The Moonlight Breed 8: Leap in the Dark by Gabrielle Evans (chrysanthemum read aloud .txt) 📕

kept squirming around on the sofa, obviously trying to get comfortable, and when he spoke, his voice was a bit hoarse from all the screaming he’d done in the shower.

“You’ve already met Jacobi,” Braxton continued. “There’s also Mihail and Nikola. Apparently, the two wolf Enforcers from Cloud Peak finally arrived as well. Creed and Rhodes, I think someone said.” He paused and batted Xander’s hand away from his upper thigh. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes.” Fighting always got his blood up and kicked his libido into overdrive. Their shared shower had been lengthy and enjoyable, but he wasn’t anywhere near finished with his mate.

How could he not feel that way, though? Was there anyone on the planet as gorgeous as Braxton? If so, Xander had yet to see it. Firm and slender, Braxton’s smaller body fit perfectly against him when they slept. His creamy skin, like peaches and honey, was so incredibly soft, and it stretched taut over each dip and curve.

His eyes were what had captivated Xander from the moment they’d first met, though. They were a bright, earthy green, like fresh grass in the springtime, and they held enough warmth and kindness to melt even the most frigid of hearts.

“Maybe they won’t be back.”

“Huh?” Lost in his contemplation of his lover, Xander had obviously missed something important. “Who?”

“See? I knew you weren’t listening to me.” Braxton grunted as he lounged back against the cushions, but the smile on his rosy lips betrayed him. “I was asking you about the goblins. No one has come back, and it’s been almost a week. Maybe it won’t be a big deal like we thought.”

It was a nice thought, but not likely. “There has been a pickup passing by the front gates around dusk every day this week, chulo. Mostly likely, they’re looking for weaknesses, timing the guard changes, and searching for another way onto the property.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Nothing had actually happened yet. There was no direct threat, and Xander wasn’t about to let Braxton leave the coven until the matter was settled. “There’s nothing we can do about it right now. Approaching them is only going to make things worse.” He squeezed Braxton’s knee and sighed. “I’m sorry, baby. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

“I know, Mr. Overprotective.” He placed his hand over Xander’s and laced their fingers together. “You know I love that you want to shield me from all the bad stuff in the world, but I need to know things like this. No more secrets, Xander. We’re supposed to be a team, right?”

He’d build an impenetrable bubble around Braxton if he could. It wasn’t that he doubted the man’s capabilities. The idea of something happening to his mate just turned him into a neurotic mess. Braxton could cut him a little slack, though. They both had firsthand knowledge that their entire lives could change in the blink of an eye.

It was his bad luck that the guy made a valid argument. Yes, they were a team. They were partners, always had each other’s backs, and never kept secrets. Hiding things from his lover wasn’t a road he wanted to travel down, anyway. Secrets were just too damn complicated.

“You’re right.”

“I’m sorry.” Braxton sat up straighter with a look of feigned surprise. “Can you repeat that? Did you just say I’m right?”

“Brat.” Chuckling under his breath, Xander leaned forward to press their lips together in a slow, sensual kiss. “If I find out anything else, I’ll let you know.”

A knock at the door interrupted the moment, and Braxton frowned as he stared across the room. “I’ll get it.”

“Uh, that’s okay. It’s just Spiro.”

“Oh.” Glancing over his shoulder, Braxton looked at the clock above the mantel and bobbed his head. “I guess I didn’t realize what time it was.” Turning back to Xander, he fidgeted in his seat and twirled his hands together in his lap. “Would you mind if I stayed?”

He paused on his way to the door, unsure of how to answer. He’d just promised not to hide anything from Braxton, but this was a little different. His sessions with Spiro weren’t exactly how he wanted his mate to see him. While he felt better after speaking with the doctor, he also felt drained, and he usually needed a little time to himself before he could face anyone. Having Braxton watch him go through that, appearing weak in front of his mate, wasn’t an appealing thought.

“That’s okay,” Braxton mumbled as he rose from the couch and started toward the kitchen. “I’ll just check if the new guys need anything to help them settle in. I’ll see you when you’re finished.”

“Braxton, wait.”

His mate waved him off. “No, really, it’s okay. I get it. I’ll see you later.”

“I love you.”

Braxton smiled, though it looked a little sad. “Love you back.”

* * * *

“Did you get lost on the way to the door?”

Xander shuffled out of the way to allow Spiro to enter the house. The guy was at least six inches shorter than him, and probably didn’t weigh more than a buck eighty on a full stomach, but there was something about him that made Xander feel like a little boy when they spoke.

“Sorry.”

“Did I hear Braxton?”

“Uh.” Xander rubbed at the back of his neck as he stared guiltily at his bare feet. “Yeah, he was here.”

“You asked him to leave?”

“It wasn’t exactly like that.” He hadn’t discouraged Braxton’s departure, but he hadn’t ordered him to leave, either.

Spiro eased down into the usual chair he occupied during their sessions and crossed one leg over the other. “It would make you uncomfortable for him to be here, though. You think he’ll see you as weak.”

He didn’t know how the hell the guy did that, just plucked thoughts right from Xander’s brain. “Yes, but it sounds bad when you say it like that.”

“Well, how else would you say it? Do you believe Braxton loves you?”

“Yes,” Xander answered immediately. “I know he does.”

“Is his love conditional? Are you afraid that