Chapter 24
“That’s not funny,” Marigold snapped at Gavin, though her hands were already moving over him, tracing the line of his ribs, skimming his shoulder, checking every mark. The bruises stood out stark against his skin, angry purples and reds. “I don’t like seeing you hurt.”
“It looks worse than it feels,” he promised, leading her gently around his SUV with infuriating calm as he popped the back hatch. A duffel was tucked inside, and he dug through it for a clean shirt and a pair of jeans.
Marigold pressed her lips together, torn between fussing and crying. “You scared me.”
His eyes softened, and he brushed a knuckle across her cheek. “I’m sorry, Goldie. But you were incredible back there. I saw you. Calm as you please, staring down a blast that could’ve flattened half this garage. You’re braver than you know.”
Heat rushed to her face, but she shook her head stubbornly, tugging at his arm so she could examine a bruise spreading over his bicep. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care when you get hurt.”
He chuckled low then leaned in to kiss the top of her head. “You can fuss all you want when we get home. I won’t complain.”
Her heart eased a little at his teasing tone, and she helped him tug his shirt over his head, wincing when the fabric brushed over his bruises.
Once he was dressed, he stepped away for a few minutes to talk to one of his security team.
Then, they climbed into the SUV and drove back through the city night.
By the time they reached the home they now shared, the shock had worn off, leaving only relief and a fierce need to remind herself he was truly all right. Bruised, but all right.
Inside the quiet warmth of their place, she pushed him gently onto the bed, her hands roaming carefully over every dark mark. She bent low, pressing soft kisses to each bruise, whispering against his skin. “I’m kissing you better…and better…and better.”
Gavin’s chuckle turned into a groan as he caught her close, his voice low with heat and tenderness. “Careful, Goldie. You keep that up, and I’m going to forget I’m supposed to be recovering.”
Marigold smiled against his skin, her heart light at last. “That’s the idea.”
Marigold kissed another bruise on Gavin’s chest, then another, her lips lingering longer each time. His skin was warm under her mouth, and the steady thud of his heart reassured her in ways words never could.
“You don’t have to do this,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her as she reached his hard cock, taking it in her hands.
“I do,” she whispered back, her lips brushing over the tip. “Because you’re mine. And because I almost lost you tonight.”
His hands slid into her hair, gentle but firm, tipping her head so he could meet her eyes. What she saw there made her breath catch. There was raw devotion, hunger, and a fierce protectiveness that matched her own.
Then she took him in her mouth, and he growled in a way that ignited an answering hunger inside her.
She gave him everything, making sure he enjoyed every minute of the treatment she was giving him.
She could tell by his deepening growls what he liked, and she gave him more of that until he could take no more.
Even bruised, he was still much stronger than anyone she’d ever known. Before she could finish him off, he lifted her up to lie at his side, then rolled them so that he was on top of her straining body. She was lit up with desire and wanted anything he was willing to give.
Marigold melted against him, her hands sliding over the solid strength of his body. Every bruise was proof of what he’d risked for her, and she wanted to erase the ache of each one with touch, with love. He growled softly against her mouth, as if he couldn’t bear even a breath of distance.
“You drive me wild, Goldie,” he murmured, his lips trailing down her jaw to the sensitive hollow of her throat.
Her laugh was breathless, turning into a sigh as his mouth found her pulse. “Then don’t stop.”
His injuries were forgotten in the blur of heat and urgency. Skin to skin, they came together in a rush of need that left Marigold gasping. Yet even in the frenzy of it, Gavin was careful, reverent, as if every touch was both worship and promise.
When he finally slid into her depths, the world fell away. The bruises, the danger, the shadows of her family’s past—none of it mattered. There was only Gavin, grounding her, filling her, loving her with every fierce, unyielding part of himself.
And when the storm crested, Marigold clung to him, whispering his name like a prayer, knowing with absolute certainty that this was where she belonged.
After, as they lay tangled together, Gavin stroked her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Whatever comes, we’ll face it together.”
Marigold smiled drowsily, her heart full. “Always.”
A while later, the room was quiet, the chaos of the day reduced to the soft rhythm of Gavin’s breathing beside her. They lay tangled together, his arm draped securely around her waist, his warmth soaking into her skin.
