Redemption (Rogue Nation MC #1)

20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Theo

Warm breath brushing the side of my neck was the first thing I felt. The pressure of a heavy arm wrapped around my torso was next. ‘Safe, secure, peace, love ’ was all my mind kept repeating. I slowly looked up and came face to face with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen set over the most beautiful smile on earth. I reached up and ran my fingers along his jaw, barely a touch. “You’re mine.” I whispered.

“And you’re mine. Forever.” His whisper came in answer. Then he kissed me again. His lips brushed mine with the promise of love, devotion, protection and so many other words my frazzled brain couldn’t comprehend. A flicker of worry crossed his face, and his smile fell.

“What is it alpha?” Owen was right, the mate bond was real. I could feel his worry and fear deep in my soul.

“I’ll never lie to you, Theo, I’m afraid.” He closed his eyes and my breath hitched.

“Tell me Mako. Is it me? Do you regret your claim?” his worry became my panic, and I tried to unfold myself from his arms.

He opened his eyes, and his face became blank. A leader’s face if I’d ever seen one. “Never baby, never that. I fear what you can do to me, to the club. You hold the power to destroy me and everything I hold dear.” He shook his head like he was trying to clear the cobwebs from within.

“Eddie?” I took his hand and placed it over my heart. “Feel this?” He nodded his head. “Do you think I ever would? Reach deep within yourself and tell me if you actually feel that I would do that to you, to us.” I didn’t hold the tears back.

He looked into my eyes. It felt as if he was touching my soul and his fingers tightened on my chest for a moment. “No, I don’t. I only feel love, loyalty and… hope. That’s the strongest emotion, hope.” His eyes were hooded with lust. “I want you again. I can feel it growing between us, your warmth. It’s like a blanket on my soul.” He leaned forward, licking over the scar I’d yet to see. His claim mark.

Pulling back as I shook in his arms, “If we start again, we’ll never leave our rooms.”

I giggled. When had I giggled so much? Joy. That was the feeling, joy. “I don’t like it, but I have to agree. We need a shower and coffee. I still have had none today.” I tried again to pull away, and he pulled me tighter to his body.

“Yes, shower. One, not two. You, wet, naked, soaped up… now.” He lifted us off the sofa and headed to the bathroom. We stayed in the shower until his knot went down and the water ran cold.

Standing in the kitchen, him in his leather vest, he said it was a cut, and jeans and me in one of his RNMC t-shirts and my shorts, Mako poured us both coffees. After I took my first few sips and felt the caffeine invigorate my brain, I was ready for the rest of the conversation. “Mako?” He hummed his answer. “What happens now? Grey is expecting to find my body in the next day or so. What happens when he doesn’t? I mean, I can contact the lawyer and sign over the money Poppy left me, but I don’t think he’ll be happy about that. Neither will Gavin nor his mother.”

“Hmm. Gates looked up some stuff I wanted to send to my email. I think you need to read it before church. I think it may answer all your questions.” He pulled out his phone and opened his email. He tapped something and a huge grin spread across his face. “Perfect.”

I smirked. “What’s perfect? You got naked omega pictures on there?” I giggled again. Oh goddess, I felt like a teen in high school. Then my face fell. I only knew what teens in high school felt like from books and shows I’d watched.

“What were you thinking, baby? I’d never have naked omegas on my phone. Not even you, cuz I’d have to kill any bastard that saw you naked. That’s mine… only mine.” Yup, I was a goner. I loved it when my alpha got possessive and growled.

I shook my head again, and this time, I schooled my face. “I was just thinking that you make me feel like a high schooler in love for the first time. Giddy with possibilities. Then I remembered I didn’t know what that really felt like. I’ve never been to high school.” I sighed.

“Well, I can tell you that whatever you think high school should be, it isn’t. Bear can tell you all about our high school experience. It. Was. Not. Great.” He lay his phone on the table face up and slid it across to me. “Read what Gates sent us.” Reaching for my cup, he paused. “Refill?” I nodded my head and picked up the phone and read.

After reading the documents and email from Gates more than a few times, I was still confused. “Mako? What does all this exactly mean?” I handed him back his phone.

“Well, if Gates is right and I’ve never known him to be wrong about anything, once we confirm our fated mate claim with the blood test, there’s nothing your family can do. They can’t touch me, or you and they’ll have ZERO claim on anything your Poppy left to you. They can’t stop anything. If they try, the federal government steps in and they all get to spend time in a federal prison.” He leaned back in his chair, a smug look of satisfaction on his face.

“But… that says if you claim I’m you fated and they challenge it and the blood test says we’re not, you die.” Fear rolled through my body, and I started shaking.

I was lifted out of the chair and deposited in Mako’s lap before I could take more than a couple of breaths. “Do you think it’s wrong? That we’re not fated mates?” He smoothed his hand over my hair.

“Well, of course. I KNOW we’re fated. I feel it in my bones, but it’s such a risk. What if Grey finds out and pays off a doctor or something? I can’t lose you, Mako!” I winced at the whine my voice had taken on.

Handing his phone back to me “Look at the email Gates sent me after that.” I read the mail and smiled. “See, Doc has privileges at the hospital and the lab. He can do the test this morning and we’ll have the papers by tomorrow afternoon. Long before Hogg comes looking for you.” His grin grew wider. “I ain’t letting you go, baby, ever.”

I hugged his neck tightly and whispered in his ear, “You better never.” He laughed… hard.

“Wanna go see if Owen is out and about? I know Bear and Teach wanna see you too. You can meet the rest of the guys before church.” I climbed off his lap and grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the front door. Yes, I wanted to show his friends that he was a mated man now.