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  “I have a small house not too far from here. It’s probably not what you’re used to.”

  Mina took his hand. “I’m sure I’ll love it.”

  Spark smiled, kissed the back of her hand, and then walked her to her car before climbing on his bike and heading for home. Mina followed, wondering if things were going to fall apart when they reached her house and her brothers got wind of the fact she was mated. Looking back, maybe she should have prepared them. Spark didn’t look like he was in any kind of shape to deflect them right now.

  Chapter Five

  Spark sipped his coffee the next morning, eyeing the three men at the table

  across from him. They all resembled their father, but not a single one of them looked anything like Mina. All large men, every last one had Shadow’s dark hair and eyes. He knew they were staring him down in hopes of making him feel uncomfortable,

  probably hoping he’d blurt out something, but it wasn’t working. Yet.

  “Dad didn’t say why he invited a Steel Rider onto our property. Personally, I

  think you look more like a chew toy,” the oldest looking one said. “But I suppose we should refrain from gnawing on your bones until we know why you’re here. Wouldn’t want to upset a club deal.”

  Spark snorted and took another swallow of his coffee. He knew the moment

  Mina entered the kitchen, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off the three wolves across from him. Her scent teased his nose and the very air shimmered with her presence. He heard her take a mug off the tree and pour herself a cup of coffee, listened as she opened the refrigerator, probably for creamer, and then stirred something into her coffee before closed the refrigerator.

  When she came and took the seat next to him, he glanced her way and flashed

  her a smile. The top she wore covered the bite he’d left on her tender skin, but he knew it was there. Her long, blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making her look even younger. She took a sip of her pale coffee and then smiled at him.

  Her brothers growled.

  Mina jerked her gaze their way and scowled at them. “Shut it.”

  “Don’t be flirting with the…what the hell are you anyway?” one of the brothers

  asked Spark.

  “Maned wolf.”

  The third brother sniffed in disdain. “What a weak ass animal. You’d think your club would have sent a bear at the very least, if they were going to negotiate with Dad.

  And why the hell he let you stay in the house I can’t understand. Guests are given lodgings away from the house and family. You’re an outsider.”

  Mina looped her arm through Spark’s and stared her brothers down. “He’s in the

  house because I want him in the house.”

  The oldest stood, knocking over his chair. “Oh, hell no! You are not to hang

  around with that mangy cur. You’re going to mate a proper wolf, someone Dad trusts with good standing in the pack.”

  “Enough, Jarod.” Mina growled softly. “I’ll mate whomever I damn well please,

  and you have no say in the matter. I don’t need your permission.”

  Another brother opened his mouth, but Mina jumped on him.

  “I don’t need your permission either, Simon. It’s my lifem and I’ll do what I want with it. You think I want to hang around and see if Daddy decides to use me as a bargaining chip to sweeten some deal? I want to choose my own mate!”

  “Mina, you know we want what’s best for you,” the third brother said.

  “Jonathan, it is sweet that the three of you are worried about me and want what’s best for me, but who are you to decide what that is? Don’t you think I’m old enough to decide what’s best for me, to know my own mind and what I want or need? Or do you think I’m still just a child? Because if that’s how you think, I shouldn’t be worrying about a mate at all.”

  They gave one another uncomfortable looks then went back to staring at Spark.

  He quirked an eyebrow at them, but continued to sip on his coffee without engaging them. It seemed his mate had said enough already. He was proud of her for standing up for herself, even if she hadn’t told them she already had a mate. Spark figured that would come in time. She’d confess all when she was ready to, and Spark didn’t see a reason to volunteer the information before then.

  “Are you hungry?” Mina asked. “I could scramble some eggs and fry some

  bacon.”

  “I could eat,” Simon said.

  “I wasn’t asking you. I was asking Spark.”

  Jarod snorted. “Spark. What the hell kind of name is Spark?”

  Spark wisely kept his mouth shut. He doubted his mate wanted to hear he’d

  earned his name by having a way with the ladies. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings.

  Shadow stepped into the room, surveying everyone. “Boys, don’t you have

  something better to do with your time? Jarod, didn’t I tell you to make sure Striker’s buddies were gone? Just because the ringleader of that train wreck was thrown out doesn’t mean the others won’t try to rise up without him. I want every last bad seed out of this pack, and if they’re patched in, you know what to do. We voted on this last night so no one will stand in your way.”

  “Yes, Dad,” Jarod said and quickly walked past his father and out of the kitchen.

  “Simon, don’t you have books to work on today? We have bills to pay regardless

  of what else is happening around here.” Shadow glared at his son. “Leave your sister alone.”

  “But, Dad, we weren’t bothering Mina. We were just questioning Spark here.”

  Jonathan grinned, but it melted off his face quickly under his father’s scrutiny.

  “And who are you to question a guest in my home?” Shadow asked.

  “Well, I… We…”

  “That’s what I thought. Go find something to do, Jonathan. I don’t want to see

  you in my house again until you’re invited.”

