Chapter 34
Stryker
As I pull into the clinic’s parking lot, I catch a glimpse of my wrist and a fresh wave of satisfaction puts a smile on my face despite running on two hours of sleep.
The second wind from that sleep deprivation is definitely a part of the reason for the pep in my step, but it’s the permanent claiming mark that has me riding a high I doubt I’ll ever come down from.
Kiara Sterling is all mine. Well, ours, but whatever. I gained two brothers that I can actually trust, which is only a bonus. Kiara has been my center for less than a day, and my new family is already settling into place with her at the heart.
I really don’t understand why my parents stayed a bonded pair. There’s something incredibly comforting about having built-in brothers in arms to protect our mate that love her as much as I do.
“Are you always a morning person, or is it just getting your dick sucked that has you so chipper today?” Kiara asks, inhaling her second cup of coffee as I open her door.
“Both, actually. Thanks again for that.”
She snorts, taking my hand and hopping out of the truck. “My pleasure.”
I wrap an arm around her shoulders, holding her close and helping combat the wind as we round the building. Only to pull to a dead stop when I see some guy all keyed up, pacing and running his hand through his silver hair, blocking our path to the front door.
“Havoc?” she asks, surprised.
“Kiara, thank god.” He sighs with obvious relief, striding over. “Where have you been? I waited at your house for hours last night, but you never came home. Ever hadn’t heard from you either, and Arson and I spent half the night scouring the city!”
He finally acknowledges me, and if looks could kill, I’d be dead three times over. “Who’s this asshole?”
I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Sounds like the only asshole around here is you.”
Kiara sighs. “Havoc, this is Stryker. My,” she straightens to her full height, “my mate.”
“And future husband.” Gotta pounce on that before one of the others thinks about it.
Bondmates might all have equal claim to their center, but unfortunately, we’re stuck living in a human-dominated world that only legally recognizes a marriage as between two people.
And I need to make sure Kiara’s protected if the worst happens.
“You?” I ask casually, even though I’ve already put two and two together. But as much as I encouraged Kiara to give the guy a second chance, that doesn’t mean I’m not still annoyed at him for being an idiot and hurting my girl.
His ice blue eyes flash with murder. “Her fated mate.”
“Ahh. Well, in that case.” I extend my hand. “Stryker Thorn.” Havoc takes it and instantly jerks, yanking his hand away as I zap him with a low burst of electricity. “Oops,” I deadpan. “Sorry about that, it gets away from me sometimes.”
He growls, silver mist pouring off of him as he prepares to retaliate, but Kiara cuts him off before things can escalate. “Vic, stand down. I don’t live there anymore.”
And just like that, he’s back to pretending I don’t exist, his attention locked onto Kiara.
Honestly, it’s a little impressive, as much as it’s mildly insulting how easily he dismisses me as not a threat.
Can’t really blame the guy for giving her his undivided attention, though; means there’s hope for him yet.
“They evicted you?” he demands. “That shady fucking fae. I swear, I’ll-”
She cuts him off, “No, I sold it.”
That stops his fury in its tracks. “What? Why?”
With a weary sigh, she unlocks the front door to the clinic as she fills him in on her decision.
He grabs her arm to stop her before she can enter, and I move to step in before she gives me a subtle sign to let her handle it.
I don’t like it, but I respect her enough to listen.
He’s not hurting her, or even holding her hard enough to stop her from shaking him off if she wanted to, otherwise I wouldn’t be this patient.
Havoc takes a deep breath, eyes closed, and centers himself before saying, “I never rejected you, Kiara, we were sabotaged. I don’t know who, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not going anywhere. If you need me to grovel, I’ll get on my knees here and now.”
A snort slips out before I can stop it. “Good luck getting up though, old man.”
Tension fills the air as he visualizes my murder, but in my mind, he’s not six feet under. He’s shuffling around on his knees chasing after my mate begging her to give him a second chance. Honestly, it’s a great visual; especially when he gets a crick in his hip and falls on his face.
In a perfect world.
“Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t care that you didn’t reject Kiara; she thought you did.
All the pain she went through was real, even if it stemmed from miscommunication on both ends.
