Page 78 of Knotting on Heaven's Door

“Remind me never to get on your bad side,” I murmured, pulling her closer again, pressing a kiss to her hair. “You reallyareterrifying.”

“Good,” she said smugly.

I tipped her chin up and kissed her again. Slow. Deep. Familiar, already.

Her stomach growled.

I smirked. “Hungry?”

She raised her head, a few strands of hair still clinging to her cheek. “I brought you food, didn’t I? Questionable burgers and all. Want to share?”

She sat up, still naked, wrapping the blanket loosely aroundher like a toga, legs curled under her as I pulled out two sad-looking burgers and a container of fries that had definitely seen better days.

“Full primal bonding experience,” I said, already unwrapping my burger. “Sweaty, marked, and now a feast fit for wolves.”

We sat on the floor like kids, backs against the couch, legs stretched out, surrounded by the scent of sex and storm-soaked skin, the bond thrumming like an undercurrent in the room.

She took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, then looked around.

“You weren’t joking,” she muttered. “This place reallydoessmell like me.”

I swallowed my bite and gave her a side-eyed grin. “Told you. It felt like you were marking your territory when you sent me the furniture.”

She narrowed her eyes, suspicious. “And you didn’t like that?”

I shrugged, overly casual. “Was kinda hot. Though I should probably pee on your apartment building to return the favor.”

She stared at me in horror. Then grabbed a handful of fries and threw them at my face.

“You’re disgusting!” she cried, laughing so hard she nearly choked on her next bite.

I ducked the soggy fry missiles, catching one before it hit the wall. “Don’t start a war you can’t finish, De La Vega.”

But she was still laughing. Fully, loudly, with her whole chest like it was the first time in a long while something actually feltfunny.

For a moment, everything else disappeared. It was just her, cross-legged on my floor, biting into a sad excuse for a burger with grease on her lips and her scent all over my skin.

My mate.

Mine.

CHAPTER 18

Ada

I took a leap of faith.

A full, terrifying, exhilarating leap and for once, I didn’t fall. I didn’t crash and burn.

Instead, I landed in Sebastian’s arms, in the weight of his scent tangled with mine, in a bond so powerful it pulsed in my blood even now.

I had prayed, whispered to whatever gods still listened, that this time would be different. That they would watch over me, not rip another love from my chest and leave me bleeding all over again.

And for the first time in years… my heart felt full. Complete. A corner of me I thought would always be hollow now overflowed.

Yes, I was terrified. But I was alsojoyful. Giddy, even. Like I was learning how to breathe again after years of holding my breath.

Coming back to work afterthatweekend was… strange. Surreal, almost.

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