Page 24 of Deep Fake

We ordered in from a place I hadn’t heard of. Big healthy salads arrived with fresh-baked whole wheat bread and all kinds of toppings and dressings, along with a baked blueberry cobbler.

That was for me.

Rig ordered chicken and steak skewers. Said shifting took a lot out of him especially since his big body transformed into a tiny one and back again.

We ate side by side, standing at his marble island. No shirts allowed. Or socks for that matter.

“Are you one of those people who don’t like people taking food from your plate?” I asked, my fork poised above a piece of his chicken that smelled like garlic and rosemary.

“Yes.” He kissed me on the shoulder. “But you’re not just anyone. Take what you want, omega. You’re going to need more energy for the rest of the night.”

“Oh. I’m still a bit sore.”

“Not for that, baby. We’re going to get to the bottom of this stalker of yours. I was focused in before but now…” He trailed off.

“What? Now what?”

“Now he’s messing around and threatening my mate. He won’t know what hit him once I catch up. He’ll never mess with anyone again.”

I was still wrapping my head around this mate thing. It was more serious and stable than a human marriage. “Tell me more about being your mate.”

Rig cleared the island and then picked me up to sit on it and he stood between my knees. “Being mated means, I’m yours. Your needs and taking care of you are my priority. I’ll protect you and love you for as long as I live and Goddess willing, after that. We don’t cheat or divorce like humans sometimes do, remember. There’s no one else for me.”

That sounded like a happily ever after if I’d ever heard one.

“Not even hot omegas on the internet? I had a boyfriend once. He was addicted to online images and messaged them. He said it was harmless but it didn’t feel harmless to me.”

He groaned. “That’s not me. Why look at images when I have you right in front of me? I’m big on communication, okay? If you need something from me or if I do something wrong, please tell me. I know this is all fast, but we have all the time in the world to learn each other.”

“That sounds good to me. I’m yours too. I’m all yours.”

He growled, and it was the first time I’d heard him do that. “Ferrets don’t growl,” I laughed.

“No, but the alpha in me does. It means so much to me that you said you’re mine.”

“I am yours, alpha.”

Another growl.

“Should we try to sleep tonight?”

Rig laid his head on my belly and groaned. “I need to work, but I want you with me. It’s important to my ferret that you’re near, especially because this bond is new and you were in danger not long ago. There is a couch in my basement office. Would you mind sleeping down there while I hunt this bastard down?”

“Your basement? Is that your lair?”

He nodded and blushed slightly. It was a beautiful sight. “Yes.”

I pressed my hand to my chest. “I get to go into the secret lair? I feel so special.”

Rig, with no warning whatsoever, threw me over his shoulder and carried me to the end of the hallway, to a door that blended in with the wall. “You’re not special. You’re everything.”

Chapter Nineteen

Riglan

Nobody fucked with my mate.

When he was a client, albeit pro bono, I had every intention of protecting him, finding the source of the problem and shutting him down, but now?