Page 64 of Savoring Her Snake

“What will?” Rylee sneers.

“They thrive on fear. They want Juliana to fear them.” Heath’s hand whitens as he grips his cane. He hasn’t released it since I came out of the bedroom. Usually, he will relax in his home.

“So we just wait?” Rylee asks.

“No. We leave.” Heath turns away and walks toward me. “We continue the hunt.” He stops at my feet and holds out his hand. “Are you ready, darling?” Everyone in the room waits for my decision, but I’ve already made it.

“Yes, mate,” I whisper and give him my hand. I love the way his eyes flare when I call him mate. It feels right.

As he pulls me to my feet, and the heat from his body brushes mine, I know it’s the right choice.

“Fuck,” Heath says. I struggle to leave the lovely dream starring Heath naked. “Juliana.” The motion of the car always puts me to sleep. I don’t go on road trips because I get sleepy within a couple of hours, even if I'm driving. I sit up, rubbing my hand over my face.

“What’s wrong?” I look out the window and see a huge house. It is surrounded by forest.

“We’re here,” he says, stopping the car. “I didn’t expect them to be here.” I focus on the four people sitting on the porch.

“Who are they?” I run my fingers through my hair.

“The woman I had kidnapped,” he says.

“Oh, shit,” I gasp.

“Yeah.” He unbuckles my seatbelt. “The three men with her are her mates.”

“They are friends now,” I say, trying to remember everything he told me about them.

“Friends is a stretch,” he says dryly. “Or I thought it was.” He brushes his thumb over my chin. “No one will hurt you.”

“I know.” I lean into his touch.

“How?” He tilts his head.

“You won’t let them.” His lips curve.

“You’re right.” He smooths his expression and opens his door. “Let’s get this over with.”

I wait as he grabs his cane, gets out, and comes to my door. I cautiously get to my feet, trying to get the blood flowing through my body after hours in the car. Heath circles my waist and guides me away from the car door.

The house is gorgeous. I wasn’t expecting a cookie-cutter home. It’s white with a wrap-around porch and a steepled roof. The house I grew up in was small, and Mom didn’t take care of it. My apartment never felt like a home. It was nothing compared to this.

“We aren’t going to hurt her,” one of the men says. He has dark hair and a serious expression.

“Why are you here?” Heath asks.

“I wanted to see the woman who tamed the infamous Heath,” another man says. He has shaggy blonde hair and a playful smile.

“Careful,” Heath growls.

“Damn, still grouchy,” he retorts.

“You brought friends.” The third man walks down the stairs. His hair is shaved close to his scalp, and his eyes are contemplative. Bane and Hunter followed us, and they leave their car.

“Hello.” The woman comes forward. She is beautiful. Her long red hair blows in the breeze, and her smile is wide. “I’m Breeane. These are my mates, Logan, Lucas, and Las.” The men nod in turn respectfully.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Heath mumbles, and I smile.

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