  Once they were alone, Spark curved his arm around Mina’s waist and pulled her

  in close, burying his nose in her hair. He’d wanted to wrap her in his arms the moment he’d seen her this morning, but those pesky wolves had been present and he didn’t dare do something to give their relationship away. Not until Mina wanted to let them in on the secret.

  “I take it neither of you told the boys why Spark is here?” Shadow asked.

  “Daddy, it isn’t their business.”

  Shadow grunted. “Let me explain another way. If you don’t come clean, and tell

  the club that you’re mated, you’re still going to have males approach you, and I doubt Spark is going to sit back and watch it happen.”

  “Why did you really bring me here?” Spark asked. “Mina could have stayed at

  my house and we could have gotten to know one another just as easily as we can here.

  Perhaps it would have been easier, since her brothers wouldn’t have been breathing down our necks.” Spark watched Shadow and didn’t miss the smirk.

  “You’re a smart boy,” Shadow said. “Why don’t you tell me why I did it?”

  “Because you aren’t ready to let Mina go, and you’re hoping I’ll change my

  allegiance to the Silver Skulls so your daughter can remain here with you.”

  “Told you that you were a smart boy.”

  Mina planted her hands on her hips. “Daddy! That was horrible of you. I’ve told you before, I’m ready to spread my wings and get out from under your authority for a while. How could you try to trick Spark into patching into the Silver Skulls? That was so wrong of you!”

  “You’re my only daughter, Mina. I know the Steel Riders are only two hours

  away, but that’s too far. I want you here on the property. There’s a patch of land behind the house here where I could have a nice cottage built for the two of you.”

  “I appreciate the offer,” Spark said. “But I’ve been with the Steel Riders a long t
ime. Unless they throw me out, I’m not going anywhere. My house may be small, but I think Mina could be happy there. And if she isn’t happy, I’ll work harder to provide her with a bigger, better house. I want her to feel at home and make the place her own.”

  “And what about when the baby comes? Wouldn’t you prefer having more

  hands available to help care for it?” Shadow asked.

  Mina gasped and paled.

  “Baby?” Spark looked at her expectantly. “What’s he talking about, Mina?”

  She shook her head and backed away.

  “Damn it, girl. You still haven’t told the boy? What the hell are you waiting for?”

  Shadow demanded.

  “Spark, I…”

  He narrowed his eyes, hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close

  again. Dropping to his knees, he pressed his nose against her belly and inhaled deeply.

  The scent was faint, but her wolf was now mixed with maned wolf, and since they hadn’t had sex in weeks, it could only be from one thing. Spark looked up at her, startled by the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. “If you hadn’t come to the club last night, would you have ever told me?”

  “I didn’t know how you would react,” she said. “I wanted more time with you

  before you found out.”

  “Mina, I’m going to be a father. I had a right to know. Did you think I would

  only want you because of the baby? I can’t think of any other reason for you not to tell me right away.”

  Tears fell down her cheeks.

  “I didn’t bring you here to make my girl cry,” Shadow said.

  “You obviously knew so you’re just as responsible.” Spark shot a glare at him. “If it weren’t for the baby, would I even be here right now? Would you have cared that Mina had her mate with her if a baby wasn’t involved?”

  “I want my girl happy, and from what I can gather, the thought of being with

  you makes her happy.”

  “He’s right,” Mina said. “Being with you does make me happy, Spark. It doesn’t

  matter if we’re having a baby or not. I want to be with you. I want to start a life with you, to make a home together. And I don’t care if it’s with the Steel Riders or the Silver Skulls. I would like to be near my family, but two hours isn’t exactly the other end of the world. I can make it work.”

  “I can’t,” Shadow grumbled.

  “I’m a Steel Rider,” Spark said. “Unless they tell me otherwise, I will always be a Steel Rider. If that doesn’t work for you, then I need to know now. I don’t want to leave my brotherhood, but maybe I can work out some sort of deal where we spend part of the year with the Steel Riders and part of it with the Silver Skulls. I don’t know of anyone who has ever had dual membership before, but maybe it’s a possibility.”

  “It will be all or nothing with your club,” Shadow said. “But as far as I’m

  concerned, the moment you claimed my little girl, you became an honorary Silver Skull.

  You won’t have voting rights, but I will always consider you part of this club. You’re family now, and we protect family at all costs.”

  “Thank you.”

  Shadow nodded. “I’ll leave the two of you alone so you can work things out

  between yourselves. Just…no sex in the kitchen. And stay out of my office.”

  Mina giggled and Spark felt his cheeks warm. He hadn’t thought of taking her on the counter, until the older wolf had mentioned it. Knowing that wasn’t an option, he knew they needed to have this conversation either in his room or hers. Any place that had an accessible bed in case things turned heated between them.

  Shadow left them alone and Mina wrapped an arm around his waist, resting her

  forehead against his chest. Spark held her and just marveled over the fact his mate was back in his arms, where she belonged. Mina drew away and led him from the kitchen, up the stairs, and into what he assumed to be her room. It was very girly and dainty, and seemed to suit her quite well.

