CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Saylor
“That Jagger guy was a dead lead,” Sage explains, his biceps flexing as he crosses his arms over his chest. We’re at my house having a family dinner. I’ve cooked a big roast beef with all their favorite sides, and we’re sitting around my table catching each other up on everything.
“Why did Laurel tell me to find him then?” I ask, frowning with my fork in my hand. “Is he alive?”
“He is,” Salem replies as he takes a big bite of the beef. “Since Laurel mentioned him in her vision, we didn’t want to mess with the future by killing him.”
“That was very mature of you, Salem,” I compliment. Maybe he’s ready to go back to work.
“It was my idea. Salem wanted to kill him but had to make do with a little torture.” Silver smirks, sitting back in his chair with one arm resting on the empty chair next to him. Okay, maybe he’s not ready to go back to work. “I thought you’d have invited your mate for family dinner.”
“Having a mate doesn’t have to be my whole personality,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “Is it a crime to want some one-on-one time with my brothers?”
All of them start laughing, and I scowl, knowing they are being rude and mind linking with each other.
“I told you guys not to do that around me!” I pout, feeling left out, as usual. I can only mind link with them in our wolf form, just like any other wolf shifter can with their pack. The fact that they can mind link in this form is rare, and something I believe might be due to them being triplets.
“Sorry,” Silver replies in a cheerful tone.
“I’m surprised he let you go. If you were my mate, I’d tie you to the bed,” Salem says casually.
“Let me?” I seethe, wishing not for the first time that I had sisters.
“He pissed you off, didn’t he?” Sage chuckles. “What did he do? If he touched another female, he’s a dead demon walking.”
“Or maybe she pissed him off by letting one of the captives in his castle free,” Salem adds, eyebrows rising in amusement.”
“You snitch!” I snap.
“What?” Silver asks, his light-green eyes widening. I always wished I got their eyes. I’m the only one who got the brown. “Who did you set free?”
“How many captives do they have?” Sage asks, his brow furrowing.
“It was Milana. She’s August’s mate but hates him. So he’s been keeping her locked there in a bedroom,” I explain, wincing.
Silver whistles, shaking his head. “You didn’t even wait a few weeks before showing your true self.”
I gasp. “I’m not hiding who I am. He wanted to bond with me. Now, he can deal with it!”
“What did he do when he found out?” Salem asks, suddenly scowling. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Because I will shift and rip him the fuck apart.”
“No, he didn’t do anything. In fact, he didn’t even yell at me. He was kind, patient, and—”
“Then why didn’t you bring him to our family dinner?” Sage asks, studying me through his long, dark lashes.
“I’m wondering the exact same thing,” Bane says, leaning against the kitchen wall with his arms crossed and a dark expression on his face.
Shit.
I didn’t tell him about the dinner. All I said was that I was going home for the night and I’d see him tomorrow.
“What are you doing here?” I ask in a soft tone, not knowing what else to say.
“I came to make sure you were okay,” he replies, a muscle working in his jaw. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re not,” Silver replies, nodding to the free seat next to him. “Come join us.”
Bane doesn’t look away from me, only accepting the offer when I nod at him. Last night, after we dropped Shadow’s gold chain off to Soren, we spent the whole night making love. He worshiped my body, and I returned the favor. But when I woke up this morning, I was feeling a little off. I spent a lazy day in bed while Bane trained with his weapons with his brothers, and by the time I got up, I had some lunch with him and then told him I’d be spending the night at home.
I can’t hold the Astrid thing against him. I mean, come on, I actually did sleep with Rave, and I know it’s unfair. Whatever he did before me is his business, in theory. This morning wasn’t about that, though. I was just in a mood and wanted some time alone.
I’m glad he’s here, though. I should have invited him tonight instead of falling into the trap of my usual avoidant style. This is my fated mate, not a random hookup, and I can’t ignore him when the mood strikes.
“Help yourself… there’s heaps of food,” I say, leaning over the table to pour him a glass of wine.
“Thank you,” he replies, his tongue running over his bottom lip.
“So, what is everyone’s favorite thing that happened this week?” Silver asks, making the rest of us groan.
I look at Bane. “It’s something our mother made us do at every dinner time. We’ve carried on the tradition every time we eat together.”
His eyes soften, he picks up his plate and serves himself a little bit of everything.
“I killed more men than Sage did this week,” Silver boasts like he’s just been waiting for his moment to brag about it.
Sage’s lips tighten. “You just got lucky this time. My favorite thing that happened this week was when Saylor got mated, and now when she does impulsive shit like letting out prisoners, I don’t have to stress anymore.” He smiles at me widely until I throw a bread roll at his head.
Bane simply laughs a deep, low sound that has my nipples getting hard.
“My favorite thing was the strawberry cheesecake that Saylor made me.” Salem grins, flashing his straight white teeth.
“You made him a cake?” Bane asks, eyebrows raising.
“Yeah, and her cakes are the best,” Salem adds, making me smile.
Bane starts eating the food, his eyes widening when he takes his first bite. “Wait a minute, who made this?”
“Saylor did,” Silver replies, confusion etched on his brow. “Hasn’t she cooked for you?”
“I thought she couldn’t cook,” he replies, and I then remember I told Axe that.
Sage turns back to me and laughs, his broad shoulders shaking. “Fuck, you told him you couldn’t cook? That’s cold, baby sis.”
“I didn’t tell him that.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “I told Axe that when he asked because he was being nosey. And you know what I always say, ‘Don’t let a man know you can cook.’ ”
“Or he will hire you for free,” all my brothers say in a chorus together.
Instead of being angry, Bane laughs, his eyes lighting up as they stay on me. “This is delicious, Sunshine.”
“You call her Sunshine? I would have chosen something more appropriate like angry lightning bolt,” Sage unhelpfully adds.
“Ice-cold rain,” Silver adds, laughing to himself.
“Humid air that makes you uncomfortable,” Salem suggests with a serious face.
These assholes!
I throw bread rolls at all of them.
Sage’s gets him right on the forehead.
“We tried to raise her better, we really did,” Silver murmurs, shaking his head.
But the grin on his face gives him away.
“She’s perfect,” Bane replies, his smile and voice gentle. But then he turns to my brothers, and his voice turns to steel. “But any of you call her any of those names again, and I’m going to make sure a raincloud sits above your houses for the next month. She’s sunshine. That’s all she fucking is.”
And now I’m the one grinning.
Later, I realize I didn’t even get to say what my favorite thing was, with my brothers not letting me get a damn word in.
But I know what I was going to say.
Bane.