The Winter Bear's Bride (Dubious Book 2) (13 page)

“Aevar…” She moaned, wrapping her legs around his lean hips as she offered her throat. His growl of need was all she needed to hear as he bent his head.

His fangs broke the skin just as he thrust into her a last time and stiffened. He roared as he came, the sound muffled by his hold on her shoulder. She didn’t feel pain, instead, utter pleasure exploded through her as she shattered apart in his arms. A perfect cascade of sensation as he held her, claimed her, bonded her as his forever more.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to pleasure.

She was no longer Scar’s whore…instead, she was his mate.

Eight months later…

“Are you sure you’re holding her right? You drop my daughter and I’ll gut you alive.”

Analise hid her smile as Scar fussed around Arick, readjusting his hold on the tiny form the big warrior held in his hands. The poor man looked terrified, his eyes wide as he looked down at the little girl, who smiled and cooed back up at him.

“Scar! Behave yourself. You’re scaring him to death. He’s holding her just fine. They’re not as fragile as you think.” Analise broke in before Arick could have a meltdown.

She was just glad they’d gotten him to agree to be Rina’s godfather
before
he’d realized he’d have to hold her for the ceremony; otherwise, she wasn’t sure he’d have said yes. As it was, it was delightful watching the big man being so very careful with his precious burden. She smiled as Scar stepped back, folding her into his arms. The last eight months had been the stuff dreams were made of. She had a husband who loved her and carried a child they both very much wanted. Thankfully, the delivery had been relatively easy, even if Rika had had to threaten to have her son removed from the birthing chamber, father of the baby or not, if he didn’t sit down and stop growling at anyone who went near Analise. They’d had a daughter safely. Rina. A perfect child who had her hair and her father’s dark-on-dark eyes.

Less than a month later and she had everyone in the keep wrapped around her tiny little finger.

“The priest…” she murmured to Arick, nodding toward the man stood in front of them. “He has to bless the baby.”

Arick nodded, moving to step forward, but just at that moment, the door to the hall opened. Analise couldn’t help the small gasp as she recognized the hulking figure framed in the doorway.

“Magnus Asmundr…”

“Lord Magnus…”

Her father limped forward, the injuries that had nearly killed him evident in the way he favored his left leg. Scar stepped forward, an arm out to keep her safely behind him, but something about the look on her father’s face made her push it out of the way and step forward.

“Father?” she asked, searching his eyes.

The once-proud man stopped in front of her and looked at her, actually looked at her.

“You look so much like your mother,” he admitted finally. “Not your height, or—” He waved at her slight figure, still curvier than normal after her pregnancy. “But in the eyes. Your spirit.” His voice cracked a little, but he coughed and carried on. “I lost her, but every day I saw her in you, and I couldn’t bear that she was gone.”

He dropped his head forward, every line of his body broken. When he looked up, her heart ached for the torment she saw there.

“I’m sorry for…everything. I should have been a better father. I wanted you to know I’m sorry. And…” He looked around her, his gaze suddenly hopeful as it latched onto the bundle in Arick’s arms. “I was hoping I might be able to meet my granddaughter. Just once? If you’ll permit me?”

In that moment, she knew she had the ultimate power on earth. With one word she could let hate rule her heart and destroy an already broken man. Or she could mend what had been broken.

Reaching out her hand, she offered it, smiling as he enveloped it in his bigger one.

“Come on,” she said, pulling him with her to where Arick stood.

Carefully, she smoothed the blankets from around her daughter’s face. The baby opened her eyes and smiled.

“Father, I’d like you to meet your granddaughter, Rina.”

Mina Carter
is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of romance in many genres. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and a bossy cat. For more information on other books by Mina, visit her website:
www.mina-carter.com
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