“I do, yeah, but surely you can understand why we might have wanted answers like yesterday,” Harper said to her. “I absolutely shit myself when I realized you were missing. Devon was in a blind panic. And Khloë went quiet, which is never good.”
“I answered your telepathic yells as soon as I regained consciousness,” said Raini.
“But you didn’t tell us what happened, which meant our imagination pretty much went wild,” said Khloë, whirling her fingers near the sides of her head.
Raini lifted her shoulders. “I was a little out of it when I first came around from the psychic blow,” she lied so smoothly and convincingly that his demon was rather impressed. “Maddox thought it’d be better if I conserved my energy—using telepathy wasn’t gonna do that.”
Harper snapped her mouth shut, unable to argue that.
Jolene went toe-to-toe with him. “I appreciate that your attention was somewhat divided earlier, considering you had halo-bearers to deal with and one hell of a mess to clean up,” she said, not sounding as though she truly appreciated it. “But you could have brought her to us after the battle was over.”
“I could have,” he granted, which appeared to take her off-guard.
“And yet, you didn’t.”
Maddox gave a lazy shrug. “I don’t particularly see why I should have.”
Jolene’s brow hiked up. “You don’t see why?”
“No. I see why you would have wanted me to do it, but this isn’t about you.” Maddox looked around the room. “It’s not about any of you except Raini. That seems to have gotten lost among your own anger and anxiety, which I don’t find an excuse.”
“Is that a fact?” asked Jolene.
“Yes, it is. Raini was plucked out of her place of work—somewhere very special to her, somewhere she’s always considered a haven—and tossed into a dangerous situation. I cared more about her state of mind and well-being than I did yours. I wanted her where I could see her; where I knew she was safe. And if she and I find ourselves in a situation like that again, I will do exactly the same thing. You’re her Prime, I understand that. But never expect me to put you or your rights before her, Jolene. It won’t ever happen.”
There was a long moment of silence, and then Jolene’s mouth curved into a smug smirk. “Good. It’s about time you stepped up.”
Letting out a relieved breath, Raini raked a hand through her hair. “Please tell me this means you two aren’t going to get into a—Dad, put the knife away.”
Lachlan turned wide innocent eyes on her. “Do I tell you what to do with your things? No.”
She inhaled through her nose, her fingers flexing. “Dad.”
He frowned and waved a dismissive hand. “Stop making a fuss over nothing.”
Sliding an arm around Raini’s shoulders, Evangeline gave her a little squeeze. “Relax, sweetheart, he’s not going to throw it.”
Raini looked at her. “You said that at Aunt Rissa’s birthday party. Twenty seconds later, my ex had a blade buried in his shoulder.”
“That was an accident,” said Lachlan. “I was aiming for the pinata.”
Raini let her head fall forward. “I’m done.”
It was another hour before people began to leave the penthouse. Eventually, only she and Maddox—who her father had apparently decided not to stab—were left.
“Jolene sensed there was more to the story, but she let it be,” he said.
Raini nodded, rubbing at her nape. “I was surprised she didn’t push.”
Maddox crossed to her. “She probably sensed it would do her no good.” He took her hand. “Come on.”
“Where are we going now?” Raini blinked as the world flashed white, and then they stood in a massive swanky hotel suite. Like the cathedral, it had a vaulted ceiling, broad beams, stained arched windows, and rough stone walls. The monastery, she thought. “Is this your room? Suite? Whatever?”
“Yes,” he replied, settling his hands on her hips.
The studious look on his face made her frown. “What?”
“I kept wondering why fate gave you to me. Now I know.”
Anchors were supposed to keep each other strong. Given that she could free him and his lair members from a haze … “Mystery solved.”
Cupping her chin, he swept the pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “Now that you know my secrets and I know yours, there’s no reason to hold back from the bond.”
Her heart jumped, and her demon went on full alert. The entity still wasn’t terribly pleased with him, but it did understand why he’d so far failed to officially claim Raini as his anchor. It would give him a chance to make it right if he was prepared to be the psi-mate they needed, not a half-assed one.
Raini bit her lip. “Are you sure you want to form the bond?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“If we were to do this, you wouldn’t be able to keep me compartmentalized from the other aspects of your life anymore. That’s not what it means to have an anchor.”