Page 162 of Shifting Hearts 1
Yes, I realize now that the reason I pushed her away was jealousy and not because I wanted to be alone. I have never felt more fulfilled and whole than I do when I hear pleasurable cries fall from her lips.
This woman owns me, heart and soul, and even when she has peered into the dark corners of my mind, she isn’t repelled by my true nature. She forges forward and fights for what she wants, even if it means sacrificing herself for love. Or the love of a child.
“You are thinking too hard. Why don’t you just ask me to stay and assure me that we can keep Maddy? It’s the only way that you are going to get what you want.”
Her tone is coy, but I know this is something that she needs to hear from my lips.
“Stay with me, always. I need you, and in case you haven’t realized, you need me too. Together, we will be an unstoppable force.”
“Is that the only reason why you want to be with me? So, you can retain your powers?”
I grab her hand when she wants to turn away and pull her closer to me. “No, I need you because together we are whole. You are my fated mate, and that is the greatest love of all. I will never be complete without you.”
She wraps her arms around my body, leaning her head on my shoulder before she softly states, “I didn’t understand it, but I must have yearned to belong to you from the beginning. I felt a strange attraction to you and didn’t just give myself to you to save Alexi. I wanted to be yours.”
I gather her in my arms and press gentle kisses on her hair.
“You are mine. Nothing and no one will change that, and I don’t care what I need to do to prove to you that I love you. I’ll do it.”
She releases me with a jolt and steps back. “You love me?”
I chuckle. “Of course, I do,mi pequeña vibora.And there is more than enough space in my heart to love Alexi with just as much fervor as you have shown. You two will never feel unwanted again. From this day on, you will have the happy home you always wanted.”
“How did you know?” she breathes out.
“I might not be the mind reader, but I know what you need. I can feel it in my scales.”
“And you are going to give it to me?”
I kiss her gently and whisper against her lips, “That and so much more, my little viper. You can never be loved the way you need by anyone but me.”
“Strong promises from someone I needed to hypnotize to sleep with me.”
I throw my head back and bark out a devastating laugh. “You can never hypnotize your own kind, my love. Is that what you thought happened?”
With her mouth agape and her delicate hand slapping my shoulder, she exhales, “Of course, I did. You made me think so. And if you knew what I was attempting to do, why didn’t you tell me?”
“And miss out on the opportunity to have a woman who wants me in my bed? Tell me another one, love.”
She giggles, and suddenly a force shakes both of us. I look down to see Alexi’s arms thrown around both of us, and her cheek pressed against my leg. “Thank you so much for coming to get me. Are we going home with Alejandro now?”
I look up to see Maddy’s questioning gaze fixated on me before I simply say, “Yes, little one. I am going to take you home, and I will never let you go ever again.
SIXTEEN
Maddy
Just as expected, Alejandro’s aunt took in all the kidnapped women and children. Once they had all been cared for and their wounds and bruises tended to, she made sure to get them home. For those who had nowhere to go, she arranged shelter and a new start.
The cartel might have been infamous for all their wrongdoings, but this woman certainly showed a kinder, gentler side of the cartel as well.
They also welcomed Alexi with open arms, and she was immediately accepted into the family. Overwhelmed by all the love and attention, she pulled me aside one Sunday afternoon after a family lunch and asked to talk to me.
When I kneeled down to her level, she kissed me on the cheek and announced that she was going to call me 'mommy' from now on. And Alejandro would be ‘daddy.’ She simply skipped away after the revelation, leaving me reeling in the foyer.
That is where Alejandro found me, still on my knees.
“Viper, are you coming? Everyone is waiting for you.”
