“Mr. Toler.” Navarro cleared his throat, clearly nervous as her father turned to him.
Taller by several inches, wider, but older and definitely not as powerful, still her father wasn’t a comfortable man to have that fierce stare directed from.
“Yes, Mr. Blaine?” Her father had been around Breeds too long. He’d learned how to growl.
“Sir, I would like to request your permission to marry your daughter.”
Mica’s head swung around in shock as she stared back at Navarro in disbelief.
Wasn’t he supposed to ask her first, or something?
Her father gave an irritated grunt. “Rather late for that, isn’t it, son? Haven’t you already mated her?”
“I have, sir.” There wasn’t even a breath of apology. “But I think we’ve both been aware that was coming for a while now.”
Nope, no apology. But Mica was still shocked to the soles of her feet. Someone could have told her.
She glared at Cassie, who stood by her side now, a pleased little smile on her face, as though she had orchestrated it all. Mica wondered if she and Navarro would receive any of the credit for their own mating, or was everyone else simply going to steal the credit for them?
“If everyone will excuse me, I think I’ll get dressed.” She all but glared at Cassie, as well as her father. “I’m sure Merinus won’t mind a bit if you wait in the kitchen.”
“Of course she won’t.” Her father shrugged. “But don’t take all day.” He turned and shot Navarro a hard look. “You’ll be coming with us . . .”
“I don’t think so, Daddy.” Sweet as ever, her smile innocent, Mica stared back at her father as he glared over at her. “Navarro and I both will meet you later, if you don’t mind. We have a few things to discuss.”
“And a wedding date better be one of them,” he shot back with an air of a father who had finally realized it was time to let his little girl go.
They would discuss it later, Mica knew, but for now, all he needed was—
“Daddy.”
He turned to her slowly as he started going out the door and looked at her questioningly.
“I love you, Daddy. And thanks.” She knew her smile was as teary eyed as she felt. “Thanks for coming for me.”
He sniffed, rubbed at the side of his nose and then rolled his shoulders as though settling a weight. “Love you too, baby girl,” he finally grunted. “Don’t you worry. I love you too.”
As he left, Cassie followed, a wide grin on her lips as she too paused and looked back. “Hey, Mica, remember that contentment thing we were talking about and the secret I wouldn’t tell you?”
“About what you scented?” Mica asked warningly. “Yeah?”
“I just wanted to know which Breed it was, that’s all. Because I swore he had to have balls of steel to challenge Navarro for his mate.”
Mica’s eyes widened. “You knew!”
“Not all of it—”
“You knew!” Mica’s voice rose incredulously as she repeated the exclamation.
“Of course I knew.” Cassie laughed with a wink. “I know you, sweetie. Now, promise me you’re going to name that gorgeous boy, and I might even forgive you for not telling me about the kiss.”
And her friend escaped, rushing from the bedroom before Mica could rush after her. She turned to her mate then and smiled as his arms went around her.
Because there was no place she would rather be. And no place, she knew, that her mate would rather be, than right here, in each other’s arms.
EPILOGUE
She was the life that kept his heart beating, she kept him breathing, she kept the dreams he’d never realized he was holding on to safe within the love she had never lost for him.
Weeks later, after more than one inquest into Brandenmore’s death, and the investigation into the escape that had nearly been fatal for both Mica and Navarro, the last suspected spy at Sanctuary was weeded out.
There would always be spies, traitors. Neither Sanctuary nor Haven would ever be free of danger. But, finally, the last of the spies who had laid into the communications and security network of the compound had been disposed of and more information was coming in daily concerning the hidden files the Breeds had found within Brandenmore Research, once his death had facilitated their ability to get into the offices and begin searching.
The history of Phillip Brandenmore’s evil had spanned eighty years, and more deaths than anyone could have guessed. And it wasn’t just Breeds. He’d been an equal opportunity murderer.
Now, as spring was making its first appearance across the mountains of Colorado, Mica lay safe and secure in her mate’s arms and simply let herself believe.
Her father was actually pleased, her mother proud as hell of her upcoming son-in-law. Strange how accepting her father could be if it meant the child he loved would have the best protection possible.
She’d never known that he’d rather see her mated with a Breed than married to a man he would always fear couldn’t protect her.
“You’re thinking too hard, Amaya,” Navarro whispered against her hair as she lay draped over his chest. “No nightmares in my arms.”
Her head lifted. “No nightmares ever,” she agreed. “Just us.”
“Just us, love. Always, just us.”