Trusted Bond

special, and yet everyone treated me like I was.
    Back in the car, I drove slowly up to the house and parked as far
    away as possible. It would have been different if it were just Logan there,
    but he wasn‘t. I would have to see everyone, answer a barrage of questions
    just to get to my bedroom. But there was no way around the inquisition, so
    I grabbed my duffel out of the back seat and headed for the porch. The
    wave of apprehension rolled over and through me, and I stopped as my
    vision blurred. Standing there in the warm night air, the summer breeze
    ruffling my hair and shirt, I was freezing.
    ―Jin.‖
    The voice I knew, his scent, his presence even at a distance making it
    hard for me to breathe. My body hurt, I was weary, and the man being
    there was going to make me break down, and they would all see. I
    wouldn‘t do that. I couldn‘t. Lifting my head, I forced a smile, trying to
    pull myself together. How the hell was I going to get upstairs in one piece
    instead of falling apart in front of everyone? Maybe if I ran.
    ―Come to me,‖ came his sharp command.
    I took a deep breath that hurt, every drop of strength I had channeled
    into not breaking down. It was his fault. I could be strong; I could be a
    rock as long as he wasn‘t there. But the second I saw him, I had the urge
    to be comforted, to lean and be cared for. I wanted to surrender.
    He came to me instead.
    He ran, and even as I saw the porch crowd with people, no one
    followed him. I swallowed hard, straightened, and waited as he stopped in
    front of me. Looking up into the honey-colored eyes of my mate made my
    heart hurt.
    36

    Mary Calmes

    ―Hi.‖
    His scowl was dark as he checked me over, finally lifting a hand to
    my cheek, the touch feather-light, impossibly tender and gentle. ―I missed
    you.‖
    I nodded, my voice gone, before I leaned into his hand, closing my
    eyes.
    His breath was warm on my face as his lips touched my forehead.
    ―I‘m so sorry.‖
    ―I allowed the man into my home, Jin, not you.‖
    ―You were asked to train him.‖
    ―And now I will kill him.‖
    My head snapped up, my eyes on his. ―Logan, please don‘t say––‖
    ―He put his hands on my mate––mine!‖ he roared. ―You belong to
    me, and he dared to touch you! I will tear him apart!‖
    I felt the tears on my lashes and tried to blink them away.
    ―You will not cry for fools, Jin. The choice was their own. Everyone
    knows you‘re mine. Everyone knows that you‘re my reah. They chose
    their fate when they followed Abbot‘s direction, and he chose to die when
    he put his hands on you.‖
    I shuddered there in front of him.
    ―Look at me.‖
    ―It doesn‘t hurt anymore,‖ I said to his wingtips.
    ―Look… at… me.‖
    I lifted my eyes back to his, saw the gold flecks in the amber depths.
    He growled in frustration before he grabbed me and hauled me up
    into his arms. ―I don‘t want to hurt… I can smell the blood and––‖
    I wrapped my arms and legs around him, burying my face in the side
    of his neck, breathing him in, knowing I was home and safe and loved.
    His hands clutched at me as he turned toward the house.
    ―Can we just… could it be only you and––‖
    ―Yes,‖ he assured me, his voice a deep rumble in his chest. ―Just us.‖
    I kept my eyes closed as he walked, heard the wooden planks of the
    porch creak under his feet, and then smelled something heavenly, some
    aroma wafting through the house from the kitchen, letting me know I was
    inside. But no one said my name, the look on Logan‘s face, I was sure,
    Trusted Bond

    37

    keeping everyone silent. I went boneless in his arms, enjoying being
    carried up the stairs to our bedroom.
    ―Here, love.‖
    Opening my eyes, I saw my room in a blur of warm brown tones as I
    was gently laid down on my bed. All the familiar sights, the smells, and
    the gorgeous man towering over me made my heart swell with emotion.
    ―Show me,‖ he whispered, and it was easy to see that I was not the
    only one struggling for control. The muscles working in his jaw, how
    clouded and dark his eyes were—my mate was a mess, and it was my
    fault.
    ―Promise me you won‘t do anything tonight. Promise me you‘ll stay
    here with me.‖
    He nodded, just barely.
    I drew the T-shirt over my head with a little difficulty, but he didn‘t
    bend to help. He just watched me. Unbuckling my belt, I unbuttoned my
    501s and eased them down so he could see the bruising on my right hip.
    He