Page 37 of Ravenous

“Her mom? Remy didn’t even know her.” Shock laced Joy’s tone.

I stared into her big blue eyes, one part of me wanting to rampage, the other part soothed by the presence of this female.

Which made sense.

She was my mate.

Unlike Soraya, who’d been nothing more than a quick screw on a full moon run–the shifter equivalent of a drunken one-night stand.

I brought the backs of my fingers to brush across her cheek, wanting to soak in the well-being that emanated from her. Or that she produced in me.

It was as if being near her was somehow healing.

The simmering rage I’d had in me ever since the day Soraya abandoned her pup at only a few weeks old was calmed by this gentle female’s touch. By her compassion.

I wasn’t the type to talk about myself. I kept things bottled up. Didn’t share much with anyone, but Joy was my mate. She deserved the truth about my past. “She walked out just weeks after Remy was born. She couldn’t hack being a mom.”

“Oh, shit.” Joy stared up at me. “Poor Remy. Poor you. That’s awful.”

“It was the worst. Not because she broke my heart, hell no, but because she gave up.” I ran a hand down my face, knowing I was sweaty and grimy from moving a shit ton of cattle. My rough time at work was nothing compared to those early months with Remy. “I didn’t know a goddamn thing about tending a newborn. I was a rodeo rider. I’d stupidly thought my job would be to provide for Soraya and the pup.”

“The pup?” Joy’s lips quirked up as she gave me a quizzical look.

Shit.Shit.“I mean baby. Did I say pup?” I shook my head. “Fuck, it’s been a long day.”

“It has.” She took my hand and led me to the couch. She threw me for another full loop when she tugged my cowboy boots off.

It was somehow more intimate than the sex we’d had. More intimate than the hot spanking I gave her this afternoon. More intimate than anything we’d already done. It was simple. Quiet. I liked the idea of coming home to her. To her taking care of me. It was sexy and kind at the same time.

It was something a real partner might do. Someone you’d been with for years and had a level of comfort and mutual care with.

I blinked hard at the sudden rush of emotion that hit me–a mixture of longing and gratitude.

All I could do was stare at her with hunger and admiration. Desire and the need for deep connection. I took a deep breath, reveled in her familiar scent. I’d know it–and her–anywhere now.

I reached for her waist and tugged her onto my lap. “That was so fucking sweet,” I growled into her neck, so she wouldn’t see how much it had meant to me.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and ran her fingers through my hair, fluffing it where my hat had flattened it.

“Careful, honey, I’m pretty rank,” I warned.

She laughed. “The way Soraya sniffed me, I smell pretty bad, too.”

I stilled. Fuck. She knew Joy was human. Did that matter? I had no idea why she’d dropped by, but I had a feeling I’d find out. Her visit wasn’t a one time thing. She was coming back, I was sure of it.

“So she hasn’t been a part of Remy’s life?” Joy asked. “You have full custody?”

“Custody…shit. I don’t have any paperwork. I mean, she left, and I did my best.”

“And she never came back?”

Here was the dark truth. One Joy might judge me for. Humans believed in things like shared custody and shit like that.

“I, uh, I quit the circuit, but I’d heard she’d moved back to our hometown, so I took the job here at Wolf Ranch instead.”

“I don’t blame you for setting boundaries like that,” Joy said immediately. “I mean, the last thing you’d want is Remy getting attached to her and having her ghost Remy again. A newborn’s one thing; they don’t remember. But a four-year-old won’t forget.”

Relief swept through me. “Exactly. I’m so glad you understand.”

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