Page 76 of Primal Bonds

“Oh, Jace.” She closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

He jerked his head in acknowledgment. “Merry has to hide from the night fae. They have a thing about keeping their bloodlines pure. She’d be dead now if not for the Rock Run fada.”

“Oh, God.” Evie’s heart squeezed. She could only imagine how she’d feel if it were Kyler.

“It was almost nine years ago, but—” He looked away.

She touched his thigh. “You still miss her. Your sister.”

“Every fucking day. You asked about the tat.” He indicated the cat’s paw on his shoulder. “It’s in honor of Takira. Her jaguar was gold and black.”

She swallowed, and then scooted closer. Just touching him—thigh to thigh with her shoulder against his.

He slanted her a look. She’d thought he had a hard face, but now she knew him better, she saw there was something soulful about it, too—as if the hardness were a mask he wore to hide whatever was beneath.

He’s sad. Underneath, he’s sad and lonely. Evie didn’t know how she knew. She just did. He was still grieving—for his sister, his parents.

“If both her parents are dead, why doesn’t your niece live here?”

“When things went south, Takira took her family and disappeared. Merry was just four years old and she had to go into fucking hiding. And Takira”—his breath rasped in—“I never saw her again.”

“I’m so sorry.” She threaded her fingers through his.

“Anyway, after Takira was killed, Merry’s dad took her and ran, but the assassins found him, too. Merry was about five by then. Somehow she ended up in Grace Harbor with the Rock Run fada.” He shook his head. “I thought she died with her father. By the time we found her again, two years had passed and she thought of the woman who’d adopted her as her mom. I…” His throat worked. “I couldn’t take her away.”

Evie nodded. She understood, even agreed—but her heart hurt for him. To be forced to make such a choice…

“It’s for the best,” he said. “She’s got a family—a mom and a dad and a little sister and brother. And I get to see her every week or so. At least I know she’s alive, and happy.”

His hand clenched around hers. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it, heart hurting for him. “How old is she?”

“Thirteen. She’s frickin’ smart, too—and even prettier than her mom.” His voice rang with pride. “Her animal is a jaguar, like all the Joneses. And she’s all black like me—another black panther.”

“She sounds awesome.”

“She is.” He didn’t speak for a while, and she was about to say something when he grated, “For two years, I thought she was dead. Two fucking years.”

“Oh, Jace.” She hesitated, and then did what came instinctively—took him into her arms.

“Takira should’ve come to me, damn it. Why didn’t she come to me?” His voice was a harsh whisper against her neck. “Why did she run like that? She had to know I’d help her, no questions asked.”

“I don’t know.” She stroked his nape, heart breaking for him. “But if things were as bad as you say, maybe she thought it was better you didn’t know.”

He pulled away and stared down at his hands. “Or she just didn’t trust me.”

“Oh, Jace. Why would you say that?”

He lifted his head, his expression bleak. “Because I told her straight out not to mate with Silver.”

“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “I see.”

“I was a fucking ass. But I came around. I could see how much she loved Silver, and he would’ve done anything for her. And when I found out she was having Merry, I was so happy for her. She was such a cute cub—still is. So when Takira disappeared like that with no warning, what was I supposed to think?”

“Maybe she was protecting you. If you didn’t know where she was, you couldn’t be forced to tell anyone.”

His eyes flashed cat-green. “I wouldn’t have given her up to anyone.”

“Not even your alpha?”

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