Chapter 48

Selene

When Phoenix turns around from the stove to see me, his lips curl into a slow, satisfied smile. "Good morning, princess," he purrs, the deep, sexy timber of his voice setting my body ablaze.

Usually, I'd be annoyed if anyone called me that, but from him, I know it's a term of endearment, something special. The way he says it—like I'm his entire world—makes my heart skip a beat.

Suddenly a surge of emotions come crashing over me—desire, contentment, and an underlying thread of possessiveness. But I realize it's not coming from me; it's coming from him. Our bond is already so strong that I can feel what he's feeling, and it's overwhelming in the best way.

Phoenix is shirtless, his jeans hanging low around his hips, revealing the V-shape that leads down to my version of heaven. My eyes trace the hard lines of his abs, the curves of his muscles, and I can't help the strong flood of heat that courses through my body, pooling between my legs.

"Damn, that's strong," he murmurs, his eyes darkening as he registers the intensity of my emotions. He turns back to the stove, casually placing a plate of perfectly toasted bread, bacon, and eggs, on the table.

I realize that he can feel my emotions too. every ounce of lust, every flicker of affection. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, but Phoenix just smirks, stepping closer to me. He brushes his finger across the fresh mark on my neck, the one that signifies I'm his, and pain ripples through me, making my knees weaken.

Fuck.

Phoenix chuckle is low and rough, vibrating through the air as he wraps his arm around my waist to steady me. "Sorry," he says, though from the amusement in his voice, he's anything but. He lightly squeezes my shoulder before pulling back a chair and gesturing for me to sit down.

"Eat. You must be starving after last night," he commands, his tone gentle but firm.

I glance at the food, realizing just how ravenous I am. As I settle into the chair, I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts from last night. From our bond, I sense nothing but happiness and contentment from Phoenix. There's no regret, no doubt. Relief floods through me, and I feel a smile tugging on my lips.

Makayla casually strolls into the kitchen. My eyebrows furrow. "Where's Sam?" I ask, trying not to give away anything that happened last night.

"Oh, he went to work, but he said he would be back to check on us later," she answers, sliding into a chair across from me. Her eyes flit up to Phoenix. "Hey, Nix," she greets with a knowing smirk.

"Mornin'," he responds, sitting down beside me. His hand slides up my leg, fingers brushing the inside of my thigh, and I can barely suppress the gasp that rises up my throat.

Okay, this bond thing needs to chill out a little.

"Ummm, so I heard the events of last night," Makayla says through mind-link, keeping her face carefully blank so Phoenix doesn't know she's talking about him.

Oh no.

My face heats up to a scalding degree. "I'm so sorry. It just happened-"

"Don't be. I'm glad my girl got some," she teases, her voice in my head light and playful.

"Yeah, something else happened too," I admit, biting my lip as I turn my head slightly, subtly showing her the mark on my neck.

"Holy fuck!" she exclaims in my head. "He marked you?"

"Crazy, right?" I respond, feeling the weight of the situation settle in my chest. This really changes everything between Phoenix and me.

Makayla tries to keep her expression neutral, but the corners of her lips lift. "I can't believe it. I'm so excited for y'all!"

"Thanks."

Just then, Phoenix's uncle strides into the room, his presence commanding. He's dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, his face serious as he glances around the table.

"I need to speak with you, Selene."

Oh my goddess. The realization hits me like a truck—did he hear us last night too? The thought makes my stomach drop, and I lower my gaze to the table, feeling the urge to crawl under the table and hide.

Phoenix stiffens beside me, his body tensing as a wave of anxiety and anger rolls off of him in sharp, hot waves. I can feel his emotions, almost as if they're mine.

What the hell is going on?

"You want to talk to me?" I ask, my voice betraying the confusion and unease knotting my stomach.

Luke nods. "Honestly, this conversation is overdue, but we needed to have our facts straight."

We? Phoenix knows about this too? I glance over at him, but his expression is stoic, his jaw clenched tightly. His eyes glaze over for moment, and I realize he's mind-linking with his uncle.

A moment later, Luke turns to me, his gaze steady. "Philip is in some very deep shit right now, and it's pulled your entire family into danger," he begins, his tone heavy. "Phoenix and I found out he was money laundering, but recently we discovered that he's also involved in drug and human trafficking."

Both Makayla and I gasp at the same time.

"What the fuck?" she exclaims out loud.

I can hardly believe what I'm hearing myself. If it's true, he's a literal fucking monster. And my mom is married to this monster.

Luke continues despite the shock on our faces. "He has pissed off a gang of wolves called the "Devils". There's a chance they're planning killing him and that means also puts a target on your back, your mother's, and Phoenix's."

Fear and panic surge through me, my chest constricting. "My mom's in danger and we just have her sitting at the fucking packhouse?" My voice rises in pitch, bordering on hysteria. "Holy shit. I can't believe this!"

"Selene," Luke tries to calm me, but I'm already on my feet, my hands trembling as I fish my phone out of my pocket.

"I have to call my phone right now, get her the fuck out of there," I say, my voice shaking with urgency.

"Don't freak your mother out," Phoenix interjects, his tone gentle yet firm as he stands up and wraps his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. His presence is like an anchor, grounding me. "Call your aunt. Tell her that your mom needs a break from the packhouse, and she needs to convince her to leave."

My pound is still pounding in my chest, but the calm sea in Phoenix's eyes helps to steady my beathing. I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Okay," I whisper, clinging onto the hope that everything will be okay.