by Hazel Gower
There is one thing I knew for certain, I didn’t want to be away from him. I mean, I’d begged. I hadn’t done that since my parents had been alive and I’d begged them to go to a Taylor Swift concert. Thinking back, it was selfish of me to ask as they were taking me to the Great Barrier Reef, which was costing them a lot of money. Ah, that seemed a life time ago.
“Alexa. How’re you feeling?” I gazed up at Mason and resisted the urge to sigh. I swore every time I looked at him he got better looking. I mean, beards on young guys should look scruffy and make them look older, but no, on Mason it just added to his hotness. Then I almost drooled as his shirt sleeves lifted and I saw his tats. Nothing fancy, just a globe of the world and what looked like a black flower, but oh God, my body came alive with heat all through it. It was a shock at first when I started getting those feelings, but I knew thanks to my school friends, when I went to school that is, that this was what they felt when they were attracted to a guy. I just seemed to have it with Mason a million times more than they ever told me about. I had dreams about him, and they weren’t of us going to the movies, or even out to dinner. They were erotic. I’d never had erotic dreams before and I had to admit I had bloody good taste. “Alexa?”
Oh, yeah. He’d spoken and I totally spaced perving on him. “Good. Great.” And I was. Weirdly I just knew as long as I had Mason I would always feel like that. I’ll admit, a teeny tiny piece of me at the back of my mind was yelling at me, “What the hell are you doing? Run! This is crazy. There’s something wrong with you.” I was mostly ignoring it. I was sick of feeling scared, unsafe and unloved, and no matter how crazy it was I was going to bask in what I was feeling.
“I know it probably looks daunting, but all this security is to keep us safe.” He gently stroked the pad of his thumb over my knuckles. “Are you sure you’re alright? A moment ago, you looked pale white.”
I nodded. “I’m all good. To tell you the truth, I don’t think I would be if you weren’t in here holding my hand. I know you have your own car and can drive, but I really appreciate you sitting in the back seat and holding my hand.” I gazed at him and watched as his brown eyes turned a warm, dark chocolate color. “I remember a little from our talks that you just bought an apartment of your own, not far from the gym.”
Crap. His gym. Would he have to leave me to deal with it?
At just the thought, my heart rate seemed to pick up and I tightened my grip on his hand.
“Sweetheart, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. My brother Zeck’s going to look after my gym. I’m free to take care of you.”
Relief like I’d never felt before washed over me at this simple statement. I should’ve felt guilty for keeping him away from his work, shouldn’t I? “Thank you. I really do appreciate you taking time off from your work to be with me.”
“Anytime. Anytime you need me I’m only a phone call away if I’m not already with you.” He brushed some of my hair out of my face. “When you’re better and settled and if you’re up for it, we’ll go back to my gym. I’d love for you to see my place, and maybe we could do some basic self-defense. I hope and pray you never have to use it again, but I want you to learn so you can protect yourself from anyone.”
As much as I’d have liked to say no, I knew what he was saying about the self-defense, and it would be a good tool to have in my belt. If I’d learned anything in my life on the streets it’s that you never know what’s around the corner and go with your gut. Something was going on in the streets and my gut was telling me that what I’d seen and why I’d run from the guys trying to grab me was going to bite me in the arse.
I WAS WAITING FOR THE other shoe to drop. None of my uncles, brother, or cousins had had it so easy. Since meeting Alexa, she hadn’t wanted to leave me and she’d been acting the opposite of how I’d seen my families’ soulmates act. My uncles, brother, and cousin had all had to fight and beg to get where they were with their soulmates.
Their ones.
This was our first night at my aunt’s and my conscience was battling within. I knew she was of age to date me as she was over sixteen and I was under twenty-one, but I questioned if she was in over her head. Was she being so easy going and eager to be with me because of the situation she’d been in and how I’d found her, or was it the curse, er, gift from the gypsies kicking in stronger for her because she’d needed me more than any of the other soulmates? I was conflicted and as much as I wanted to stay with Alexa and hold her in my arms all night, I didn’t want her to see me as a clutch.
