Trusted Bond

be
    endless, or you‘re as strong now as you will ever be. But everyone else,
    they look at you, and just for a second, they‘re terrified.‖
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    Mary Calmes

    I studied his face, looking for a hint of fear.
    He arched an eyebrow for me.
    ―You know, you could be serious for, like, a second here.‖
    The shit-eating grin was back. ―I could do that, but then you‘d
    dissolve.‖
    And he was right, I would. I was waiting to lose it. I‘d killed two
    people. Yes, they were trying to kill my mate, but still, they were dead,
    and I was the one who had ended their lives. I was responsible. The third
    knew he couldn‘t escape me and so had decided to end his own life. It was
    me; I was the one who had put all the events in motion that killed two men
    and one woman.
    ―You reacted, Jin,‖ Logan said like he was reading my mind. ―You
    didn‘t send people to kill me; you protected me as the mate of a semel
    does.‖
    I shivered hard.
    ―You saved my life,‖ he told me. ―And when you defended me
    before, you didn‘t kill anyone, but this time you had no choice. Just like
    tomorrow, in the pit, I won‘t have a choice.‖
    My eyes locked on his.
    ―Sometimes the choices others make take ours from us. Do you
    understand?‖
    I nodded.
    ―Are you sure?‖
    I did. The assassins had come for my mate, and I had defended him.
    Men had violated Logan‘s home, and I had been hurt by some, kidnapped
    by others; they had to pay.
    ―Jin?‖
    ―I understand.‖
    ―Good.‖ His voice dropped low and husky. ―Let‘s sleep under the
    stars.‖
    He always knew what I needed.
    I dropped to my knees, shifted, and ran. He had promised to run with
    me over the sand beside the pyramids. And while I could not hold him to
    that promise, it felt good to run without cause. I was safe because of me
    and because of him. He could protect me, and I could do the same for him.
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    I felt the surge of joy roll through me.
    We ran over the grounds and out through the gate into the night. It
    wasn‘t fast, just easy, me following after him until I increased my speed to
    move in beside him. When Logan nipped at my shoulder, herding me up
    toward the rocks and a small stream, I bolted ahead of him.
    He tackled me, and we rolled together, finally coming to a stop in a
    warm pile of fur. As he had done earlier on the roof, he curled his bigger,
    muscular body around mine, and I purred deeply, contentedly, as he rested
    his head on my back, marking me with his scent. I never felt as safe as I
    did when my mate was wrapped around me. I was asleep in minutes.

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    Mary Calmes

    Chapter 14

    HE WAS quiet over breakfast the following morning.
    ―What‘s wrong?‖
    Quick head shake. Whatever it was, he wasn‘t quite ready to say.
    I had to eat, my body needing the protein, so I did. After a while, I
    noticed Logan looking at me instead of reading the newspaper.
    ―I had no idea you could read Arabic,‖ I said to make conversation,
    and plus it was kind of interesting. All these things I didn‘t know about
    him.
    He lifted the paper so I could read the words Wall Street Journal .
    ―Oh.‖
    His chuckle was deep. ―Crap. Prepare yourself.‖
    ―For what?‖
    ―Have you lost your fucking mind?‖
    I stood up fast, banging the table, jostling the things on it, smiling so
    wide my face hurt. As I turned, I saw Crane striding across the room
    toward me. He was mad, furious, and as always happened, his normally
    deep blue eyes darkened to sapphire.
    ―You fuck! How do you not come see me the second your ass gets
    back?‖
    I had a moment to brace for it before arms were around me,
    clutching me so tight I was sure he snapped ribs.
    ―For fuck‘s sake, Jin!‖
    I held on, my fingers digging into his back, my face in his shoulder
    as it had been so many times over the years, breathing him in, his anger
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    soothing me for reasons I never understood.
    The hug was hard, brutal, and I understood, like always, because it
    was Crane who knew all about my soul, that I was loved.
    ―Jin,‖ he said, and I felt the shudder run through him. ―Don‘t ever
    fuckin‘ do that to me again.‖
    Like I had been given a say in any of it. ―No,‖ I promised, easing
    back, looking at his face. The normally laughing blue eyes I knew looked
    so hurt, and I felt like crap even though it wasn‘t my fault. I wanted to see
    the lopsided grin, but he was biting his upper lip instead.
    ―What‘d you do to your