She looks over at me, and I sigh. “We can stay in Montana, or you can move in with me. Hell, we could start our own pack.”
She laughs. “Wouldn’t that be interesting. It might only be just you, me, a witch, and a human.”
I shake my head. “As long as I have you, I don’t care.”
She reaches for her laptop, then opens it up. “You can’t be the only one making sacrifices, Colin. I’m willing to make changes as well.” She types away on the keyboard and looks over at me. “With us traveling all the time for work, we can stay in both places. That way, our strength will be part of both packs. I can see my family, and you can see yours. It’s a win-win.”
I want to tell her how much I’m in love with her, but I don’t know if she’s ready to hear it. All I know is that I’m prepared to say it.
“Yes, it is,” I agree. “It’s settled then.”
Her grin widens. “I thought you’d like that.” She turns her focus to the laptop, her fingers moving ninety miles an hour over the keys. “There’s something I’m going to show you. It’s called the list. It’s where Sawyer and I find our targets. I need to figure out where we’re headed to next.”
I reach for my computer. “I have a list too,” I tease.
She cuts her eyes at me and laughs. “Where does your list have you going?” she asks.
Zayne has a whole file of potential clients and where they’re located at. She moves closer to me and scans the different cities. It looks like I have three in Arizona. “Have any targets in the Phoenix, Arizona, area?”
She snorts. “We have them in every damn state. Well, except for Vermont.” She scrolls down her list. “Let’s see what we have for Arizona.” There are several she highlights, all of them men. When she clicks on them, their files pop up with a picture and what they’ve been in trouble for. She bypasses mafia leaders and drug dealers, but there are five she saves, all of them guilty of either rape, child molesting, or sex trafficking.
“What do you look for in choosing your targets?” I ask. She skipped over men who have been linked to multiple murders. She’s doing her best to block me from her mind, but I have a feeling I know why.
Kami doesn’t look at me when she answers. “I just go with my gut.”
“The five men you and Sawyer killed this week. What were they guilty of?”
Her eyes blaze when she turns to me. “Why are you asking this?”
Carefully, I take her laptop and set it down on the table. She may be able to keep me from her thoughts, but I can feel her hesitance, her anger. Taking her hands, I squeeze them. “I know things happened to you when the Yukons took you. I have a feeling it’s why you’re keeping me from your mind.” I bring one of her hands up to my lips and kiss it. “It’s probably too soon for you, but I don’t want you to shut me out forever.”
She shakes her head and looks away. “I won’t,” she murmurs. “There are just things I think about, and I can’t get it out of my head.”
“Like what?”
A tear falls down her cheek, and it’s not from sadness but rage. “I was weak back then, Colin. Those men took me, and I couldn’t fight back. They laughed as they bit me, over and over. The only thing that saved my sanity was that it was close to the full moon. None of them attempted to rape me for fear it’d bond us together. However, it didn’t stop them from doing other things.” It takes all I have to hold it together. I pull her to me and hold her in my arms. “This is why I don’t let you inside my head,” she whispers. “My thoughts are dark, and sometimes I see the men who hurt me. It’s what fuels my drive when I go after targets.”
I rub my hands soothingly up and down her back, tilting my head to look up at the sky. The stars and moon are both brighter than the night before. “I understand. What do you say we watch the stars for a while? It might help get your head in a better place.”
A soft chuckle escapes her lips. “I think so too. I need to clear my head.” She lays her back up against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her body. I need to clear my head too. If the Yukons weren’t already dead, I’d be on the hunt for them tomorrow. No one will ever touch her again.
For two hours, we sat in silence, looking up at the stars while I held Kami in my arms. There were moments her mind would open up, and I could see what she was thinking. She’s trying to let me in, and that’s all I can ask for. Most of her thoughts were memories from our dream world when we’d look up at the stars. I got to see our first kiss in her mind and how it made her feel. Then, other memories started to run through her head, more intimate ones. I quickly had to think of other things to keep from poking her in the back with my dick.
“You okay?” Kami asks. There’s a hint of mischief to her tone, and I feel she intentionally wanted me to see in her mind.
“Yep. I’m fine.”
The good thing is that her thoughts aren’t on hunting her targets; all she sees is me. She gets up and turns her body to face me, laying her chest against mine. Her silvery gray eyes stare into mine, and I can feel the need rising in her. The woman is going to fucking kill me. There’s only so much restraint I can handle.
“The full moon’s in ten days,” she says.
I nod. “It is.”
