“I’m clear. Ready?”
“Just a sec.” Reaching behind his neck, he unclasped the pendant and walked to Mac, fastening it around hers once more. “There. Now I’m ready.”
Having possession of the blessed disk again brought back the horrid dream she’d had about Malik a short time ago—and Malik’s equally horrible revelation. Guilt speared her anew at keeping it from Kalen, but he didn’t need that stress on top of everything else he was facing. Later, she’d tell him of the nightmare.
On the way back to her apartment, they met up with Ryon. The blond waved at Kalen and they stopped.
“Hey, you all right?” the wolf asked Kalen.
“Yeah, I’ll live.” The Sorcerer looked uncomfortable. “Listen, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, but there hasn’t been a good time.”
“What about?” He eyed Kalen curiously.
“I have a confession to make. It’s about what happened in the dining room.”
Ryon frowned. “The dining room? Oh. You mean when that spirit attacked me. What about it?”
“I caused it,” Kalen confessed, looking ashamed. “It was me.”
“What?” Ryon glanced between Mac and Kalen. “How?”
“With my magic. I’m so sorry.”
His jaw dropped. “Are you shitting me? Why would you do something like that?”
“I gave in to Malik’s influence. He wanted me to practice honing my darkness. I’m so sorry.”
“Christ, that’s jacked up.” Ryon ran a hand down his face.
“I know. Please, forgive me. I’m trying so hard to beat this thing, but it’s not easy. For what it’s worth, I’m trying and I really am sick about what I did to you.”
Ryon fell silent for a minute, visibly struggling with accepting the apology. But then he sighed, relaxing some. “Accepted. I appreciate you telling me. But if it happens again, to me or anyone else, and I find out it was you, I’ll kick your ass.”
“Fair enough.”
After shaking Kalen’s hand, Ryon went on his way, strolling as though he didn’t have a care. Mac stared after him for a moment, thinking he was a good guy. He deserved a fabulous woman. But then, all of the guys did.
She turned back to Kalen. “I know that wasn’t easy. I’m proud of you.”
“It wasn’t, but it needed to be done.”
They continued in companionable silence to her quarters, Kalen sans his shredded T-shirt, his leather duster slung over one arm. When she let them in to her comfy apartment, he laid the coat over a chair.
“Is there a story behind that thing?” she asked curiously. “You never go anywhere without it.”
“Everything has a story,” he replied with a small grin. “I won it in a poker game on my twenty-first birthday. Took it right off a rich dude’s back after I laid down a royal flush. Only time in my life I ever wished I’d bet more.”
“What would he have gotten if you had lost?”
“Me in his bed for the night.” His smile turned sad. “I didn’t have anything else to wager.”
She wanted to cry for the lost young man he’d been. “But you’re a Sorcerer. Why didn’t you just use your magic to win? To get whatever you wanted or needed out of life?”
“Because I’m many things, plenty of them not good, but I’m not a cheater, baby. My grandma raised me better. Besides, if I had given in to that temptation every time I was in a tough spot, I’d be just as selfish and evil as Malik by now.”
“I’m sorry,” she said contritely.
“Don’t be. It’s a perfectly understandable question anyone would ask.” Closing the distance between them, he pulled her flush against his hard body. “What matters is that I survived. I’m here now, and this ass belongs to you.”
A delicious little thrill zinged through her, arousing her past the point of no return. She had zero willpower where her mate was concerned. “Is that so? You won’t mind if I take advantage of an injured man?”
He took her lips in a passionate kiss that left her breathless. “If you don’t take advantage of me and fast, the disappointment might set back my recovery.”
“Well, we can’t have that!”
Taking her mate’s hand, she led him into her bedroom. Right where she wanted him. They stood looking at each other for several heartbeats. The desire building, the flames banking. His gaze was hot, full of need, making her feel like the most beautiful and desired woman in the world.
“I’m so sorry about how our last time together ended. I stormed out without trying to understand your side, letting you explain—”
“Shh. It’s over, sweetheart. My mate. Let’s move on, together.”
“I can’t think of anything I’d love more.” She paused, took a breath. “I want you to claim me again. This time because we both want it.”
“Oh, God, Mackenzie,” he whispered. “Yes.”
His hands shook a little as he reached out, began to unfasten her blouse. He unwrapped her as though she were a precious treasure, let the material drop to the floor, and removed her bra next. For several seconds he simply stared at her, such raw emotion etched on his face.
“Never have I had anyone of my own. Nobody who was just mine and mine alone to cherish . . . and to love.”
“Kalen,” she began, eyes stinging with tears of joy.
“Let me love you. And not just with my body—I mean let me love you. Please. I need you.”
“You have me,” she said, her voice breaking.
Scooping her up, he placed her on the bed and shed his jeans and underwear. The emotion between them was so intense, she could tell this time would be much different than the last. Before, the sex was hot, raw, carnal. She’d almost combusted.
This time her mate was going to make love to her, lavish on her all the love he’d been longing to give his entire life. And she would love him back, as he deserved.
Crawling over her body, he lowered himself onto her, careful not to squash her, and kissed her so gently, the tears finally spilled over. He licked them from the corners of her eyes, shushing her softly, whispering sweet words she didn’t quite catch but grasped the meaning of anyway.