“You don’t have to do anything to make me happy. It just happens when you’re around.”
Her mouth curled just a little. He hadn’t said it to flatter her, he’d simply stated what he felt was a fact. The whole him-wanting-to-imprint-with-Taryn thing still stung, but she was less upset now that she knew he hadn’t made a conscious decision not to tell her. Her raven was a little less tense, though she also remained wary. “You don’t make me miserable.”
Tao smoothed his hands down to her shoulders. “I’m going to repeat this because in your position it would play on my mind. I do not want Taryn. I care about her just as I do my other pack mates, but that’s it. Nothing more. Nothing less. And I have no regrets at all that we didn’t imprint. None whatsoever.”
Now that some of the jealousy had slipped away, Riley could look at the whole thing more rationally. She could be sure that she’d never once seen him look at Taryn with longing. “Greta said I was playing second fiddle.”
“Fuck Greta. She knows that’s bullshit. You’re not second to anyone. You come first to me. Understand?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.” He kissed her softly and stroked her hair, soothing and gentling, relieved she didn’t tense again. His wolf, still a little anxious, rubbed up against her. “I need to have a good, long talk with Greta.”
Riley shivered at the lethal note to his growl. It always made her tingly when he got all overprotective, but she’d never let him know that. “She’s not worth it.”
“She deliberately set out to hurt you.”
“Hey, I’m a big girl, you know.”
“But you’re my girl. And I don’t want anyone hurting my girl.” He rubbed his nose against hers. “I especially don’t want to be the reason she’s hurt.”
“I’m fine now, really.”
He stroked the bite mark he’d left on her pulse. “I’ve never marked anyone before. Not even accidentally.” He liked rough sex, and some people could get so carried away that they left a mark. But he never had.
“You marked me accidentally the first night we slept together,” she pointed out. “Then again, you were wasted.”
“I was wasted, but I didn’t mark you by accident. I knew exactly what I was doing.” Even totally hammered, he’d been fully aware that he was leaving his brand on her. It was something he’d wanted to do for a very long time.
His head snapped up at the knock on the door. It was a knock so light that it could only be from one of the kids.
“I’ll get it.” Riley nipped his lip hard when he didn’t release her. With a playful growl, he stepped back so she could open the door. She wasn’t in the least bit surprised to find Savannah standing there. “Hey, sweetheart.”
The little viper walked in, looking at Riley carefully, as if checking that Tao hadn’t hurt her when he dragged her to the room. “Can I bite the mean old lady now?”
Riley chuckled. It was so tempting to say yes. “I’m afraid not. Is Dexter done with his lunch?” Savannah nodded. “Then go ask him and the others if they want to play outside for a while.”
The little girl gave her a beaming smile. “Okay!” She started to leave, but then looked at Tao a little oddly. With her hand, she urged him to crouch down.
Tao smiled. It seemed that by defending her and Riley against Greta, he’d won a little of Savannah’s trust. Progress. He squatted.
“Come closer,” she whispered.
He shuffled a little closer and, equally quiet, asked, “What?”
She smiled. “If you hurt my Riley, I will bite your nose off and let Dexter eat it.”
Okay, so he hadn’t exactly won her trust yet. “Good to know.”
She happily skipped away and it was just a little bit freaky.
Frowning, Riley asked, “What did she say?”
Standing, he replied, “Apparently, if I hurt you, I’ll lose my nose.”
Eyes dancing, Riley gasped. “No!”
“She’ll also let Dexter eat it.”
Riley snorted. “Knowing that kid, he’d at the very least carry it around in his pocket.”
Tao was thinking the same thing.
She gave him a quick kiss. “Gotta go.”
He grabbed her hand to stop her leaving. “It shouldn’t hurt when I watch you leave the room, should it?” He didn’t like being away from her. Not one little bit. Her smile hit him in the gut.
“Dude, you say some pretty nice stuff sometimes.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “I want another kiss.”
Rolling her eyes, she gave him another. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Stay near the base of the mountain,” he warned. There had been no signs of anyone lingering near the perimeter, but Tao wasn’t taking any chances. Not with her safety.
“Like I needed the reminder.”
He watched her leave the room and then pulled out his cell and dialed a familiar number. “Taryn, there’s something you should know.”
Riley lounged in one of the patio chairs as Kye chased the other three kids around a weathered birch tree. Their laughs and shrieks almost drowned out the sounds of birds calling, insects humming, and squirrels chattering. Her raven, who was still edgy, wanted to shift and play with them. Riley reassured her that they would soon. For now she’d simply watch over the children . . . one of whom had just scrambled up a tree as expertly as any viper shifter.
Kye scowled at said viper. “Savannah, down!”
Hanging upside down from the tree branch, Savannah threw an acorn at him instead.
Enjoying the heat prickling her skin, Riley sank deeper into the chair. The comforting scents of pine, wildflowers, sun-warmed earth, and sweet cedar helped soothe her raven’s nerves. The avian still hadn’t completely lost her anger. It wasn’t Tao she was mad with, it was Greta. The old dragon had deliberately tried to hurt her. It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last, but it was the only time that Greta’s words had truly had an impact. The fact that Greta had managed to hurt her annoyed the raven almost as much as what Greta had said.
Hearing footsteps rustling the grass, Riley turned to see Taryn, Jaime, Roni, and Makenna come walking out of the trees and over to the patio table.
With a sheepish smile, Taryn asked, “Can we talk?”