Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
“That your boyfriend is a wolf?” Dad shook his head. “No. Not until tonight. Didn’t know I was working for one, either, did I, Levi?” He lifted his brows at the sheriff.
“Seemed like you knew we existed, though,” Levi said.
Dad nodded. “There are old wives’ tales in Cooper Valley. My Gram used to tell us to stay in on full moons, or I might see my best friend turn into a wolf.” My dad gave a half-smile. “I always thought it was nonsense.”
“You’re going to be part of our pack now.” Levi dipped his chin toward me. “Riley is Cody’s fated mate. I know you assumed he was just screwing around where he shouldn’t be, but I can assure you, there’s nothing more serious than a fate-match.” He gestured toward Cody’s wound. “He would take a thousand bullets for her. He will never leave her. He will dedicate the rest of his life to her happiness.”
I wasn’t sure how Dad was processing that news, but it brought a flood of fresh tears to my eyes. I fought back a sob.
How had I doubted Cody so easily?
“Cody could go mad if Riley rejects him,” Levi continued. “They both will need your support to make this work.”
“Fuck,” my dad muttered, shaking his head slightly. He looked at me. “You knew this, sweetheart?”
I tried and failed to swallow around the tight band constricting my throat. “I…sort of. I don’t know if I fully understood until now.” I stroked Cody’s head, leaning down to kiss his silky ear. “We have some things to work through, but I’m not going to reject him,” I choked.
“Well.” My dad rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess I’m not going to stand in the way of this. Or I’ll at least reserve judgment until I’m convinced.”
Cody shivered, and he cracked his eyes open again.
“I love you.” I whispered the words in his ear.
32
CODY
I was aware of everything, but I couldn’t move without hurting or speak for several hours. During that time, Levi and Kyle carried me to Riley’s bedroom and cleaned up my blood before they called the coroner in for the dead body. Kyle’s living room was now a crime scene, and it had to be processed.
Riley curled up on the bed beside me, her fingers burrowing in my fur, her delectable scent filling my nostrils. Reminding me what I had to live for, as Levi said.
Not that I had any doubt. Levi was right, I would take a thousand bullets for Riley. Even a fatal one.
When I could finally breathe, and the physical shock started to wear off, I shifted back to human form, so I could hold my girl.
I had so much to tell her.
It sounded like she might forgive me, but I needed to be sure. It was one thing to say what she had in a panic. I needed to know she believed in our bond the way I did when I didn’t have a bullet hole in my body.
She inhaled sharply. “Cody!”
I reached for her, but one of my ribs was probably broken, and I didn’t have the strength yet to pull her up against my body. “Come closer,” I murmured. “I won’t bleed on you.”
She scooted closer to me, slowly and very warily. “I don’t care about that.” She still sounded teary.
My wolf hated that sound.
“Please don’t cry, sugar.” I buried my nose in her hair and let her scent fill me. Fuck, she smelled good. “I’m so proud of you. Keeping your head and calling me like you did. Warning me.”
“I never want to call you daddy again.”
I chuckled and fuck was that painful. “I’m sorry I hurt you tonight. I never, ever meant for you to feel manipulated. I didn’t mean to cheapen us or what you mean to me.”
She shifted so I could see her tear-stained face. Her big brown eyes were intent on me, but she didn’t say anything. She was listening. She would hear me out.
It was a million times better than her walking out of my bar like she did earlier.
“Listen and know what I say is true.” I stroked her hair back from her face. Moving made the rib and my lungs hurt, but I didn’t care. “The one week thing was just to get Rob off my back. He was pissed at me for disobeying orders. I was supposed to wipe your memory, and I didn’t. I didn’t want to betray your trust that way or mess with your brilliant mind. But know this” –I cradled the side of her face and looked straight into her eyes. “I would’ve come for you whether you remembered you saw a wolf or not. This was never about buying your silence. Never.”
Her chin wobbled. “Okay.”
“Do you believe me?”
Her eyes met mine as she nodded.
I cleared my dry throat. “I’m gonna prove to you how serious I am. It’s been less than a week, so you’re not sure of me yet. I understand th–”