What I don’t understand is how you stayed away so long knowing she was a center living in a town with men desperate for mates. ”
“Because I was busy hunting down everyone that might use her to hurt me,” he snaps. “And now that the worst threat knows where she is, there’s no reason to keep my distance.”
My heart skips a beat. “What threat?”
For the next five minutes he fills me in about the King of Carnage, and my blood pressure goes up with each passing second.
Of my center’s bondmates, one’s feral, one’s unhinged, another’s bringing a serial killer into the mix, and then there’s my brother that tried to kidnap her just to fuck with me.
Poor Kiara. She drew the short straw on the mate front.
Nope, not going to accept that. Life sucks for everybody, but at least we’re in this shit together. And if that means Havoc and I have to work together to keep her safe? Then better to work with him than against him. Kiara’s safety comes before any of our baggage. We can work out the kinks later.
“Where are you staying then?” he asks, and I share a look with Kiara, hesitant.
“Devlin made a big thing about the three of us being the first people he’s ever allowed in his personal space,” Kiara says hesitantly, “and I really need to talk it over with him before giving out his address.”
It’s obviously a punch to the gut for the guy, but to his credit, he takes it in stride and nods.
Taking a deep breath, Havoc asks her, “What do you need from me right now? Not what you think you should want, or what anyone else is telling you. I know we had a rocky start, but I’ve always been on your side.
So between you and me, what would help you sleep easier tonight? ”
Kiara mulls it over for a long minute. “Your number.”
He looks like that statement knocked the wind out of him, and it takes him a second to pull himself together and extend his hand for her phone with a sad smile. “We really are starting from the beginning, aren’t we? I forget sometimes that I’ve been in this relationship far longer than you.”
He puts his number in her phone and hands it back. “Text me any time, day or night. And if you need me?” He holds her hand and gaze captive. “You call. Promise me, Kiara.”
Shakily, she nods.
“Say the words, princess,” he commands.
She swallows roughly. “If I’m in trouble, I’ll call you.”
“If you need anything, you’ll call me,” he emphasizes.
She shrugs. “You say that until I’m tipsy and craving donuts.”
He chuckles a dark sound. “That’s not a threat.
If you’re drunk and seek me out? It’s because I’m doing my job and you subconsciously know that I’ll come through.
So call me at two in the morning for a ride home, or when you wake up wanting a breakfast date.
When you’re feeling upset and need someone to vent to, or simply don’t want to be alone.
I’ll always answer when you call, beautiful, because nothing is more important than you knowing I’ll always be there when you need me. ”
And that cements it for me. I know Kiara is still guarded when it comes to Havoc, but the spirit behind his heated declaration told me everything I needed to know.
He loves her. And that’s good enough for me.
Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Kiara avoids his gaze. “Sooooo, where do we go from here?” And it sparks an idea.
“Put him to work. The two of you can spend some time reconnecting today, then tonight we can all have dinner.”
Havoc takes the olive branch and nods once. “My treat. It’ll give me a chance to get to know your,” he looks like he bit into a lemon as he says, “other bondmates.”
She agrees, but points out, “Zayd shouldn’t risk going out in public, though.
He may be getting better, but is still struggling, and we saw how quickly he can backslide after that conversation about his sister.
And even if Devlin is on board, the cabin isn’t really…
built for company.” Her grimace matches mine as I picture the first floor.
One glance at that, I wouldn’t even blame Havoc for dragging her off somewhere that doesn’t look like it should be condemned, and we can’t exactly show him the sub level until Devlin signs off on him.
“How about your old house?” I suggest. “Most of the furniture is still there, then after dinner we can finish packing up whatever’s left. But honestly, after seeing Devlin’s place, I think the heavy stuff is staying behind.”
“That’s a great idea” she agrees, looking relieved, and I feel ten feet tall.
With a lingering kiss goodbye, I whisper against her lips, “I’m only a text away if he does something stupid again.”
She laughs, and I soak up the sound to get me through the rest of the day. Because I may not know how to be the perfect mate, but I’m determined to learn how to be exactly what Kiara needs. And if that means I spend the next eight hours parked down the block just in case she needs me?
Then it’s a good thing I put up those cameras in the clinic to keep me busy.