She rests the side of her face against my chest. “I want to complete the bond.” Her voice comes through my mind, and I freeze; there’s no way I heard her say those words. She snickers and looks up at me. “Did you hear me?”
I sit up and stare at her, only to see the truth in her eyes. “Are you sure? I told you I’d wait.”
She shakes her head. “For the past two hours, all I’ve done is think about us. I don’t see the point in waiting. We’ve literally been together for months now in more ways than one.” Her wolf stirs impatiently inside of her, just like mine is doing with me. I thought it would be easier once I was around her, but in truth, it’s worse. My wolf wants to claim her body and soul. He won’t be able to rest until he does.
“I think fighting against the bond fucked us,” I admit.
Her need ramps up even more, and I have to clench my teeth together. “I agree.” Taking a deep breath, I blow it out slowly. “In ten days, we’ll complete the bond. If you change your mind, I’ll be okay.”
Her eyes never waver from mine. “Make love to me, Colin.”
The hunger inside of me magnifies, but I shake my head. “I need you to say it out loud.”
She slides off of me and holds out a hand. “Please,” she murmurs. “Make love to me. I knew this morning I wouldn’t be able to wait, and it’s getting harder by the minute.”
I take her hand, and when I stand, I lift her in my arms. “Yes, it is getting harder.” Literally. I carry her inside the cottage and down the hall to her room.
When I set her down, she shuts the bedroom door and nods toward the bed. “Lie down.”
I smirk. “I thought you wanted me to make love to you.”
Her eyes twinkle. “I do, but there’s something I want to do first. Might as well go all the way, right?” Then her sultry voice murmurs in my head. “I want to taste you.”
My dick throbs so hard it feels like I’m going to explode. Kami closes the distance and unbuttons my shorts, letting them fall to the floor. She nods toward the bed again, and I keep my eyes on hers as I lie down. The bed smells exactly like her … apples and sunshine. I know she loves the apple trees out by her house, and I plan to make sure she has some at mine. Entwining my fingers behind my neck, I watch her as she takes off her clothes, leaving only her light pink, silky bra and underwear.
I want to feel every inch of her, inside and out, to see her back arch, pushing her breasts higher so I can suck and bite them while I make love to her. I’ve never felt another woman’s body that was as perfect as hers.
She climbs onto the bed, straddles me, and slowly slides her hand down my stomach to my boxers and reaching inside to wrap her hand around my cock. She pumps me hard and smirks when she realizes how out of control I am.
Licking her lips, I know what she plans to do the moment she slides my boxers down my legs, and oh God, how much I want to feel her mouth on me, sucking me as hard as she can. She’s done it plenty of times in our dreams, and I’ve tasted her more times than I count. I’m ready to do it again.
Not wasting any time, her head lowers, and my muscles jerk as she closes her lips over the tip of my cock, circling her wet tongue around it over and over.
Sucking harder, I groan when she cups my balls and massages them. Dammit, I want to let go so bad, to come in her mouth and claim her body in every way possible. I want to make love to her until she screams my name from her red, swollen lips. Before she can drive me over the edge, I grab her by the shoulders and push her onto the bed.
She shrieks as I rip off her underwear and bra as fast as I can, bending down to suck her perfectly taught nipples, one after the other. Kami moans and spreads her legs wider, pushing her hips up against mine.
“Please,” she begs, trying to move down on my cock.
Sucking her bottom lip, I press my weight into her, loving that she’s at my mercy. This isn’t new territory for her. In our dreams, we both used to like teasing the other.
Kami glares at me but in a raw, seductive way. “I guess things aren’t any different in the real world, huh?”
Smirking, I shake my head. “Who would I be if I didn’t torture you a little bit?”
I trace my finger across the mounds of her breasts and nipples, loving the way she gasps and arches her back.
“I want to taste you,” she says in my mind.
Pressing my lips against hers, I open her mouth with my tongue. She tastes so fucking amazing. “Then do it,” I growl.
Her eyes begin to glow, and I can feel the sharpness of her fangs against my tongue. She bites into my lip, and I sink my teeth into hers. When I tasted her in the dream, we weren’t sucked into a vision like normal mates. This time, however, everything is different.
When I open my eyes, Kami’s holding my hand. We’re in my house in Wyoming, and it’s quiet. Kami looks up at me and then glances around the living room with furrowed brows. “I’ve heard about other people’s visions, but it’s just you and me here. Is that a good thing?”
