Fighting Instinct by Mary Calmes

Author:Mary Calmes [Calmes, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-11-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

IT TURNED out that a change in Linus resulted in me barely being able to talk to him because everyone else in the world suddenly demanded his attention.

Overnight my mate went from being icy and aloof, skittish and condescending, to bossy and demanding, yes, but also gentle, and more than anything, warm. People were absolutely gobsmacked by the change in him, and because they’d all been drawn to the man in the beginning but rebuffed by his demeanor… now they all took tentative steps closer. And were rewarded.

I had no idea Mr. Clemente could smile when he wasn’t around Quade’s mother. Mrs. Dunbar was absolutely preening under Linus’s gaze and glowing with pride over his heartfelt praise for all she did. As he held her hands and asked her for forgiveness for how cold and uncaring he’d been, she cried.

Christ.

It was so much fuss.

But I got it. People were seriously in awe about even the smallest things, like Linus asking questions—and wonder of wonders, hanging around to hear the answer.

Normally Linus exchanged pleasantries in a terse, hyperefficient manner that said even though he was inquiring as to state of being, mostly he wanted to give out orders. But New Year’s Day brought softness, genuine concern, and a deluge of words from a man who had in the past taken great care to use only the minimum number needed to either gather or disseminate information. Everyone in the house, including Jon, Quade’s family, and the entirety of the staff, fell over themselves to talk to and even touch him.

I simply stood by, glowering, with my arms crossed. When he elbowed me in the side, smiled at me with twinkling eyes, and told me to lighten up, I was ready to throttle him.

“I always thought Linus was beautiful,” Roman said, stepping in close to me. “But I never imagined that he could light up an entire room. It’s hard to keep my eyes off of him.”

And I realized that this was how he’d looked before the betrayal, before he was violated, before all of what had made him the man he was had been stripped away. He was breathtaking, not for simply what was on the outside, but for what was on the inside that he allowed everyone to finally see. He’d been hiding his light for years, but now, because his faith had been restored, he was confident again to let it shine.

Every time he glanced over at me, smiling, I scowled. He laughed, and the sound of it, God, so good. I loved every second of seeing him strut around and hug people and spread warmth and sunshine. It was a night-to-day change in Linus, and just like everyone else, I found him mesmerizing. The difference was, he belonged to me.

“So mating with you changed him,” Jon commented, turning to look at me quizzically. “I don’t understand. Is your dick magic?”

Both Quade and I turned to look at him.

“It’s a fair question,” Jon added.

“It’s a crass question,” Quade retorted. “God, your manners are for shit.

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