“Mason, I know that face.” My mum snapped her fingers in front of me and I turned my gaze to her and my aunt who was waiting with me in the living room of our suite.
“What face?” My mum may be the biggest socialite, and I had a nanny growing up, but my mum was still amazing and she never missed a talk, or a grounding, and always knew what her sons were up to.
She raised a regal brow. “The worried look. The something-is-not-right look.”
Running my fingers through my hair I closed my eyes for a moment and thought over my answer. “I know this will sound like I’m just trying to make problems where there aren’t any, but I’m worried my relationship with Alexa is too easy. All the stories I’ve heard from the other men, they’ve had to fight to get their woman. Alexa barely leaves my side. I know she already has feelings for me.”
“This is good, son. Maybe it’s working different because she’s already had such a bad life.” I hated the concern in her gaze, and quiet tone of her voice, like she was even unsure of what she said.
“Maybe. How is she going to do when I go back to work? I know I can have someone work it for a while, but I don’t want her dependent on me so badly that I never go back to work.”
“We’ll slowly ease her into it.” My mother wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. I returned her hug and knew that with my family’s help everything would be okay.
ALEXA WAS GETTING BETTER. EVEN though it had been a few weeks, she still barely left my side and I really didn’t mind. I loved spending time with her. She was sweet, kind, and caring to all my family and the guards. I had learned she’d lost her parents in a home invasion. She wouldn’t talk about the night that I found her or how she got into the state she’d been in. Her therapist wouldn’t discuss anything she’d been told due to patient-doctor confidentiality.
I knew something was wrong, though, and I was sure it had to do with the night I found her. I wasn’t ready to push her to tell me yet. I enjoyed the peace between us too much. I hated to admit it, but I was scared, too. Scared that if I pushed her to tell me what had happened that the easy-going relationship between us would stop. I wouldn’t want her to feel the need to run away. I couldn’t lose her. I didn’t want her to run like my cousin Dustan’s soulmate Cassie.
“I need to go shopping. Can you take me? Please.” She knelt on the lounge beside me and pouted. I wondered as she stared at me with her big green eyes, if she knew the power she had over me.
Shrugging, I flicked through Netflix for what I knew she wanted to watch. “Sure, I’ll organize with security. Anything you need specifically?”
Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink and she mumbled, “Just stuff.”
I wanted to tease her, but I didn’t know if we were there yet, so I smiled and selected her favorite show. “Okay. The family is coming around tomorrow, but we’ll go this week to get you ‘just stuff’.” The pink darkened to red and I had a feeling I knew what the just stuff was. Not wanting her embarrassed, I pressed play.
“Star Trek is one of the many shows and things I missed while living on the streets.” Alexa snuggled against me on the huge sofa in the tv room. She enjoyed Netflix. Since her coming home a couple of weeks ago we’d spent a lot of time watching tv and catching up on a lot of movies, when she wasn’t working with a tutor.
Alexa was smart. Even though she’d missed a couple of years of school she wasn’t that far behind. She didn’t want to go back to high school and the therap
ist thought it was best we let her be home schooled and work towards her attending university.
“I know you like Star Trek, and anything sci-fi, but I don’t even know your favorite color.”
She didn’t move, but I felt her shrug. “Pink. I always thought that pink brightens anything, but lately I’m liking brown.”
“Brown? Really? Stick with pink. I don’t know anyone with brown as their favorite color.”
This time she did move and sat up so we locked our gaze. “They don’t get to have the same view I do lately.”
My cheeks heated and I was sure they were red. Alexa turned me into an untried teenager. “You’re such a charmer.” Her giggle, my favorite sound had a smile spread over my face. “Cats or dogs?”
“Both. Well, really any type of pet. I always wanted a kitten to raise, and a puppy, but I need a home first. I always thought you can never have just one dog or cat, you need at least two of each, so they can keep each other company.” Her eyes shined like she was thinking of the pets she wanted.
