28. Carter
Carter
M y heart is doing cartwheels. Somersaults. Fucking backflips .
MJ just told my mom off.
Told her to butt out. Told her sisters would claw her eyes if she came near again.
And then— like it was nothing —she called me her mate. Her mate.
I thought that alone would drop me to my knees.
But then, I told her I loved her.
And she smiled.
Not a polite smile.
Not a thanks but no thanks smile.
A real one. Bright. Soft. Hopeful.
Which means maybe— just maybe —she loves me back .
Fuck, I sure as hell hope so.
The rest of the night? A blur of dancing, food, and way too much noise. My drivers are tipsy, Uncle Uzzi is holding court like a sparkly, meddling dictator, and my mother stormed out hours ago with her pride bruised and her schemes blown up.
But none of that matters.
Because MJ is here.
In my arms.
And she hasn’t pushed me away.
We dance. We laugh. We bump shoulders with her sisters and their mates.
And every single second I have her pressed against me, every sway of her hips against mine, I know I’ll never survive losing her again.
Then— finally —her eyelids dip half-mast, those warm eyes gleaming brown and gold at the edges like they always do when the matebond hums strongest between us.
She leans close, her lips brushing my ear.
“Let’s get out of here,” she whispers.
I freeze. “You mean it?”
Her answering smile damn near kills me.
“I mean it, Carter. I think it’s time you and I were alone so we can talk. Don’t you? ”
Talk.
Sure.
I nod, because yes, I want that. I want to answer her questions, clear up every bit of confusion, and tell her a thousand times that she’s mine.
But hopefully? Talking isn’t the only thing we’ll be doing tonight.
My Lion rumbles in agreement, already pacing inside me, ready to show our Kitten exactly what forever feels like.
Her hand fits in mine like it’s been waiting for me all along.
I squeeze it gently, but inside, I’m a fucking mess—heart pounding, Lion pacing, desperate to get her upstairs before anything else ruins this night.
“Tony,” I bark over my shoulder, my voice gravelly. “Lock up when everyone’s gone.”
The Gorilla Shifter gives me a knowing grin. “Sure thing, boss.”
I don’t wait for more. I tug MJ toward the back of the garage, to the staircase that climbs up to my loft.
My private space. My den.
No one comes up here but me.
And it feels right because she is the only other person I want in my home.
Because she is my home.
The metal stairs creak under our steps, her heels clicking softly. My chest tightens with every sound, like each one is hammering home the truth.
This woman is walking into my life, my home, changing everything and making it better.
The loft is exactly what you’d expect from me—steel beams, wood floors, leather furniture.
Expensive, sleek, masculine.
Big open windows, high ceilings, a kitchen I barely use, and a bed that suddenly feels far too small for what I want with her.
And yet—if she wants it gutted, redone, painted pink and covered in glitter, I’ll do it.
I’ll tear the place down to the studs if it means making her happy.
I turn to face her, my throat tight.
“I meant every word, MJ,” I say, voice rough with all the emotions clawing at me.
“I know I was reluctant when I signed up for Date to Mate. I mean, it was more or less on a dare. I just wasn’t expecting you,” I confess.
“You just wanted a friend,” she whispers.
“I thought I did, but now that I met you, I know you are it for me . And I’m sorry it took me so long to come around to admitting it. But I mean it when I say I love you,” I tell her, willing her to believe.
“You do?”
“I do, Kitten. So fucking much. You’re my mate. My Lion knows it. I know it. And that night, when I bit you, fuck, it wasn’t supposed to be like that. I didn’t mean to just claim you. I wanted to ask you first.”
I’m tripping over the words, too fast, too desperate.
My palms are sweating.
My chest is tight.
But then— she smiles .
That gorgeous, devastating, life-altering smile.
“I think I understand now, Carter,” she says softly, her eyes shining. “And I love you too. Now show me how much you love me.”
And just like that— everything inside me breaks.
“Thank fuck. I love you so much, Kitten.”
Our lips crash together, a collision course of passion and desperation.
My hands are already everywhere— tangling in her curls, sliding down her back, gripping her ass to haul her tight against me.
Her body presses into mine, soft and perfect, and I’m hardly aware of anything else as I strip us bare in a frenzy of claws and tearing fabric.
All I know is the feel of her warm skin against mine, the way her moan vibrates through my mouth, the way my Lion roars in triumph because she said it— she loves me.
And now, I’m going to show her exactly what that means.