Page 39 of Targeted By Love

“Anything you need.”

We walked to the bed, and I climbed in, curling up as his little spoon. He held me close, peppering kisses over my mating mark.

“I love you so much,” he whispered in my ear. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“Trust me, alpha of mine, I don’t plan on doing anything like that ever again. Not for all of my days.” I pushed away the thought that none of this was over. I was safe now but what about tomorrow or next week? Tell me a story from when you were little? I need the distraction. Maybe about the first time you met your wolf.”

“Yeah, that I can do, my love,” he said, smiling. “That I can do.”

He was a great storyteller, but the exhaustion that came with the day’s events caught up to me quickly. I wasn’t awake long enough to hear about the first time he took his fur.

Unlike earlier with my drug-induced slumber, my dreams weren’t of chasing after my mate. They were of us, old and happy, sitting on a covered porch, drinking coffee and watching the sunset together.

There was so much more to deal with, but in that moment, everything was perfect.

20

MAYNARD

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Rhodes gave me a “What the fuck?” look. He glanced around. “Are you referring to me being a prisoner? Third time lucky, I guess.”

“I hope that’s sarcasm.” Shifters were more direct, and I often needed to figure what humans were really saying.

Maybe you need an interpreter, my wolf offered.

“First your brothers held me captive, then Germaine’s bear bozos, and now my mate, the alpha who marked me and said I mean more to him than anyone.”

Wow! That was a lot.

“How am I doing? Did I miss any kidnappings?” He rummaged through the pile of soft sensuous sofa cushions. “Who knew I needed a map to find my way through the cushions? I feel like I’m on an expedition.” He held up his phone and shouted. “Success!”

But his face dropped. “Damn it, I can’t remember what I was talking about.”

“How often you’d been kidnapped.”

“Right.” Rhodes got up and walked to the window overlooking the street below. “You have two cars down there, guys in the lobby, cameras outside the apartment, and probably someone lurking in the stairwell.” He put up his hands. “If I looked in the complex trash cans, would I find someone hiding in them?”

“Perhaps. I’ve got to check with Ezra.”

My mate fell back onto the couch. “I was kidding.”

“Your security is no joke, babe.”

He hugged a cushion and leaned his chin on the upper edge. “It’s fine for now, but I can’t breathe with all these people around me.” He waved his arms around. “You didn’t have security before you met me.”

Mmmm, but while my wolf hated the comparison, I was cat-like. I glided rather than walked or stomped, I noted the slightest difference in my surroundings, including the scents and sounds, I was comfortable in the shadows, waiting to pounce, and I was able to slip away from the situation without humans being aware.

I help you escape.

You do. I wouldn’t have been as successful if not for my wolf.

“I promise we’ll cut back on the security. But not today.”

“Fine.”

He huffed and grabbed his computer, ready to start his workday. We’d designated one of the spare bedrooms as his office, and he worked there sometimes, others he was on our bed, and some, like today, he was in our huge living room. He might grumble about having men hovering around, concerned about his safety, but he enjoyed the perks of working from home in a modern spacious apartment.