Page 53 of The Fated Mate Bandit

Except… I press my fingers to my swollen scent gland. The scab from Silver’s bite is still there. I reach into my pocket to find the piece of paper with a list of phone numbers on it.

There are people who love me.

I take out the piece of paper and add each of the names to my contact list. I text them too, starting with Quin.

Hi, Quin. This is Lucas.

I get a response almost immediately.

Lucas! Eeee! I’m so excited I have your number! Can I add you to the brother group chat?

I smile. Just like that, I’m his brother again.

Sure. That’s fine.

He sends a smiley emoji.

I send the same text to Coin, Link, and Tin. Coin responds first.

Hey, Lucas. It’s good to hear from you.

Link responds with a picture of Terrance wearing a bright pink feather boa.Check out what I found dumpster diving today.

I laugh. What a goofball.

Another text from Quin pops up on my screen, but this one was sent to four other people.

Guess what? I added Lucas to our group chat! Say hi!

Three of the people I already have saved as contacts: Tin, Link, and Coin. That means the fourth number belongs to Silver.

I send a text to that number.

Hey, it’s me.

I hear footsteps coming down the hall. Silver walks into the bedroom with a big smile on his face. “Hey. I have your phone number now.”

I smile back at him. “Yeah.”

“Thank you, baby.”

It seems a little silly. We had sex last night and he bit my scent gland. Giving him my number should mean nothing after that. But Daryll carefully regulates my phone. That means I rarely give my number to anyone. Normally, when I get a text, I know it’s from him.

That won’t be true anymore.

“Are you ready for dinner?” I ask.

“Absolutely. It smells like heaven.” He holds his hand out to me, and I take it, allowing him to help me up.

My phone dings several times. I take a quick glance at it to see the brother group chat blowing up.

Coin: Welcome, Lucas.

Link: Hi!

Tin: Hello

Quin: Link, you have to be on your best behavior so we don’t scare him away.

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