Trusted Bond

was silent as his eyes moved over the still-healing gouges and cuts, the
    torn flesh, and the red-and-purple blotches that covered my chest and
    abdomen.
    ―It‘s not so bad anymore.‖
    He nodded, tipped his head for me to roll over. It was worse on the
    back. My bruised face with my black eye was already fading, but my sides
    where claws had sunk into my flesh still looked raw. As my face hit the
    pillow, I sighed deeply. The bed smelled like Logan, and I inhaled deeply,
    filling myself with him.
    The warm, callused hand slid down my spine, stopping on the small
    of my back, pressing down gently before making the return trip, settling in
    my hair, petting me.
    ―I‘m so tired.‖
    ―Then go to sleep.‖
    ―But I don‘t want you to leave.‖ I didn‘t trust him not to go kill
    someone if I wasn‘t awake to watch him.
    ―Love‖—his voice dropped low, deep and filled with gravel as he
    smoothed my hair back from my forehead—―I am not leaving your side.‖
    ―Promise?‖
    38

    Mary Calmes

    ―I promise,‖ he said, and I felt the soft lips pressed between my
    shoulder blades. ―Close your eyes. I can tell that you‘re barely holding
    on.‖
    ―Could you… just… for a minute.‖
    I heard him moving before the bed dipped behind me, and I rolled to
    my side so he could spoon around me. The heat rippling off the man made
    me shiver.
    ―Cold?‖
    ―No, just… you feel so good.‖
    ―You missed me.‖
    ―I should have gone like you asked.‖
    ―Yes.‖
    ―Sorry.‖
    ―There were reasons you stayed, and I agreed with all of them at the
    time, but I think we both understand that your entire life needs to be
    revaluated.‖
    I stiffened. ―Wait, what does that mean?‖
    ―So stubborn,‖ he breathed down the side of my neck. ―I am not
    telling you not to work or attend to your duties as reah, but there are
    considerations that will have to be met.‖
    ―I don‘t––‖
    ―Stop,‖ he soothed me, nuzzling my hair away from the back of my
    neck before he kissed the mark he had put there six months ago, the scar
    that proclaimed me the mate of a semel. ―Rest, just rest. Your body is
    trying so hard to heal and has not been able to as you have not felt safe
    enough to truly sleep.‖
    He knew me so well. I didn‘t feel safe anywhere. I slept in short
    spurts, always with the light on, afraid that if I let my guard down,
    someone would be there. If even my sheseru, even scary Yuri Kosa, had
    been unable to keep me from harm, how could I be safe alone? And even
    though I knew it was crazy, irrational, I was at the mercy of nightmares
    that would not let me go.
    ―I have you,‖ he said, his lips grazing my bare shoulder. ―You‘re
    mine.‖
    The shiver tore through me as I arched back against him, pressing
    my ass into his groin.
    Trusted Bond

    39

    ―Stop,‖ he said almost sadly, his breath warm on my ear. ―Your
    brain will explode if I do anything right now, so stop teasing.‖
    ―I had a very different homecoming planned,‖ I whimpered, unable
    to keep from rubbing up against him, my body in pain but also terribly
    needy and very hot.
    ―Christ,‖ he groaned, gripping my left hip tight to make me stop
    moving. ―Are you trying to kill me?‖
    ―You‘ve been gone so long,‖ I said, wriggling in tighter, trying to
    seat myself so that I could feel the bulge in his jeans against me.
    ―Jin.‖ His whisper was harsh, dangerous, and sent a current of need
    right to my groin. ―I don‘t think you realize that you smell like––‖
    ―I‘m wounded,‖ I said softly, my voice deep, ―and there‘s a part of
    you… the animal part… that likes that.‖
    ―Stop,‖ he scolded, burying his face in my hair. ―Just let me hold
    you and look at you. God, I don‘t even think I should be this close to
    you…. I bet you hurt all over.‖
    And he was right, I was in pain. My body was stiff and sore and
    tender to the touch, but being close to my mate… it was like being
    covered with a warm blanket on a cold day. I felt the heat rush through
    me, and it even reached the cold, hollow pit in my stomach.
    ―Jin?‖
    I rolled over, away from him, on my back, and looked up at him as
    he stared down at me with concern-clouded eyes.
    ―You‘ve got bruises all over you.‖
    ―Then be careful when you fuck me.‖
    His strangled groan made me smile. He was a beautiful, strong,
    powerful man, and he wanted me badly. I felt the surge of power ripple
    through me.
    ―Hey.‖
    He