He looked at her like she was the world, and maybe because of the mate bond, she was to him.
Her feelings had been one-sided for so long that it seemed incredible to her to believe that he could look at her with such endearing devotion.
He cleared his throat at the prolonged silence that had fallen between them, neither of them saying a word, just content for those endless minutes to stare at one another—to take stock, to let the realization settle that no, this wasn’t a dream, and that yes, this was reality. A part of her wondered how long it would take for that realization to take root. Weeks, months? She really hoped it was only days.
Settling back against the pillows, Pip smiled at him and said, “Where did you go? You were supposed to nap with me.”
“I did for a while, then Mars woke me up. You were out for the count, so I left you to sleep. You needed it. I had some errands to run.”
His tone changed at the word ‘errands’, and it had her cocking a brow. “Oh? What kind of errands?”
“Just something Mars needed me to do.”
She got the feeling he was hiding something from her, but the truth was, he’d forever be hiding MC business from her. She figured she’d better get used to it because that was never going to change. That side of things would always be between them—a topic never broached. It could either be a thorn in their side or something she simply accepted. Truth was, she didn’t particularly want to deal with the MC side of things, so acceptance wouldn’t be too tough for her.
She’d always known how close the MC ran to the edge of the law, and though it had never bothered her, that had only been the case because she’d never been directly involved in it.
Hypocritical of her maybe, but still, it was how she’d felt.
All her life, she’d been surrounded by crime in one shape or another. Being in the MC had just been a continuation of that. Her opinion of what the MC was doing hadn’t really changed, and being mated to a brother didn’t suddenly make her more judgmental. She’d always have cared if Major was in any way affected by a gang war or even just an issue with the cops. Hell, she was pissed when Mundo was sent down. The brothers weren’t her mates, but they were her family. Anything that affected them, affected her. But, there was no point in fighting this. The MC was who these guys were.
“You should still be sleeping,” he chided her as he finally closed the door and stepped into their room. “You really wore yourself out earlier.”
“I didn’t,” she promised him. “I kind of know how far to go.”
He grunted. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because you don’t know me well enough yet to know when I’m lying?”
Her honesty had him chuckling. “Well, I figure I deserve that.”
She shrugged a shoulder. “We’ll soon learn that kind of stuff about each other. Hell, from what I can see going on between Annette and Mars, she knows when he’s about to lie before he does.”
“Yeah, but that’s because I think they communicate telepathically. Remember, I told you about Annette’s talent?”
She blinked, and a yawn overwhelmed her once more. “Damn, you did tell me. It completely slipped my mind.”
He smiled at her. “After the busy days you’ve been having, it’s no wonder—”
A knock sounded at the door, interrupting his words. He grimaced but strode over toward it. When he pulled it open, he groaned.
Without awaiting an invitation, Mundo strode in, a big grin on his face.
“Is it true?”
Pip couldn’t help but share in the big grin. Jesus, she’d always loved Mundo. Not in that way, but as a friend. He’d always been rock solid.
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s true. We’re mates.”
“When Jarvis told me, I wasn’t sure if he was shitting me or not, so I had to come straight to you to hear it from the horse’s mouth.”
“You calling my mate a horse?”
Major’s dour demand had Mundo rolling his eyes. “I never understood what you saw in this miserable bastard, but I’m glad you finally got what you always wanted.” He cast Major a look. “I just don’t get what took so damned long. When I met Christie, I was inside and she was my dentist.” He whistled. “Jesus, I thought my body was about to combust from the sight of her, and every day I was away from her, I felt like I was dying.”
“Well, you know that’s how I felt,” Pip confirmed, her tone soft and laced with a trace of sadness.
There was no point in regretting the past when the present and the future looked so damn bright she needed sunglasses, but still, it had hurt to be rejected for so long when her feelings had been so intense.
That pain would take a long time to disappear.
Major punched Mundo on the shoulder. “Jesus, Mundo, what are you trying to do? Turn her against me? For fuck’s sake, we’re trying to get past all that. You’re not helping, bro.”
His brow was cast in a scowl as he strode across the room to the bed and perched beside Pip. He reached for her hand, gripped her fingers tightly in his large paw, and said, “I can only apologize so many times, babe. You know that.”
She shook her head and shot him a soft smile. “You know I don’t hold it against you, but Mundo was my best friend when I was here. He knew how I felt even though I never really said all that much. He’s only looking out for me, aren’t you, buddy?”
Mundo grunted and, to Pip’s amusement, lay down beside her on the bed. Major growled at the sight but subsided when she squeezed his fingers.
“Get your boots off the sheets. Jesus, Mundo, did your mother raise an animal?”
That had Mundo snorting. “Since you know I’m a bear, I figure that question is rhetorical.”
“Since when did you know fancy words like ‘rhetorical’?” she hooted, half twisting to stare him straight in the face.
“Since he got himself a dentist for a mate,” Major inserted, his tone gleeful at being able to throw shit at Mundo rather than solely being the recipient. “Think he’s swallowed a dictionary or something. Keeps coming out with these fancy words. We all reckon he’s trying to impress Christie.”
