Blowing out a breath, he nodded, trying to push back the frustration. “I know. It’s been pissing me off, and the angrier I get, the more I feel even the small niggling I have slip away. But it’s so important that I figure this out. Your lives, and the life of my mate, could depend on this info.”
“I know it’s hard, but try to stop worrying about us. Yeah, we’re standing between you and this asshole and that makes us targets, but it’s you he’s focused on. It’s you he’s trying to kill. And you know us Enforcers can take care of ourselves.” He turned to look at Tarun, a contemplative look in his dark blue eyes. “And I know it’s impossible, but try not to worry about so much about your mate. She’s fierce. I’m not often surprised by people, but I am by her. Don’t underestimate her.”
Luke’s lips quirked as he nodded. “I’m slowly learning not to. She’s surprised the hell out of me, too. She’s something else.”
“That she is. I get the feeling y’all haven’t really talked about it yet, but for what it’s worth, she has a place with the Enforcers if she really wants one. I wasn’t kidding about that. Like I said, she’s fierce, and her gift, while not always consistent, is one I wouldn’t mind having around. Don’t dismiss her request out of hand. Give it some thought.”
The idea of Tarun becoming an Enforcer felt like a double edged sword. On one hand, it meant that he could stay an Enforcer. Not only that, but when he left on missions, he wouldn’t be leaving her behind—he could take her with him. They never needed to be apart.
On the other, it put her in more danger. As her mate, protecting her, keeping her safe, wasn’t just his job—it was a need inside him he was compelled to fulfill.
But Blake was right. She kept surprising him with how amazingly strong she was, how fierce she was. He’d underestimated her before, and he didn’t want to do that again.
Because of that, when they set down to talk about it, he’d listen with an open mind, and he’d definitely take her wants into consideration. He wouldn’t blow her off or immediately say no. He was going to listen to her and talk it through with her. Make sure she knew what she’d be getting herself into, and if it was still something she wanted, well—it went against his nature to let her put herself in danger, but it went against his nature to deny her something she really wanted, too.
He idly glanced over at her and then did a doubletake, his eyes narrowing. “What the fuck? Tarun, what the hell are you doing? Damara, are you nuts?”
His mate glanced over at him from where she was sitting on the back of Damara’s bike, revving the engine. She threw him a wink that had him fighting to keep the scowl on his face.
Dammit, he really could deny her nothing.
But he could sure as fuck try to talk her out of shit.
He wore determination like a second skin as he marched over to her, ready to remind her just how amazing it was when they rode on his bike together.
If common sense and pointing the dangers of shit out to her didn’t work, there was always seduction to fall back on.
Tarun yawned, stretching against Luke as she slowly woke up. Blinking her eyes open, she looked around their room. The quality of the sunlight filtering into the room looked like early morning rays, and she wondered what had woken her up. Something had, because they’d gone to bed pretty late last night, and she thought they’d sleep in.
Her eyes were beginning to slide shut again when her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she sighed as she realized that was what woke her up. Leaning up, she suppressed a groan as she saw her brother’s name. She wasn’t sure she was awake enough to deal with him, especially if he’d found about the fight with the shifters.
Thankful she’d put it on vibrate last night and she wouldn’t wake up Luke, she eased out from under his arm. They’d both been exhausted last night, but she thought he was even more so than her, and he needed his sleep.
Standing up, she picked her phone up just as the call ended. A moment later, it buzzed again, and she frowned. It had to be important for Jameson to call her constantly like that.
“Hey, babe. What’s going on?”
Shit. She’d woken Luke up anyway. Turning, she smiled at him. “It’s nothing. Just Jamie calling. Go back to sleep. I’ll go out in the hall to talk to him.”
Shaking his head, he ran his hand through his hair and sat up, the covers falling to his waist. “No, it’s okay. I’m awake. You can talk to him in here.”
Swallowing hard, she ran an appreciative gaze over his bare torso before sighing, pressing her thumb to the screen and accepting the call. “Hey, Jamie. What’s up? It’s pretty early.”
“Hey, sis. It’s eight. Not too early, lazybones.”
Rolling her eyes, she turned, walking through the room and trying to wake up more. “Yeah, yeah. What’s going on? Something is, judging by the amount of times you called.”
“Would you consider coming home?”
She frowned, shaking her head even though he couldn’t see her. “Jamie, Luke’s my mate. This is his home. It’s mine now, too. Besides, my presence is helping with the threat, and being his mate hasn’t changed that. If anything, it makes me want to stay even more. I’ve told you all this before.”
“I was afraid of that answer. I knew you were going to say it, but I had to try.”
Her feet stilled as
she came to a stop in front of the window, her frown deepening. “What’s going on? Something has to be. You’ve known he’s my mate and I planned to stay for a couple days now. Something’s changed. What is it?”
“Fuck. Okay. You know Jessica, and the whole shitstorm that went down with her, right? What she truly is?”