Page 59 of The Return
“Relax, Corey.”
That was easy for him to say. The person he loved was beside him on the couch, his hands folded in his lap.
“Matt, I want to go back to—”
“No.”
I glared at Kinsey. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. You’re not going anywhere. Alpha Brodie told me I needed to keep you here, and that’s exactly what I’m intending on doing.”
“Matt, I want to go back to town.”
It was a bad position to put Matt in, and I knew it.
“Corey, maybe you should—”
I thrust my hand out. “Then give me the goddamn keys, and I’ll drive back myself!”
“N-no, I’ll drive—”
Matt started to stand, but Kinsey reached out and grabbed his wrist. “No, you won’t. Jonas said you needed to stay here with us.”
I rose to my full, very unimpressive height. “Am I or am I not the Alpha Mate?”
“You are, but Alpha Brodie’s orders supersede yours.”
There was actual regret in Kinsey’s words. All I had to do was shut my mouth to hear them. I went and slumped beside Matt.
“I am so sorry,” I ground out. “I know you’re doing what you have to.”
Matt leaned in and gave me a hug. It was nice, but it wasn’t Jonas. Still, he was making an effort, so I had to be appreciative.
When the door opened, I was out of my seat before the footsteps sounded. I got to the door and wanted to burst into tears. Jonas was here, and I could tell he’d been beat to shit. There was bruises on his face, his clothes had burn holes in them, and his hair was matted with ash and water.
He’d never looked more beautiful to me than he did right then.
I jumped in his arms, and he grabbed me tight, burying his face in my neck.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I’m here.”
I couldn’t help the damned tears. “I thought…. I thought….”
Then came the shivers that coursed through me as all of the terrible images I’d had forced their way to the front of my mind. Every one of them ended with me standing by Jonas’s gravestone, missing out on the life we were building.
“Shh, everything is fine,” he soothed, as he stroked a hand down my back. “I swear, Core, you’re fine.”
“Me? I was worried about you!” I shouted, doing my best to pull away.
Jonas didn’t let me go, and he ignored my surge of anger. It took several minutes, but it finally began to leach out of me. Being held in Jonas’s arms helped more than anything.
“You stink,” I said.
“I know” came the soft reply as Jonas nuzzled my hair. “Did you take that bath?”
“I couldn’t. I was too worried.”
“How about if we take one together?”