There has to be more to the vision than this. Usually, it’s a glimpse into the future. Right now, it’s not looking too promising with either one of us being in it.
“Come on,” I tell her, gripping her hand. I pull her down the hallway, and she stops, turning her focus to one of the spare bedrooms.
“What is it?”
She cups a hand over her mouth. “Look.”
When I look in the bedroom, the walls aren’t beige like they are in the present time, but a light purple with a faerie garden scene painted on half of the room. Now that Faith works for Grayson’s Construction, she’s been painting a lot of nurseries. Another thing that catches my attention is the crib and all the baby furniture.
“Faith,” I murmur. “This is her work.”
Kami nods. “I know. It looks like we have a little girl.”
Letting her hand go, I move down the hall to the other guest bedroom while she admires Faith’s paintwork. When I look inside, the walls are dark blue, and there’s a little toddler bed in the corner with toys all over the place. On the dresser is a wooden carving with a name on it … Marrock; my father’s name.
“When I think of us having kids, all I see are boys. I don’t know why,” Faith says, walking down the hall toward me.
I wave her closer. “Look. We have a boy too.”
Eyes wide, she stares into the room. “This is surreal.”
I point over at the wooden carving. “Marrock.”
Kami’s eyes water when she stares up at me. “Your father’s name. I like it.”
Draping my arm over her shoulders, I pull her in tight. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get back to the real world and finish what we started.”
Faith shakes her head and smiles. “I guess we will when the vision’s done with us.”
And just then, the sound of laughter echoes from the backyard. Her eyes light up, and she bolts away from me back to the living room. Through the window, I catch a glimpse of white before it disappears around the side of the house. Kami opens the glass patio door, and I follow her out. What I see will forever be ingrained in my mind. Lying on a blanket in the middle of the backyard is Kami, pregnant and glowing with a smile on her face. And there I am, chasing around a little blond-haired boy around the yard, his giggles echoing all around us.
Kami gasps. “Oh my God, he looks just like you.” Then she turns to me and grumbles playfully. “I should’ve known he’d take after you.”
The other me lifts little Marrock in his arms, and I get a good look at my son. Instead of my bright blue eyes, that’s not what he has at all. “He has your eyes,” I murmur. “A silvery gray.”
Kami focuses on him and holds a hand over her heart. “Yes, he does. I can’t wait to meet him. I wonder when it’ll be.”
Taking her in my arms, I smile. “I don’t know, but at least it happens. This will be our life, Kami. There’s nothing else I want.”
I lean in to kiss her, and as soon as our lips touch …
The second we’re thrust out of the vision, I suck in a breath. Slick with sweat, Kami’s body is still naked and spread wide underneath me. She grins up at me and clasps my face in her hands. “That made things a little more real, huh?”
I smirk. “Just a little. At least, now you’re not pissed to be my mate.”
She squeezes her legs around my waist. “Oh, I’m sure I will be at times. How can I not with your smart-ass mouth?”
“Same goes to you,” I tease, rubbing my cock along her opening.
She groans. “Didn’t you say you wanted to finish what you started?”
“I did.”
My dick aches to feel her body wrapped around it, but I can’t give in yet. I trail my tongue down her stomach to between her legs where I know is the sweetest taste of all. Sealing my lips around her clit, she moves her hips against my face as I fuck her with my tongue, burrowing as deep as I can go so I can smell her, taste her.
“Please, Colin,” Kami begs. “Make love to me.”
Ignoring her request, I push a finger inside of her, still keeping the punishing pace of my tongue on her clit. The wetter she gets, the more I want. I can feel her body clench around my finger, so I pull it out and spread her legs wider, rubbing my cock around her wetness. Without warning, I enter her, and a pleasured cry escapes her lips. Taking her face in my hands, she gazes back and lifts her mouth to mine, kissing me feverishly. I open her lips further with my tongue, claiming her in more ways than one. She’s mine and always will be.
Moaning in my ear, she digs her nails into my back, her body clenching so tight around my dick I’m close to exploding. The tighter she gets, the harder it is for me to keep control. The second her orgasm takes her, I thrust as hard as I can, filling her up deep inside as her body milks mine to completion. As I look into her eyes, it feels like I’m in a dream; it doesn’t seem real that she could be mine.
“I’m in love with you, Kami. I think I have been for a long time now.” I kiss her gently. “Maybe one day you’ll love me too,” I say through our bond.
Her lips spread into a lazy, seductive smile. “Yeah, maybe. Who knows, maybe I already do.”