Mundo grunted as he sat up, then toed off his boots before returning to his former position. “There’s nothing wrong with a man trying to better himself.”
“I don’t think it’s got shit to do with bettering yourself, boy. More like you need the dictionary to figure out what she’s talking about.” Major winked at Pip.
“I can promise you, she has more uses for this tongue than fancy words.” He flicked said appendage back and forth until Pip wrinkled her nose.
“Gross, Mundo.”
Major just chuckled. “You haven’t met Christie yet, have you?”
“No, when you... when we... well, she was still in hospital.”
Mundo’s voice was laced with satisfaction. “Not anymore. Just put her back into bed in our room. Not that she’s happy about that.” He grunted. “What can I do? The doc put her on bed rest. I told her at least she’s home, but that hasn’t stopped her from nagging at me.”
“That’s what mates do,” Pip told him, nudging his arm with her fist. When he didn’t budge, she rolled her eyes at his strength. “Anyway, she’s carrying your cub so you just have to put up and shut up.”
“What the fuck do you think I’m doing?”
“You’re not doing that great a job of it in another woman’s bedroom!”
He grunted. “True. Shit. I’d best get back. I just had to come and see if it was true. I’ve missed you around here, Pip. It’s not been the same without you.”
Pip grabbed him before he could move. “I missed you too, kid. But hey, don’t go yet. Tell me about her. Is she okay? Is the baby?”
She was amazed at how his hard but handsome features softened as he started thinking about his mate and baby. Mundo had always been a player, but he had such a good nature and was loaded with such charm that it was easy to forget he couldn’t keep it in his pants.
When s
he’d heard he’d settled down with a woman via the grapevine, she’d known it had to be a mate, and knowing Mundo was mated was as mind-boggling as discovering Major was hers.
Mundo tied to one woman? Forever?
She’d pitied the woman, but now, she could understand the mate bond, and it all made much more sense.
“She’s perfect.”
Major snorted out a laugh. “You keep telling yourself that, bro.”
Mundo glowered at him, then amended, “She’s perfect for me.”
Pip patted his arm. “Then that’s all that matters.”
“She’s really smart, Pip,” he told her, swiveling around so he could look at her rather than twist his head awkwardly. “She’s not practicing at the moment, but when the cub is born, she’s going to set up a private practice. She’s funny, and she won’t let me get away with shit.” He grinned. “She’s a bear tamer.”
Pip laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. I’m really happy that you found her, Mundo.”
“Me too.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully. “We both found our mates. We’re lucky.” He reached for the hand her mate wasn’t holding and squeezed her fingers. “Now, before I stop being lucky, I’d best be getting back to her.”
Major grunted. “Did Mars update you with what’s going on after the fire?”
Mundo shot him a look. “What do you think?”
Major just grimaced. “It’s being dealt with.”
“It had better be. My pregnant mate is on site, Major. I only brought her back because Mars assured me you had the situation handled.”
“I do.”
“You’d better. If anything happens to Christie, the cub, or Pip, you won’t fucking want to see me for the next century.”
Unaccustomed to seeing this side of Mundo, Pip blinked at the anger that contorted his usually affable features. “What’s going on?” she asked, her soft voice breaking into the tension like a knife slid through butter.
“Nothing,” they both said simultaneously.
Well, that wasn’t suspicious, was it? Huffing out a breath, she continued, “Is Christie better, Mundo? Does she need my help?”
Her comment dragged him from the conversational topic at hand, and he shook his head slightly as though trying to get back on topic.
“What? How can you help?”
“You must have only just got back if Jarvis only had the chance to tell you about Major. My talent, Mundo, is insane. You won’t believe it, but I can heal.”
He blinked at her. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. Like majorly heal. Troy got burnt in the fire the other night. It was bad. Really bad.” She looked to Major who nodded his confirmation of her words. “But we healed him.”
“We?” Mundo demanded, confusion in his tone. “You heal together? How does that even work?”
“I can heal by myself, but the energy overwhelms me. When Major’s there and we work together, I can direct it and process it somehow.” She shrugged. “I don’t really understand it, and I’m trying to get a grip on it, but regardless, it’s working. Maybe I can help Christie.”
He stared at her a second then bit his lip. “Would you mind?” he asked in a tone that melted her heart. He was concerned about his mate. He was projecting that loud and clear.
“Of course, I wouldn’t. I’d love to help if I can.”
Major started scowling. “You shouldn’t, Pip. You’re too tired after this morning. It was too much anyway, and Christie’s had a lot of complications thanks to her endless bouts of morning sickness.”
She reached forward and cupped her mate’s cheek. “I know you’re concerned, but you don’t have to be.” Her smile was bright.
“If you’re still tired, Pip, then there’s always tomorrow,” Mundo proffered. “There’s no rush. She’s still gonna be glued to the mattress when you’re rested enough to help.”
Pip shook her head. “I feel much better, and I want to help Christie. If she makes my bud so happy, then I need to make sure she’s happy too. It can’t be nice being on bedrest.”
“Tell me about it,” Mundo griped, but she could tell he was relieved that she was willing to help. “What I don’t get is she loves being in bed. I mean, it’s not like she went mountain climbing or hiking every goddamn weekend. The woman’s a reader. But here she is, bitching about having nothing to do but read.”
