The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
Page 17
“Tell him to come back in here, please,” she said, and Leif hesitated.
“Maybe you should give him some time to calm down,” he suggested.
“He is pretty angry,” Kyran said.
“I’ll go talk to him first,” Marco said.
“No, Marco, please just tell him to come in here.”
Marco walked out of the room, and they could hear them arguing. Then Mateo walked in. He stood at the end of the bed.
She opened her arms.
“I need you, Mateo, please.”
He swallowed hard, and Leif moved from the bed, and so did Kyran, who took the ice from her lips and her ribs.
“I’ll hurt you.”
“Never,” she replied.
* * * *
Mateo climbed up onto the bed and leaned over her body. He was so pissed off right now. He’d failed her, and here she was bruised up, ribs nearly broken, and lips swollen from that fucker striking her repeatedly. He would remember the sound of her screams and the sight of that monster attacking her, punching her and ripping her dress as she struck him with the heel of her shoe, her only weapon. He closed his eyes and squeezed them shut tight. He felt her palm against his cheek.
“Don’t, Mateo. Don’t think about what he did to me. You saved me. You got him off me.”
“You shouldn’t have needed to be saved. I let my guard down.”
“We were celebrating together, and we’re going to continue to celebrate together.”
He shook his head. “He could have—”
She covered his lips with her finger. “He didn’t. We need to put this behind us and move on. We’re so blessed, Mateo.”
“How so?” he asked, and she raised one of her eyebrows at him in challenge.
“I met you and your brothers and fell in love. I found a town and a place I can call home in Repose with you. Our relationship and your professions. Your help with saving Evilly and you all brought my family back together. Each of you has given so much. Leif offering my family a place to stay even though they were hard and disapproving of our relationship at first. Who the hell does something like that?” she asked and looked at Leif, who smiled.
“You and Kyran invited my brothers to your dojo despite everything that was going on.
“Marco, you did the same thing, and you even went out and got things for Cara so she would be instantly spoiled with love and safety. You all let them into your home. My God, the list goes on and on over how much you each have made a difference in my life by giving.”
“You have continued to give to us, too, but we said we would protect you, and we failed. I failed,” Mateo said.
“You were celebrating just as we all were. Right before I came out of that bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw a well-loved woman glowing with happiness and excitement about her future.”
“Then you come out and have to fight for your life,” he countered.
“I did fight for my life until you got there to rescue me. It all worked out fine, and you know what, maybe I’m not glowing, more like swelling,” she said and winked, trying to make a joke, and he shook his head and fought to not show the grin. The damn woman had such an effect on him it was asinine.
“I still felt lucky to be alive, to have had all of you there to save me from worse, and that was a hell of a lot different than the last time I was face-to-face with Bragan angry and drunk.”
Mateo felt that statement to his gut and his heart. She had been alone then and nearly died.
“I wasn’t alone this time. I had you and your brothers, and you got to me and saved me. Nothing else matters, Mateo. Only this love so special and deep we all share for one another. It’s unbreakable, sustainable, forever. My love for you and your love for me are the ties that bind us forever.”
“Why do you have to be so damn smart and so damn perfect?” he asked.
“Just kiss me, Mateo, and then make love to me.”
“You’re bruised,” he said as she pulled him closer.
“Not down there I’m not.”
He heard his brothers chuckle, and then he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her.
The ties that bind us? Damn, were he and his brothers the luckiest men alive.
THE END
WWW.DIXIELYNNDWYER.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind my name with all my readers.
My momma was born and raised in New Orleans. At the age of twenty, she met and fell in love with an Irishman named Patrick Riley Dwyer. Needless to say, the family was a bit taken aback by this as they hoped she would marry a family friend. It was a modern day arranged marriage kind of thing and my momma downright refused.
Being that my momma’s families were descendants of the original English speaking Southerners, they wanted the family blood line to stay pure. They were wealthy and my father’s family was poor.
Despite attempts by my grandpapa to make Patrick leave and destroy the love between them, my parents married. They recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
I am one of six children born to Patrick and Lynn Dwyer. I am a combination of both Irish and a true Southern belle. With a name like Dixie Lynn Dwyer it’s no wonder why people are curious about my name.
Just as my parents had a love story of their own, I grew up intrigued by the lifestyles of others. My imagination as well as my need to stray from the straight and narrow made me into the woman I am today.
Enjoy The Battlefield Series 6: The Ties That Bind Us and allow your imagination to soar freely.
For all titles by Dixie Lynn Dwyer, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/dixie-lynn-dwyer
Siren Publishing, Inc.
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