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work. Getting things done?
Yeah, I am, Michel said, pushing away from the table so he
could roll to his feet. He was never going to get used to sitting on
cushions on the floor all the time. He was American. He liked chairs.
I came to see if you wanted to lunch together. Cord lost a good
ten pounds over the last week and a half. Between the heat of the
desert and his adamant refusal that he wasn t hungry, the man had
dropped weight like crazy. It was the first time he d shown an interest
in food, and that made Michel excessively happy.
He smiled. Absolutely. I ve got some snack-type stuff here, and I
can go get some meat if you like. The idea of being able to get his
mate to eat made a sense of urgency wash through him. He needed to
hurry and get some food before Cord changed his mind and decided
eating was bad form when mourning or something.
Whatever you want to do, Cord said, shifting from foot to foot.
He looked nervous. Michel s eyes narrowed. Usually, that meant his
mate was up to something, but with everything that had been going
on, Michel couldn t imagine what. Michel?
What is it, love?
Would you be mad at me if I asked you something?
Ravyn s Mates 103
Michel gave him his best warm smile. Of course not, baby.
Whatever you want to ask me, ask.
Cord graced him with a smile that reached his eyes, and Michel s
heart tripped over itself. They had been together forever, and Cord s
smiles could still make him into a big marshmallow. I want to invite
two people to lunch with us.
Michel frowned. Who? It was unusual for Cord to want to share
their time with anyone else. The idea of Cord already finding
someone to fill Dru s spot was ridiculous. First, because Druas was
their mate and second, because Cord was far from fickle.
They re twins, Iso and Hardwin.
From the orphanage? Michel asked in confusion.
Cord nodded. Yes. They re identical and so boisterous. He grew
animated as he talked about the children, his eyes glowing with the
same light that it did when he was amped up about something.
They re not kittens you go to adopt at the shelter, Cord. Michel
hated to have to burst Cord s bubble, but someone had to. Children
were not replacements for the hole in Cord s heart.
Cord s expression darkened. No, they re not. But they need
someone to take care of them, and they ve attached themselves to me.
I want you to meet them.
We re not bringing home two children with a war coming on,
Cord.
Why the fuck not? Cord snapped, his hands balling up into fists.
They need me, and I need them. I want something that reminds me
of Dru.
Michel sighed, knowing the fight was going to get ugly. Cord,
baby, listen to me. You do not get children to give you comfort.
I want to take care of them. Cord s eyes were tearing, and
Michel s chest tightened at the sight. They re beautiful, and they
look just like him. They don t have anyone, Michel. I can t just let
them go. They don t even remember their parents.
104 Jana Downs
I don t know if you re doing this for the right reasons, baby. We
lost Dru a week and a half ago. You can t expect these children to fill
the space he left behind. It s not fair to them, and it s not fair to
yourself. You wouldn t want to do that, would you? Michel knew the
second Cord broke. Through their mate bond a screaming pain echoed
through the line.
When I m with them, I feel like everything will be okay, Cord
said, dropping to his knees. I feel like I can push through this and be
okay if I can just make the world right for them. Please, just meet
them, Michel. Please. He looked up, and his hazel eyes glittered with
unshed tears. Please, Michel.
Michel went to his knees beside his mate and wrapped his arms
around him. All right, baby. All right. I ll meet them. Promise me
that you ll really think about this before you decide for sure that
they re coming home with us.
I promise, Michel. I promise. They held onto one another, and
Cord cried for a few minutes before he seemed to collect himself and
pulled out of Michel s arms. Okay, so I ll go get them and you go
get something to eat for the four of us?
Michel nodded. Yeah, he was a sucker for his mates. He thought
about what Druas would say about the situation, only to realize that
they d never really talked about how he felt about kids so soon. He d
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