Page 69 of Primal Bonds

He’d stepped back and ran a hand down her tunic. “You’re—”

“A baby.” A smile split her face. “We’re having a baby. Can you believe it?” There hadn’t been a cub born to the clan for three years.

Now grief swamped him. He dropped his head into his hands. If only he could go back and unsay those words to Takira. Because what had happened hadn’t been either her fault or Silver’s. All she’d tried to do was make a family with her mate and daughter.

It had been Leron and Tyrus who’d smashed his sister’s happiness like a fragile glass.

Jace heaved himself off the couch. Fuck this. Takira wouldn’t say he was honoring her by staying away from Evie.

She’d say Jace was being an ass.

Chapter 20

As Evie exited the bathroom, she heard Jace in the living room on his quartz phone.

She said goodnight to Kyler and then went into Jace’s bedroom. The fae lights brushed over her as if saying hello, and then spread themselves across the ceiling before dimming to a soft glow—which was pretty effing awesome when you thought about it. Maybe Jace would let her take one home.

She left the door slightly ajar and changed into a striped cotton sleepshirt. Jace came down the hall and she tensed in anticipation, but he went into the bathroom and a short while later the shower came on.

She set the quartz phone he’d given her on the night table next to a pretty chunk of amethyst and sat cross-legged on the bed. Waiting for Jace—who probably wasn’t going to come.

She combed her fingers through her damp hair. What was so bad about being part fae? Sure, the fae could be selfish, unpredictable creatures—look at Fane. But Evie wasn’t like that, and if Jace couldn’t see that, then to hell with him. She scowled in the direction of the bathroom.

A fae light brushed against her chest, right over her heart. She felt as if she’d been hugged.

She gave a wry smile. “You’re trying to make me feel better. Thanks.”

The fae light pulsed a bright yellow, and then dimmed again. Evie held up a finger, and another light—this one a soft pink—floated down to balance on her fingertip.

She stilled, afraid to breathe. It weighed no more than a soap bubble, a globe of miniscule stars. But unlike stars, the tiny points of light were in constant motion, turning in hypnotic spirals so that she had the unsettling sensation of falling endlessly into the center. The colors changed, the pink changing to a shimmering copper and gold and then back again.

The shower turned off. She dragged her gaze from the fae light and it wafted back to the ceiling.

She smoothed the sleepshirt down over her thighs and looked at the door. Several minutes crawled past, but still no Jace.

She blew out a breath. He wasn’t coming, and she was tired. Time to go to bed. She gave her pillow a few hard punches and went to lie down.

A tap sounded on the door. Her heart leapt. “Come in.”

Jace slipped into the room along with a few more fae lights and closed the door behind him. He’d changed into a white ribbed tank and brown shorts that hung low on his hips. His short black hair was damp from the shower, and stubble shadowed his jaw. He leaned against the door and stared at her—all hard muscles and honey-dark skin.

God, the man was beautiful. She moistened her lips. “Hello.”

“So,” he said, “you have more than a few drops of fae.”

She lifted her chin. “So what? If I’m fae, then I’m one of the good ones, right? Being a healer is a good thing—like Suha.”

He took a step toward her, then another. Lithe, catlike steps that made her heart slam against her rib cage. He was a predator, a man who literally had teeth and claws, but she trusted him with her life—and more, with Kyler’s life. And when her heart sped up, it wasn’t because she was afraid.

He stopped beside the bed. His gaze raked down her body, dark…hungry. Heat curled through her belly.

“Later,” he murmured. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Fine with me.” She held out a hand. His fingers closed around hers, but instead of joining her in the bed, he drew her to her feet.

“You’re not too tired?” He caressed her upper arms, and even that slight touch sent sensation jolting through her.

She pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat. He smelled of soap and warm, spicy male. “Not anymore.”

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