“You have a home.” I held both her hands in my own. “I’m your home.” I brought her hands up and kissed them both.
“You’re the answer to a prayer I never knew I asked for.” She beamed at me.
“I’m the lucky one to have found you. I just wish you hadn’t had to go through what you have.”
“Me, too. I pray every night I wake up and my parents are alive, but I wouldn’t be who I am now and I highly doubt I would have met you.” She sighed, long and loud. “Does it make me a bad person if I say some part of me is glad that because of what has happened, I met you?”
I hugged her to me and kissed her forehead. “No, it doesn’t. I’m just glad I’ve found you. I want to get to know you and move on with our lives.”
She grinned at me. “You always know the right things to say. I want to know everything about you too.”
Laughing, I kissed her forehead again. “You’re so good for my ego. How about we start with easy stuff like what we’ve started with this evening. Food. You haven’t binged on anything in particular. Mum even made sure we’ve been stocked with a bunch of different chocolate and candy.”
“I’m more of a cookies and cakes kind of girl, or I used to be.” A distant look come into her eyes like she was remembering something. “Grandma and my mum and I use to spend weekends baking. My Grandma was so good at baking she won competitions.” A tear slid down her cheek and I reached up and gently brushed it away.
“I’m sorry, my cuddly bear.” Mmm, I liked that name for her. She was so cuddly. “How about tomorrow while we’re shopping, we pick up some things for you to bake? Would you like that? I’d love for you teach me how to bake.”
Her brow raised and her lips quirked. “Really? You want me to teach you to cook?”
“Sure, I like cakes and shit.”
“Cakes and shit?” She giggled and I crossed my arms over my chest.
“You laughing at me?”
She nodded and I reached over and tickled her. She squealed and squirmed against me. “Stop! Mercy!” she yelled between peals of laughter. I stopped as she straddled my lap and my cock jumped in my shorts, eager for her.
Staring up at her, I resisted the urge to kiss her, reminding myself she was only seventeen and I needed to take things slow. She surprised me though when slowly she leaned down and her lips gently brushed over mine. I dared not move. I didn’t want to scare her away. Her tongue came out on the third brush and I opened, meeting hers. She sank against me and her hands moved around my shoulders, hesitantly at first. When she started grinding against me I tore my mouth from hers and held her waist still.
“Bear. Alexa. We need to stop.”
Her brows furrowed and her lips turned down. “Why? I liked that. You feel good.”
I groaned at her innocence. “You can’t say that, not now. I’m really trying to be a gentleman. I want you to be comfortable, and feel safe with me before I show my intentions.”
“Yeah? You have intentions?” Her eyebrows rose and she nibbled on her bottom lip.
I nodded, and barely resisted the urge to yank her back to me and nibble on her lip myself. “I’ve wanted you to be mine from the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“What do you mean by yours?” Her gaze captured mine and the green was so bright it looked like fresh cut grass after a week of rain. Lost in her gaze, I knew I was damn lucky to have found her. Alexa was stunning and all mine.
“I want everything with you.” I held my breath for a moment and watched her reaction When she didn’t try to get away or look scared I released it. I should tell her something about the curse. I ran my fingers through my hair. “I knew from the moment I saw you, you were mine. You see, us Silvermans have this curse, um, gift, that we can tell who our soulmate is. A long, long time ago we were gifted by gypsies because we helped them. You’re my soulmate.”
Her gaze grew bright and then darkened, as she bounced on my lap. I moaned, trying to contain my excitement, and wiggled back so my hard cock didn’t touch her. “Really? That’s so cool. It explains why I feel so safe with you.” She nodded. “It’s crazy if it’s all true, but I feel something. I can’t deny that. I’ve never felt anything for a boy before.”
I winced as she called me a boy. “Bear, I’m not a boy. I’m all man.”
