Page 40 of Love Bites Hard

“As opposed to most lakes?”

“Siren magic purifies water. I’ll eventually make my lake cleaner than any bathtub. It’s going to take a while without my sisters, but it’ll get there.”

“Why can’t your sisters come?”

“There are too many people here who want me dead, and even more people who would want an unmated siren for themselves. We’re not in the habit of risking our lives unnecessarily,so they’re staying where they’re safe.” I stepped through the doorway into the bathroom. There was no door to close, just a curtain that had been pulled to the side, so there was no privacy at the moment.

“I could keep your sisters safe for as long as they wanted to stay,”Porter growled into my mind, because of the physical distance between us.“I wouldn’t let anything happen to them.”

My gaze collided with a picture of Porter carrying one of his younger sisters on his back, and another one in his arms.

It occurred to me that this might be a touchy subject for him. Being able to protect sisters.

My sisters weren’t his, but… well, we were mates. If I told him I didn’t think he could protect them, that would hurt him. More than I could possibly understand, probably.

“I believe you,”I said simply. It wasn’t a lie. I’d seen Porter fight, and I believed that if he decided to, he could keep them safe.“But you’d have to arrange it with Hale. Vampires would have to come too. My sisters don’t trust easily, and Hale has basically become a brother to them. Not to mention, he wouldn’t let Blair come here without him.”

“Do you trust easily?”

I smiled a bit sadly, and didn’t answer him.

I trusted people less than any of them, except Zora.

The bathroom was gorgeous, with a large soaking tub and a walk-in shower with glass walls. I stripped my clothes off and slipped into the shower, turning it on and letting out a sigh as the water fell over me.

I felt eyes on me, but didn’t turn around. If Porter wanted to stare, he could. Weweremates. I didn’t know if I’d let him touch me after he’d growled at me so much, but there was no point in asking him not to look.

“I can’t stop thinking about the way you took my knot,” he said.

Apparentlyhehadn’t noticed the pictures of his sisters staring at us.

“If you want to screw again, you can just say that,” I said, still not turning around. “No need to beat around the bush.”

“Alright, fine. I want to fuck you again.”

“I’m not doing it unless you agree to let me feed from you whenever I want.”

There was a moment of silence.

A long moment.

“I can’t do that,” Porter finally said, his voice rough.

“Why not?”

“Your magic is… too much.”

I scowled. “You’re the one who wanted to mate with a siren. You don’t get to hate my magic.”

“Nottoo muchin a bad way.”

“Too muchis an insult, Porter.

“It’s not an insult. If something istoo muchfor me, I can’t handle it. That implies that there’s something wrong with me, not you.”

“That’s bullshit. Me being too much implies that I’m the one who was built wrong, and it’s not true. Any other wolf in this pack would be thrilled to feel my magic while I feed on them. I?—”

“You’re perfect.” His hands landed on my bare hips, and my eyes closed.

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