“As long as you take some time to calm down and think about it. That’s all I ask.”
Jameson shot a glare at Luke. “Can’t believe he’s okay with this. And just when I was starting to like him again, too.”
Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close. “God, I love you, Jamie. You’re the most amazing brother anyone could ask for, and I was majorly blessed to be the one who got you.”
“Fuck, Tarun,” he said gruffly, arms tightening around her. “I feel that way about you, sis. I love you too, and I’m gonna miss you like crazy.”
“All right, y’all have taken long enough. Let’s go, Jameson. I want to see my mate.”
Laughing as Vynn’s irritated voice washed over her, she pulled back and smiled at Jameson. “Look at us getting all mushy. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. Heck, most of my stuff is still in Durga, and I’ll have to go get it soon. Now go home, kiss Cady and Laney, and give them my love.”
“I will. See you soon, then, brat.”
Nodding, she backed away as he climbed into the truck. Luke came up beh
ind her and wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him as Jameson pulled away, his arm lifted in a wave.
“You okay?” Luke asked as she sniffed, trying to pull herself together.
“Yeah. That was more emotional than I expected. Coming here was the first time I ever left Durga, and it was supposed to be just a quick trip. I didn’t expect to stay. I guess I wasn’t prepared to say goodbye to Jamie.”
“We’ve never really talked about where we’ll live. We’ve both mentioned staying with the Enforcers, but… if you’d be happier in Durga Valley, we can live there. We can live wherever you want. Whatever makes you happy. I’ll follow you anywhere, baby.”
Shit, she was going to tear up again, and she’d just gotten herself under control. Turning in his arms, she looked up into his beautiful light blue eyes. He was completely serious, she could see that in an instant, and warmth flowed through her veins at the realization.
Luke loved being an Enforcer. His crew were like his siblings. His family. Blood and Bone. And yet, he’d leave it—them—behind if she asked him to.
Our mate is special, her tiger purred inside her. There’s no one else like him on Earth.
I agree with you a hundred percent. You did good when you picked him.
Reaching up, she cupped his cheek, running her fingers through his beard, the short strands looking even redder than usual under the bright sun. His hair, also looking a shade redder, was loose and messy, the ends curling around his neck, and a lock was hanging by the side of his face, the light wind blowing making it dance around his chin. She pushed it back away from his face as she stared into his eyes, willing him to hear the truth in her words.
“I don’t want to go back to Durga. I want to stay here, with you. You love being an Enforcer, and I’d never want to take that away from you. And before you say you don’t want me to make this decision based on what you want, let me say that this is what I want, too.
“I love it here. I love your crew, and I feel like one of them. That blood and bone thing you told me about—I feel it with them, too. I know you’ve heard me and some others talking about me becoming an Enforcer, but you and I haven’t really discussed it. You might not be comfortable with it, and I understand that. But, just so you know, I want it. I want to be an Enforcer. I never really felt like I belonged anywhere in Durga. I didn’t have a purpose. But, here, I finally feel like I do.”
Luke smiled, his blue eyes warm as he copied her stance, cupping her cheek and brushing his thumb under her eye in that way he had. They stood there, connected physically, their hands on each other’s faces, their bodies pressed together, their eyes locked as they stared at each other.
More than physically, they were connected on an emotional and spiritual level that was hard for her to wrap her mind around. A large part of that was because they were mated and claimed, sharing an unbreakable bond—one she could feel burning in her chest in the best way.
But she thought some of that was just because they were Luke and Tarun, and even if they were humans who couldn’t form a supernatural bond, they’d still be just like they were then. Completely locked into each other, devoted and in love.
“Born to do this, right?” Luke said, his voice husky.
It took her a minute to figure out what he meant, and when she did, she could feel heat rushing to her cheeks. “You heard that, huh?”
He smiled, his light blue eyes crinkling at the corners as they roamed over her face. “I did. Honestly, before the fight yesterday, I was on the fence about it. No, that’s not entirely true. I wanted to give you what you wanted, but I didn’t like the idea at all. But you were amazing during the battle, and it’s clear that you can handle yourself. So, if you want to become an Enforcer, I won’t stand in your way. If it’s what you really want, then I want you to have it.”
“How did I get so damn lucky to have you for a mate?” she whispered.
“So, everything’s settled now, right? We’re staying here, you’re joining the Enforcers, and we’ve already claimed each other.”
She nodded, her soul sighing at his words. “It’s all settled.”
“Good. Then there’s only one thing left to do.”
He pulled away from her and her brow furrowed as she watched him. She started to ask him what he was doing when he reached into his pocket for something and then dropped to one knee in front of her. Mouth dropping open, she stared at the scene in front of her, her mind sluggish and slow to comprehend what was going on.