Page 9 of Rebel's Fairytale
“I told you about the gods and the war.”
“Yes,” she answered as she took another step back.
“I told you about Ol’ Ladies and what that title means to my club.” He started around the island in her direction.
“Yes.” Two steps back.
“In her last moments, Lace told me to embrace our relationship and allow myself and our kids to have you.”
“Okay.” Mary was unsure where he was going with his statements, but she knew what his intentions were when he reached her, so she took another step back.
“I want to honor her last wishes, but not just because they are her last wishes.”
It all clicked into place. Her heart clenched at the thought that he would think she wouldn’t understand his intentions. She stopped in her tracks and smiled at him. “Wes, I know you love me. I know you love Lace. And I know that you can do both at the same time. You can honor Lace’s wishes andalsoput your all into our relationship becauseyou want to. Is that what you’re trying to say?”
Rock visibly swallowed hard and nodded. “And I want you as my Ol’ Lady.”
Mary’s smile shifted to a grin. “About damn time.”
And that was how she ended up naked on Rock’s kitchen floor.
Chapter four
Rebel
WhenRebel’salarmwentoff, he wasn’t surprised by the fact that he was already wide awake. It was the day he would take Ruby out for tea. Their first date. He couldn’t fucking wait. His wolf and his gut were telling him she was his mate, his happily ever after, and he wanted to get on with it.
With more spring in his step than was probably appropriate the day after a family memorial, Rebel threw the covers aside and headed for the bathroom. He took a quick shower, toweled off, and brushed his hair back, making sure he looked appropriate for a date with a respectable woman. He considered pulling it back in his usual man bun, but he decided that might be too casual of a look.
Telling himself he was a grown ass man and not a pimple-faced teenager, he forced himself to leave his bathroom and get dressed. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark gray Henley. After putting on his boots, he slipped on his cut and headed for the door. Before the teenager in him decided to rethink his outfit, he stormed outside and to his bike.
After mounting his bike and starting her up, he rode over to Ruby’s townhouse a handful of blocks from the library and parked at the curb. He got off the bike and took a couple deep breaths to steel himself.
Relax! Fuck, Rebel! She’s just a woman…a woman who could make and break his happiness… and his future. Who was he kidding? She was more than just a woman. She was his mate. He knew it. His wolf knew it. Now, Rebel just had to do what was necessary to get her to realize it.
You’ve got this. Now, don’t fuck it up.
With one last deep breath, Rebel made his way up her front walk and onto her little porch. In front of the door, she had a tan mat that had writing on it. He tilted his head to the side in order to be able to read it and read,You look really silly doing that with your head…Chuckling, he looked around her porch and noticed she was one who liked to decorate for the seasons, or at least for fall. To the right of the door, she had a collection of small pumpkins and gourds. On the left side were a few pots of what looked like mums on a multi-level plant stand. Situated in front of the pots were pumpkins — one large pumpkin and two small ones.
Pressing her doorbell, he began to feel a little more comfortable and less stressed. Rebel knew he had been freaking out a little too much. She was laid-back and wasn’t at all judgmental. It was his desire to keep her that had him tied in knots. He just needed to breathe and remind himself that everything would be okay.
After a few moments, the door flew open, and a breathless goddess stood just inside the doorframe. Her hair was done, and she was dressed, but there was somethingundoneabout her appearance. It got his wolf’s attention, causing it to begin to growl in low tones and shoot the wordMineinto Rebel’s brain.
“Come on in. I’m almost ready.” She took a calming breath and gave him a sweet smile.
He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
“Be right out.” Then, she was gone, heading up a set of stairs along the wall to the left of the door.
As visions of following her up those stairs filled his brain, and Rebel began to lecture himself about cooling it. To give himself something else to think about, he strolled around her living room. She had a simple, dark blue couch and a matching chair at an angle at the other end. In front of the couch sat an old chest with a wooden tray on top that she seemed to use as a table. In the center of it was a large candle surrounded by fake fall leaves.
Across from the couch was a flat screen television mounted on the wall, flanked by two floor-to-ceiling bookcases on each side and two waist-high bookcases under it. All of them were jam-packed with books. Rebel could picture them cuddled up on that couch, wrapped up in blankets and each other, with books in their hands. Honestly, it was how he wanted to spend every evening for the rest of his life.
On the far end of the room, in a corner, he saw the most comfortable looking chair, in the same blue as her couch. It was large and slouchy, no hard edges, with an oversized ottoman pushed up to it. Next to it was a small table with a lamp, a couple books, and a notepad. It was obvious by the way things were piled next to it that she spent most of her time in that chair. Curious as to the books she was reading, he approached and caught a glimpse of his name at the top of the notepad. Unable to resist, Rebel glanced at the notepad.
Questions to ask Rebel
Does it hurt?