Page 58 of Crush's Fall

Bullet snorted. “You won’t call Mom. If you did, she’d demand you bring him over, like she’s been doing since she found out about him. You won’t risk having that conversationagain.”

“Okay.” She shrugged. “I’ll tellButterflyyou won’t congratulate him. How do you think your mate would feel if I told her you won’t give my mate the same respect that I willingly gave her?”

Scoffing, Bullet crossed his arms over his chest. “When I metmy mate, she wasn’t our enemy.”

Crush crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. “When you metyour mate, she pointed a gun at you. I would have had every right to hate her, but I gave her a chance, which is all I’m asking you to do.”

Fuck.She was right. His tiger was snarling and pacing inside of him, irritated that he was going to have to do what she wanted.

“Fine.” Crush turned around and called out, “Butterf—”

Bullet silenced her with a hand over her mouth and growled into her ear. “Fucking fine, you brat. I’ll congratulate your damn mate.” He dropped his hand as his sister turned and smiled up at him.

“Thanks, Bull. You’re the best.”

Rolling his eyes, Bullet crossed the room to the bar where Lucifer was doing shots with a few of the Ol’ Ladies. “Lucifer,” he said, trying to get the man’s attention.

After throwing back another shot of what looked like vodka, Lucifer spun around on the bar stool and met Bullet’s stare. “Hey, bro-in-law. What’s up?”

The title grated on Bullet’s nerves, increasing the snarling of his tiger, but he shoved it down. “Just wanted to say… congratulations.”

Lucifer chuckled. “Crush make you tuck your tail and come tell me that?”

Bullet took a deep breath, telling himself that killing his sister’s mate wouldn’t do anyone any good.

“It’s okay that you caved. Thanks, man.” Lucifer patted him on the shoulder and turned back around.

Telling himself and his tiger that beating the hell out of the man wouldn’t be worth it either, Bullet stormed away from the dickhead. When he reached the table where Trip and Dragon were sitting, he saw the grins on their faces.

As he took his seat, he uttered, “Fuck you both.”

Crush

Laying in bed that night, Crush felt Lucifer’s fingers drawing shapes on the side of her neck. “What are you doing?”

From behind her, he pressed his lips to the spot his fingers had been caressing. “Is this where you’re getting it?”

“Getting what?” She turned her head enough to look back at him.

“My name tatted.”

“That’s a Howler tradition,” she replied, and rolled over to face him.

He slid his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Okay. It doesn’t have to be your neck, but I would like something.”

Crush studied his face and was shocked to see a bit of shyness and vulnerability in the way he wouldn’t meet her gaze, instead he kept his eyes on her shoulder.

“It means that much to you?”

He shrugged.

“Lucy.” When his eyes finally met hers, she repeated, “It means that much to you?”

He swallowed hard but nodded. “Yeah, but I won’t try to force you.”

“How about here?” She leaned back enough to put her fingertips to her skin above her left breast. “I’ll get a tattoo that saysMaverick.” She then gripped his arm and pulled it from around her. Taking his hand, she put it to her inner thigh. “Here… there’s where I’ll getProperty of Lucifer. That work for you?”

The groan that came from him was guttural. He shoved her to her back and was inside of her before she could take a full breath.

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