Page 108 of Bonds of Fate

It is—it is something Finn likes so very much, but today has been a stressful day. Today is not the day for sexting, but perhaps he could have a kiss and make some future promises.

“Nix, I would love to sext with you, and I will never purport to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but maybe we should do it later, not so soon after…everything.”

His beautiful mate’s musky scent fades away, and he gives a sad little sigh. They’ve finally reached Nix’s room, and Finn is reminded of romance movies, where the hero leaves his date at the door. It’s a sweet comparison, especially because at any other time, he’d hope to be invited in.

Being the fucking voice of reason is absolutely no fun sometimes—no fun at all.

“You’re right. It’s been a long day. But…raincheck?”

Nix looks up from beneath slow-blinking lashes, his stormy gray eyes smoldering with intent. The gaze alone is enough to send shivers down Finn’s spine—originating, as always, from the fresh claim on his neck.

“Most definitely, but could I have a goodnight kiss to tide me over?” He puts his hands on Nix’s tiny waist and pulls his warm body close so Nix can run his hands up Finn’s arms and over his shoulders.

“You may, but none of those knock-my-socks-off ones you usually hand out. My will is weak where you are concerned.” Heputs his hands on Finn’s cheeks. “I love you, Finn Merritt. You know that?”

He does. Even though the bond isn’t fully complete, Finn doesn’t need it to know he is loved—or that he feels the same.

His mate’s lips are soft, and he smells like dessert—so Finn consoles himself with a bite on that full lower lip and a suck on the sweet tongue in his mouth. It’s not the chaste kiss as requested, but he is not a saint.

“I love you to the moon and back, Nix Rena. Text if you need me, or you can come and find me in the library. I’ll figure something out for dinner in a bit, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you, Finnie.” He gives Finn’s shoulders a last squeeze with a sigh. “Bye.”

Finn doesn’t turn, only backs down the hall so he can keep his smiling, well-kissed omega in sight.

Nix leans against the doorframe, eyes tracking his retreat, and just as Finn reaches the top of the stairs, his mate calls out because, of course, Nix has to have the last word.

“Finn, maybe we could watch that video you took the other night together soon?”

Finn trips—just a bit—but enough that he nearly lands flat on his ass. There’s a soft, knowing laugh behind him, and as he glances back, he catches the sparkle of mischief in Nix’s eyes.

At least he hasn’t left his mate with a sad heart.

Nix winks, gives a small wave, and, with a quietclick,shuts the door.

The trip to the library seems to be taking him in the opposite direction of where his feet want to go, and he mourns again that his mate is alone, but Finn understands the need for quiet and to process his emotions without an audience.

There’s pressure to feel things in a way that’s palatable for others, and Nix seems to be constantly either checking in with everyone else’s emotions or suppressing his own. It saddensFinn to think his mate has to become an expert at reading the room to avoid the worst that others’ emotions can bring.

Besides, he could count on one hand the number of minutes Nix has had by himself since he’d been awake, and some of that was up a tree or in the bathroom. With seven mates eager to get to know him, enjoy him—and protect him—alone time is going to be rare. But it must be hard for Nix to hear his own thoughts when the demands of people he cares about make it impossible to hear what’s going on inside his own head.

Not that Finn is projecting or anything.

That’s why Finn sets the boundaries he does around his room. The library is fair game, and he will sometimes find Gideon reading in a hidden corner or Grayson drawing quietly on the couch—something about the room’s two-story windows on a sunny morning or a rain-slick night. The others are more extroverted, but Finn enjoys the parallel quietude with his fellow introverts in this space.

It’s there that he heads after ordering Thai food delivery and covertly checking that Gideon and Luca are still holed up in Gideon’s space. Given the afternoon’s events, he knows Gideon will not feel like cooking, but perhaps Finn can entice them out to eat when the time comes.

It’s still early enough that he thinks about trying to get Baz Portman from the Kennedy pack on a video call. Riordan had made it clear that he was the most informed about the small omega advocacy group.

Sending a quick text, he gets an immediate affirmative, and it’s not long before Baz’s handsome, grinning face is larger than life on the monitor in his office.

“Finn!”

“Hey, Baz. How are you?” Finn genuinely likes Baz and respects the hell out of the tireless work he does in theDepartment of Children’s Services as a trauma counselor. Finn knows the Kennedy pack’s baby will have the best start.

“Well, thanks. I hadn’t expected to hear from you so soon, but I am glad you called.” Baz adjusts his glasses with a smile. He’s not traditionally handsome, but his ready smile and flamboyant fashion style never fail to make Finn happy to see him.

“Thank you for taking my call. Congratulations on your newest addition.”

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