Page 25 of Lila

“Okay,” she relents. “But I don’t like seafood. And if you try to serve me some dainty salad, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

My mate’s so feisty.

“A meat girl, then?” Luca chuckles darkly. “I think I can handle that.”

“Oh god,” she groans as she covers her face with her hands.

“Lila? You still there?”

No. She keeled over at your suggestive comment. Asshole.

“Yeah! Yup. I’m here. I gotta go, though. Gray’s gotta go to the bathroom. Text me your address, and I’ll bring him over in a jif,” she rambles, hanging up before he can respond.

Her phone chimes a few seconds later.

“You’re having dinner with him?” I ask.

“It appears so. Is that a problem?” She snaps.

I tilt my head and tune back into my phoenix as I think about sharing my mate. He huffs at me and rolls his eyes. “I guess not.Interesting.”

Chapter 18

Luca

WhenAnntoldmeGray’s new sitter’s name was Lila, I thought it was a coincidence. It couldn’t be the woman I’ve been looking for all week. What would be the odds of my run-a-way mate being my son’s babysitter? But I know the second she answers the phone. My entire body responds to her voice. All my muscles loosen at the same time every ounce of blood rushes to my cock. All from one unsure greeting. I have to physically shake myself to concentrate on the reason for my call.

I manage to ramble something resembling an intelligent response. The more she talks, the harder it is to maintain my composure and talk about my son when all I want to do is pull her through the phone and chain her to my bed so she can never run away from me again. I get the next best thing though. She’s coming over all on her own. Sure, she’ll have Gray with her, but she’ll be within touching distance for the first time in a week. I pray it doesn’t take long for them to get here.

Twenty minutes later there’s a knock on my door. I stop my pacing, turning to stare at the door. Surely I didn’t hear what I thought I did. But then it comes again. I rush to the door, using every ounce of control I have not to rip it off the hinges. When it’s open, our eyes connect, just like that first night. And just like that first night, my cock is instantly hard at the sight of her.

“Dad.” Gray’s device says, pulling me from my trance.

I look down at my son and smile. Life hasn’t always been easy, or how we expected it to be, but I love that little guy more than life itself. I reach down and pick him up. Holding him tight. I don’t like being away from him and thanks to that stupid conference, I haven’t been able to see him for three days. I look back up at Lila and find her gazing at me with soft eyes.

A chittering noise draws my attention down and my brows furrow at the fluffy creature on her chest.

“What’s that?” I ask with a laugh.

“Oh! It’s a chinchilla. It found us at the aquarium.” She shrugs as if that’s all the explanation needed.

“Right. Well, come in. We have much to discuss.” My look says she’s not getting away that easily. She licks her lips and nods her head. “Good.” I step aside to give her room to enter, but she’s not the only one who walks past me. “Harkin? What are you doing here?” I ask as I close my door and follow them into the living room.

“I followed my mate,” he says.

I freeze at his words, tilting my head as I stare at him blankly.

“Mate?” Did he just refer tomymate ashismate?

“Mate. Mate. Mate.” Grayson says as he bounces on his toes.

Fuck. I forgot my son was here. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up for dinner, buddy?” I say like it’s a suggestion but really it’s a fervent prayer. He smiles and runs away, leaving the three of us alone.

“Anyone care to fill me in?”

Lila sighs and shakes her head. “I think I was hit with a mate spell. That’s why everyone thinks I’m their mate. It’ll go away soon and-”

“It’s not aspell,” Harkin growls. “Shifters know their mate instantly. The moment I saw you, everything clicked into place and I knew you were mine. Even my phoenix agreed. It’s not some spell that’s going to wear off. Like it or not, you are my mate.”

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