  He studied the items on her dresser, picking up a perfume bottle to sniff the

  fragrance. It was overly sweet and made him sneeze. Mina laughed at him and reclined on her bed. She patted the space beside her and he shook his head. As much as he wanted her, he knew it was better that they talk a little more. Once he got between her thighs, he doubted much conversation was going to happen.

  “What do you want from me, Mina? What do you want out of life?”

  “I want my mate by my side. I want to make a home with our baby and you.

  And I don’t care where that home is. We can live in the one you already have, or we can buy something new. As long as I’m with you, that’s all that matters.”

  “My home is small. Only two bedrooms. If we keep getting pregnant this easily,

  we may need a bigger place to stay.”

  Mina stood and came over to him. “I have some money saved. Daddy has given

  each of us an allowance all our lives and I’ve spent very little of mine. I know it’s a matter of male pride to take care of your mate and cub, but let me help buy a new home for us.”

  She was right. It was a matter of pride, and he didn’t like the idea of taking

  money from her, especially money her father had given her. But at the same time, he knew if he accepted her help, he’d be able to buy a much bigger home for their family.

  “We’ll make an appointment soon with a realtor and see what we find. If I need

  your money to help buy the house, I’ll accept it.”

  She toyed with the hem of his tee. “So…now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, is there any chance I can get you out of these clothes and naked in my bed?”

  “I don’t know…” He backed her across the room until he pressed her against the

  wall. “These walls look awfully sturdy. What do you say we christen them first? And if you’re a good girl, we’ll move on to the bed, the floor, and then the shower.”

  She smiled. “Challenge accepted. Think we can do all that by noon? I eat at every meal and sometimes between.”

  “Then I guess I better hurry with this first round so I can go find you a snack.”

  He kissed her hungrily, his tongue delving into her mouth. She kissed him back

  with just as much passion, her arms twining around his neck, as she hooked a leg around his waist. Spark did his best to get her out of her clothes, and then ditched his.

  Their mouths came together once more as his hands roamed her body, touching and caressing her curves.

  Mina braced her hands on his shoulders and jumped, wrapping her legs around

  his waist, opening herself to him. Spark trailed his fingers through her damp curls, and satisfied that she was wet enough, he plunged into her wet heat. She gripped him tight, sucking him in deeper, as he thrust in and out of her tight channel. Mina clawed at him, her nails biting into his skin as he claimed her again, his fangs sinking into her shoulder.

  His sweet mate cried out her release, her body milking him as he came inside

  her. Their bodies were slick with sweat as he pulled away and eased Mina down his body. Pulling on his boxers, he gave her a soft, gentle kiss.

  “I believe I promised my mate a snack.”

  “I never made breakfast for us. Give me a second to throw something on and—”

  “How about I make breakfast for you? If you want to slip on a robe, you can sit at the kitchen table and keep me company. Then we’ll let our food settle and see what other mischief we can get up to today.”

  Mina smiled and kissed him. “I like that idea. Mate.”

  The words I love you sprang to his lips, but he held them back. Something told him she would be thrilled with the words, but he wanted them to mean something to her. He didn’t want her to question later if he’d said it merely because they’d had sex.

  Chapter Six

  Mina woke in a
cold sweat, her hair plastered to her neck and face. She reached blindly beside her, but Spark was missing. Her nightgown lay three feet away over the back of a chair. Mina snatched it up and drew it over her head, not knowing what to expect when she ventured out of her room. It was silent. Too silent. The air was still and something smelled wrong. Sour.

  Wrapping a robe around her, she slowly opened her bedroom door and peered

  into the darkened hall. The lamp that always remained on had been switched off and she approached it cautiously. Mina twisted the switch several times, but nothing happened. Something told her this went far deeper than a burnt out bulb and she eased further down the hall, the hair on the back of her neck rising to attention.

  Where were her brothers? Her father? What happened to Spark?

  Each door she passed stood open and the eerie feeling wrapped tightly around

  her as she pressed on, moving deeper into the house. She came to the wide staircase and used her wolf senses to check for danger. Nothing stirred below. Every instinct she possessed screamed at her to return to her room and lock the door, but she couldn’t hide without knowing if Spark was okay.

  The cool marble of the staircase seeped into the soles of her feet as she padded down the stairs. At the bottom, the moonlight shone through the windows surrounding the front doors, casting everything into silver tones. The door was cracked a quarter inch and her feeling of unease doubled. No way would her family have left that door unlocked, not after having spotted Striker earlier. The wolf had been seen prowling the edge of their property, as if seeking a way in, and now everyone was missing and the door was open. Warning bells were ringing in her head, but Mina refused to listen to them.

  She wanted her mate.

  Continuing through the house, she nearly stumbled over a warm body. Mina fell

  to her knees and rolled him over, gasping when she saw the bruise over Simon’s eye.

  Whoever had taken him out must have not played fair. Her older brother was bookish, but he also knew how to defend himself. If Simon was down, were the others as well?

  She tiptoed through the lower level of the house, stumbling upon her other two

  brothers and her father, all unconscious on the floor.