She nodded. “Oh, I know.” She closed her eyes for a moment like she was processing what I’d said. When she opened her eyelids, she beamed at me. “This makes me happy to know that I’m yours.” She leaned down and her lips met mine. She kissed me until I opened and our tongues tangled. I circled her waist and my fingers trailed up and down her back. When she started grinding against me again, I knew I had to stop because if she got her hands under my shirt or her any of her clothes went, I knew I was a goner and taking it slow wouldn’t happen.
Her mewl of protest as I eased back almost had me caving, but when I looked into her gaze and saw the dazed, lust-filled look, I knew she needed more time.
“I understand,” she moaned. “I don’t want to stop, but I . . . I thank you.” She snuggled against me and I clenched my fist. I took a deep calming breath in and slowly let it out because I knew the next couple of months until she was eighteen were going to kill me. I’d better get used to cold showers.
I WAS EXCITED TO BE meeting Mason’s cousins and close family for the second time. Not because of all the adults, but the babies. I loved children and couldn’t wait to have a whole bunch of my own. I wanted a large family. I always wished I’d had a sister or even a brother or two.
When my parents had been alive I’d always wanted to have a job where I got to be around a bunch of little ones. I loved that children were so easy to love and gave love back so freely. My favorite thing was to play with them and watch the wonder on their faces and see them learn new things.
Even when I lived on the streets the only ones I ever trusted were the ones under twelve. Those were the ones I helped, or at least tried to. They were the ones I gave my last bits of food to, and clothes and water, too. The little ones didn’t stay on the streets long as the foster system and police noticed them more. Police. I shivered in fear at the thought of them.
“You okay, bear?” Mason squeezed my shoulder and I looked over at him. My heart sputtered and then sped up at his pet name for me. I’d asked him why he called me that and he said I was his cuddly koala bear, but that was a mouthful so he shortened it to bear. I loved it.
Spinning, I looked up at him. He’d trimmed his beard, but his fringe covered his big dark brown eyes and, unable to resist, I gently brushed it to the side, my fingers lingering on his cheek. “Mmm, I’m good. Excited to see the little ones again. Is your uncle coming with the twins?”
“Yes, and so is Bailey with Sebastian. Divinity is due in a couple of weeks so you’ll get to meet and have a cuddle of their son when he’s born.”
I waved my hand. “Yay! The more babies there are, the less I have to fight to hold one. I know I won’t get to h
old Angelica because everyone hogs the little doll, but I’ll get cuddle time with Jake and Sebastian. Your uncle let me cuddle Jake for hours last time.” Mason had said a son he when speaking about Divinity’s baby. I cocked my head to the side. “Divinity and Ryder are having a little boy?”
“Yeah, Silvermans don’t usually have girls. We think uncle Carl got one because he found his mate so late in life. We hope. Because,” he shivered. “Teenage girls. Boyfriends. Hell no.” Mason’s skin turned chalk white. “God, I couldn’t think of anything worse. Poor uncle Carl. I know Angelica will have a crazy number of bodyguards and will be able to kick arse just like Divinity, but I wouldn’t want to be Angelica’s soulmate. Can you imagine all of us meeting him?”
An image of an older version of Angelica bringing a boy home and all her uncles and cousins meeting him came to mind and I couldn’t help but laugh. Oh, he was right, the poor girl.
Mason’s thumb brushed my cheek and a shiver ran through me at his touch. “I’m glad you’re getting a laugh at the thought. No girls. Boys for us.”
I stopped laughing and threw myself at him, jumping up and wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tight. “Yes. Yes, yes. I want kids.” I loved that he wanted children. I squeezed him as tight as I could, not caring about any of my lingering injuries. “I don’t care as long as all our children are happy.”
His arms came around me and I felt him kiss my head and mumble, “You’re incredible and all mine.”
“Mason, put the poor girl down,” Gillian, Mason’s mother, snapped at him and I giggled into his chest as he slid me down his body on a groan. “Carl and Annabelle just arrived. I know you loved the babies, Alexa, so I said you’d help. Annabelle is pregnant again and Carl won’t let her lift even the kids if he can help it.”