Marigold let her cheek rest against his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart. It was a sound she’d never take for granted. Especially not after what had happened in the parking garage.
“I used to think love was something for other people,” she whispered, surprising herself with the words. They slipped out into the dark, half-formed but true. “Not me. Not with where I came from. My family only taught me how to endure, not how to love or be loved.”
Gavin’s hand stroked through her hair, slow and patient. “You deserved so much better,” he said quietly.
Her throat tightened, but she pressed on, needing to give voice to the ache that had lived in her for so long.
“I don’t really remember much about my parents, except their deaths.
I know they were good to me, and they loved each other.
They stood up to the family and were murdered because of it.
And then I was just a prisoner. An orphan and a tool to be used.
Not loved. With them, it was always about power.
About who could use who. I don’t know if I even believed this,” she shifted slightly against him emphasizing their naked bodies pressed together in all the right places, “was even possible.”
Gavin tipped her chin up so their gazes met. “Goldie, you’re mine. Not as some prize or tool. You’re mine because I love you. Because I’d tear the world apart before I’d let anyone take you from me.”
Emotion swelled in her chest, sharp and sweet all at once. She blinked rapidly then smiled through the blur of tears. “You make me feel safe, and wanted. Like I finally belong.”
He kissed her softly, sealing the words with his touch. “That’s because you do. With me, with the Kinkaids. You’ve got a real family now. One that won’t ever betray you. One that will love you. Like you were supposed to be loved all along.”
Marigold tucked herself closer into his side, letting the truth of that sink in.
The shadows of the Rollins legacy still loomed large, but lying here in Gavin’s arms, she finally understood that she wasn’t bound by their darkness anymore.
Whatever battles lay ahead, she would face them not as a pawn of her bloodline, but as Marigold.
She was a Lightbringer, a mate, and a well-loved woman.
Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, gilding the room in soft gold. Marigold stirred against Gavin’s chest, the rise and fall of his breathing steady beneath her cheek. She felt rested, cocooned in warmth and safety.
“Mm,” Gavin rumbled, his voice still rough with sleep. “You keep looking at me like that, Goldie, I’m never getting out of this bed.”
She grinned, tracing a finger lightly across one of the fading bruises on his shoulder. “Maybe that’s the plan. Doctor’s orders. Rest, hydration, and plenty of Tender Loving Care.”
“TLC, huh?” His lips quirked into a smirk. “Pretty sure I got a healthy dose of that last night.”
Her face heated, but she swatted his chest anyway. “You know what I mean.”
“I do,” he said, catching her hand and kissing her fingers one by one. His eyes softened, the humor giving way to something deeper. “And I’m not complaining.”
The doorbell ringing startled her. Gavin sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “Guess lounging in bed all day isn’t in the cards.”
Reluctantly, Marigold pulled on a robe while Gavin tugged on sweats, and together, they padded to the front of the house. Gavin opened the door to find Sam standing there, a steady presence in jeans and a button-down, his Alpha aura filling the entryway without effort.
“Morning,” Sam said, giving them both a quick once-over. “You’re not going in today. That’s an order.”
Marigold blinked, startled. “Um…”
Sam raised a hand, cutting her off gently but firmly. “You were attacked in the garage of our own headquarters. That’s not something I take lightly. Your only job today is to heal, rest, and let us handle the fallout.”
Gavin inclined his head, but his tone was respectful. “Appreciate that, Alpha.”
Sam stepped inside, his presence grounding. “I’ve already asked Claudia to review every magical safeguard on our properties, starting with the office building. Too many layers were bypassed last night—mundane and magical both. That can’t happen again.”
Marigold’s chest tightened. “She’s going to fix them?”
“She’s going to take a look and let me know what she thinks,” Sam replied.
“I’ll be taking her on a tour of all our properties in the area, one by one, over the next few weeks.
Where we go from there depends on what she finds, but whatever the outcome of her audit, we’re going to have to make some changes.
Your young cousin exposed a vulnerability, and that has to be fixed, no matter what. ”
Relief trickled through Marigold, easing tension she hadn’t realized she was still carrying. Sam’s calm confidence was like a balm.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.