Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
With his mother and eldest sons close behind him, Vinnie appeared, sighing. “I believe this is yours,” he said to Taryn.
While the other females cooed over the baby that Ingrid was cradling, Taryn smiled at the laughing little boy whom Vinnie was holding upside down by his ankle. “What did you do this time?”
“He keeps engaging in staring matches with me,” Vinnie told her.
Grabbing her son and settling him on the ground beside her, Taryn shrugged at the cat. “Kye does it with all Alphas. As a young alpha, his nature tells him that he has to assert his dominance in such situations.”
“Yeah, I get that,” Vinnie said impatiently. “But throwing a fork at me when I won’t look away is going too far.”
Luke snickered. “It was pretty funny.”
Ingrid touched Vinnie’s arm. “You have to admit, Tate did a lot worse to you than that when he was a kid. Hell, he once tried to stick a fork in your eye.”
Luke frowned. “He didn’t do that to Dad; he did it to me. Almost took my damn eye out.” He glared at his brother. “Isn’t that right?”
“If you hadn’t snatched the chicken wing off my plate, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Tate.
“I only did that because you put vinegar in my soda.”
Tate shrugged. “You were pissing me off.”
“By doing what?”
“Existing.”
Sighing, Vinnie held up a finger to Bracken. “One, Slater. Stick to one.”
“Here, get some practice in.” Ingrid handed the baby pallas cat to Bracken.
Had Bracken guessed that sheer panic would race through him the moment he held the baby boy in his arms, he would have refused to take him. But he hadn’t refused, so now flashbacks of the last time he held a baby were flickering through his mind. He heard gunshots, explosions, and cries of pain. Saw blood and smoke and—
Bracken shook his head and fought back the memories. No. Not today. This wasn’t happening today.
He went to shove the baby back at Ingrid, but then he paused. What? Was he really going to freak out every time he held an infant? Really going to always feel the impact of a phantom bullet slamming into his back? Always expect the child to go limp in his arms and die? How could he have a family of his own if this was his reaction to cradling a baby?
Dammit, it was fucked up. He didn’t want this. Didn’t want the past getting in the way of his future. What happened wasn’t his fault and . . .
It wasn’t his fault.
As it distantly occurred to him that it was the first time he’d ever thought that and genuinely believed it, Bracken felt determination settle into his gut. He wouldn’t let the past mess up this day, his future, or anything else. Not ever again, not—
There was a strange bang in his chest that took his breath away, like he’d been punched right in the solar plexus. He felt the bond snap into place, felt Madisyn so much clearer than he had before, felt red-hot arousal flood his system and thicken his blood. And as his eyes met hers and saw the same realization that he knew would be in his, all he wanted was to be alone with her. “I think we need to go now.”
She swallowed. “Yeah, we definitely need to go.”
They said their goodbyes to everyone, thanking them for coming and accepting the good-natured ribbing they got for leaving early.
“You really have to go now?” Dominic called out.
Bracken didn’t break stride. “Yep.”
“But me and Madisyn haven’t had our Australian kiss yet.”
Bracken frowned at him, perplexed. “What?”
“It’s like a French kiss, but down under.”
Trick fisted Dominic’s collar and began dragging him away. “I got him, I got him.”
Bracken shook his head and looked at Madisyn. “I don’t know whether to kill him or pity him, because when he finally meets his mate, all the other males are going to give him hell.” The thought positively cheered him.
They didn’t say a word as they quickly walked to the lodge, sexual tension humming between them. They stumbled through the front door, mouths locked, tongues tangling, hands roaming. Without breaking the kiss, he picked her up and carried her upstairs and into the bedroom.
“The dress stays on.” Bracken tossed her on the bed and shed his clothes, sweeping his gaze over her, drinking in the breasts spilling out of her bra, the way the dress clung to every curve, and those long, smooth legs that felt too fucking good wrapped around him. There was no part of her he hadn’t kissed or touched. No erogenous zone he hadn’t found or exploited. He’d marked and claimed his mate in every possible way, over and over. And he’d do it again now.
Taking her fill of his tall, solid body, Madisyn swallowed. All hard muscle and sleek skin, he was a sight that would make any girl weak-kneed. Bracing herself on her elbows, she slowly let her legs fall open. His eyes dropped to her lacy red panties and gleamed with a dark, savage possessiveness that made her stomach clench. “Something you want, Bracken?”