Pip rolled her eyes as she climbed out of bed. “Jesus, Major, use your damn brain. Anything that’s enforced is only half the fun, even if it’s something you ordinarily enjoy doing.”
“Women are just damn contrary,” he countered.
“You telling me you’d be happy if the docs told you that you couldn’t ride for a month?”
“That makes no sense. That isn’t even a similar comparison.”
“Doesn’t matter if it isn’t or isn’t,” she retorted. “You wouldn’t like it. You wouldn’t listen. Only in this instance, Christie has to listen because she’s not doing it for herself but for the baby too.”
He shook his head. “I told her she’ll be grateful for the rest when the baby comes, but that didn’t help either.”
Major chuckled. “Are you doing your best to piss her off?”
“Well, kind of.” He gave an aw-shucks grin. “If she’s pissed off about something I’ve said, she usually forgets she’s stuck on bedrest.”
Charmed, Pip giggled. “Only you could figure that one out, Mundo, you nut.” She stretched once she was on her feet, bowed down to swipe a kiss to Major’s lips. Before he could tug her back down onto his lap, she danced out of reach with another giggle and headed to the bathroom.
“I’ll be out in a minute.”
As she shut the door, she heard the mumbling of their conversation and wished she had super hearing to know what they were talking about.
It was to do with the fire, that she knew. It was also to do with whatever Major was sorting out—something that had made Mundo more pissed off than she’d ever seen before. Pondering that as she finished up, she washed her hands, contemplated eavesdropping, then decided not to. She’d learn whatever she had to learn at the appropriate time.
Jinxing what was happening here was the last thing she wanted or needed.
She wanted to roll with it. Let fate wend her down the best path, because when she’d thrown herself in its strong wind, it had redirected her back to this point in her life.
How could she not be happy with the end result?
She made a noise as she left the bathroom so they knew to stop talking. “Lead the way, Mundo.”
Her pal opened the door for her and guided her out. As they went down the hall to his room, she realized they were only two doors down, and she made a promise that even if this Christie was a real bitch, she’d do her best to befriend Mundo’s mate. Just for his sake.
But hell, she hoped the other woman was nice.
Being friends for the sake of a best bud sucked, but it wasn’t like she had much of an option.
When he opened the door, she sucked in a breath to brace herself and reached blindly for Major’s hand. Squeezing it, she prayed a little harder that Christie wasn’t some pain-in-the-ass, country club, boring bitch.
“Babe, I’ve brought someone to meet you.”
“Who?” came a sulky voice. “I know everybody here. If you’re just trying to cheer me up, it’s not going to work.”
Mundo snorted. “Like I’d even try when you’re in such a bratty mood.”
Pip’s eyes opened at the retort as she waited for the other woman to blast her mate with anger. Instead, there came a hiccoughing laugh. “You’re such a bastard, Mundo.”
Mundo chuckled. “Your bastard, baby.”
“Don’t talk to me about babies. This one of yours is driving me insane.”
“It takes two to tango,” he replied quickly and smoothly.
“You led during that dance, so it’s all your fault.” A huff sounded. “Anyway, who’s the visitor? Don’t think I don’t know you changed the su
bject.”
Mundo waved Pip from the doorway. “It’s a friend of mine I used to know. She’s called Pip.”
Walking in, a hesitant smile on her face, she peered around for the bed and found it facing the wall with the windows rather than the TV as was the case in Major’s room. It meant Christie had more privacy when the door opened, as anyone walking in the hallway couldn’t see her in bed.
Pip wanted to grimace at the sight of the poor woman but knew that wouldn’t exactly endear her to Christie.
The healing energies she’d been gifted didn’t enable her to sense what was wrong with a person, not outside of what was visible anyway. But Christie was projecting so much discomfort, Pip wanted to fidget at the sight of it.
She was still getting used to what her talents enabled her to do. With every brother she’d helped heal this morning—and there’d been over a dozen with burns severe enough that a night’s rest hadn’t done the job—she’d learned more. Pip had sensed where the pain was worse and learned what the color of the energy that left her hands meant for the ‘patient’. More experience was enabling her to handle the discomfort, meaning she could lean on Major for other things rather than pain management—things like allowing the energy to disperse more.
It was interesting figuring out what she could and couldn’t do, and she loved that it was something she could share with her mate. She loved that he empowered her gifts.
“I didn’t know you had any friends that were girls,” Christie snapped, breaking into Pip’s train of thought as she narrowed her eyes at the pair of them. “You’d better not be introducing me to a fuck buddy, Mundo, or the next time you bring that dick anywhere near my mouth, I’ll be biting rather than sucking.”
Both men in the room winced, but Pip bellowed out a laugh. “I like you.” She should have contained the words, but hell, it was the truth. Anyone who could stand up to these men was A-Okay in her book.
“Well, I don’t know if I like you,” came the blunt retort. “And if you don’t like my frankness, you know where the door is. It’s taking all my patience not to go mad in this damn room, never mind having to worry about everyone else’s mood too.”
MAJOR (MC Bear Mates Book 5) Page 11