Page 18 of Broken By Her Mate
Tolliver snorted. “You trying forcing a mate you broke up with, who hates you, to stay in a confined space with you and tell me how it goes.”
Zach and Ryder exchanged horrified glances.
“I think Laila would claw my balls off if given the chance,” Tolliver grumbled.
Zach winced. “Tough luck, my friend. That being said, we’ll excuse your absence from the office. I’m sure you want to get back to bodyguard duty.”
“I hadn’t intended to stay away from her for too long.”
The three of them fell silent as they stared at the picture of the latest missing woman. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife as the weight of the situation pressed on them.
“We need to tighten our surveillance,” Zach said, breaking the silence. “Start combing through every lead we’ve got and put more eyes on the ground. If they’re targeting shifters, we have to move fast.”
“Agreed,” Tolliver said. “I’ll go through every bit of footage we’ve secured again. Fortunately, I can do that from the cabin.” He didn’t plan to let Laila out of his sight.
“Good. I’ll check the other departments for updates. I’ll see you guys later.”
After Zach left, Ryder drew a chair and sat to study Tolliver intently. Giving him a side glance, Tolliver asked, “Something on your mind, Ryder?”
His friend sat back. “I’m just wondering how you’re doing with… You know… The whole Laila situation.”
Tolliver quirked an eyebrow. “I’m doing just fine.”
“Bullshit.”
Tolliver sighed. As much as he could hide from everyone else, there were three people who could read him like an open book—his sister, Laila, and Ryder. Sometimes, he wished he could fool those who knew him with his emotionless mask. “What is this, Ryder?” he snapped. “Are we going to discuss our feelings? What’s next? Will we braid each other’s hair? Perhaps do each other’s nails?”
Ryder threw his head back and laughed. “Look at you getting on the defensive. Laila really had you tied up in knots, huh? You poor bastard.”
Tolliver scowled like he’d never scowled before because his friend was spot on. He was wound up so tightly in emotional knots that he might snap at any moment.
“You don’t have to play the stoic unbothered card with me, man,” Ryder said. “I know what the mate bond does to you. You broke things off with Laila years ago. You were far away from her, so it was easy to ignore the bond’s intensity. I imagine now that you’re in proximity, it’s driving you crazy.”
Tolliver let out a deep breath of defeat. “Yeah…” he admitted. Sometimes, he wondered if he could survive the intense emotions he’d been experiencing since reuniting with his mate. He’d kept himself closed off for so long… To feel so many things at once was overwhelming.
“Do you think there’s a chance that you two will rekindle your romance?” Ryder asked.
“I doubt that.”
Ryder’s eyes widened. He couldn’t imagine being so close to his mate and not wanting to claim her… not at that point in his life, anyway. He’d ignored the pull to his mate for years—throughout their childhood—and it hadn’t been easy. If he were in the same predicament now, he wouldn’t last a day without claiming what was his. “Why not?”
“Because Laila doesn’t want that.”
“How do you know?”
Tolliver’s lips twisted into a rueful smile. “I kissed her, and she ran like the hounds of hell were on her heels.”
The room got quiet as Ryder watched Tolliver closely to gauge how that had made him feel. Something told him Tolliver would go off on him if he dared to ask. “I see…” he murmured. “Well, that’s…”
Tolliver’s eyebrows shot up at Ryder’s hesitant words. “Go ahead, say it.”
Ryder shifted uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to press the issue. However, he continued. “It’s just hard to imagine, that’s all. I mean, you’re her mate. You two are connected in a way that most people only dream of, yet you think it’s over because she ran after a kiss?” Ryder gave him a skeptical look. “That’s not how mate bonds work.”
Tolliver shrugged. “I know how mate bonds work, Ryder. Believe me, I feel the damn thing every second I’m near her. But just because we’re bonded doesn’t mean she will forgive me for the past. Laila has every right to run from this—run fromme.”
Ryder’s frown deepened. “But what areyourunning from? If you still feel the same way about her, why not fight for her?”
Tolliver's jaw became so rigid his molars started to ache. The familiar mix of guilt and longing flared up inside him. There were times when his regret for letting Laila go ate at him. “I should have fought for her years ago,” he said quietly. “Maybe there’s no point now. I think she hates me. The only thing I can do for her is to make sure she’s safe. I’ll find out who’s kidnapping shifters and deal with them so she can get back to her life and be happy.” That was what he wanted, for his mate to be happy even if it wasn’t with him.