Page 69 of Moonlight & Mayhem

“Don't look so pleased,” she said.

“Your dead mother approves of me,” he pointed out.

“She said to trust you. She didn't say she approved of you,” Moon insisted.

“Close enough.”

Moon rolled her eyes, and Mayhem's smile faded. “I'm going.”

She sighed. “Fine. You already won this argument once.”

“I'd like that recorded somewhere,” he teased.

“Don't push it.” He kissed the back of her hand, and Moon froze. Mayhem felt the bond flare. It wasn’t painful, but warm and deep inside him. His wolf surged forward. Mate. Moon's wolf answered. Ours.

Her eyes flashed silver, and Mayhem stared at her. “You heard that?”

Moon swallowed. “Maybe.”

“That was your wolf,” he said.

“I know,” Moon breathed.

“She likes me,” Mayhem insisted.

“She's questionable at best,” Moon teased.

“She's got excellent taste.” Moon tried to pull away, but Mayhem held on. “Stay.”

Her expression changed. “Why?” He wanted to tell her everything that had popped into his head, but he was afraid to lay it all out for her. Mayhem wanted to tell her that he felt better when she was near, and that his wolf stopped clawing at him. Or that the night root slowed every time she touched him, and that the thought of going to some abandoned wolf settlement without her touching him scared the living hell out of him.

Instead, he said, “I like you here.” Moon's face softened, and that was dangerous—very fucking dangerous. She stepped closer, and Mayhem rested his forehead against hers. Neither spoke, and for one quiet moment, there was no Hollow Pack, no night root, no Morrigan, and no Black Hollow—just Moon.

“Are you two done?” Chris asked.

Mayhem closed his eyes. “Go away, Christmas.”

Chris stood on the other side of the bar. “No.” Moon stepped back from him, and Mayhem immediately missed her.

Chris tossed him a black T-shirt. “Put that on.”

Mayhem caught it. “You always this bossy?”

“Yes,” Chris said.

“Starting to understand why you're Tempest's VP.”

Chris smiled. “Good.”

Chrome appeared behind her. “You ready?”

Chris glanced over her shoulder. “I was born ready.” Chrome's gaze traveled down her body, and Mayhem noticed. Chris seemed to notice too. Her eyes narrowed at him. “You got something to say?”

“Nope,” Chrome said.

“Good,” Chris mumbled under her breath, making Chrome smile.

Mayhem looked at Moon, and she looked back at him, and he could tell that they were both thinking the same thing. Mayhem pulled the shirt over his head, and pain ripped through his side. He tried to hide the wince, but Moon saw it anyway.