Free Reed: Bowen Boys by Kathi S. Barton Page B

hoped.” She yawned as his heart skipped several beats. “You’re not going to be so easy to forget.”
    As she closed her eyes, Reed knew without a doubt that she would try to leave him. Not because of anything that had happened here, but because she would feel she had to. And that he just didn’t understand. He watched her sleep a long while before he got up and dressed. He had to do something to convince her that she had to stay with him. That he needed her to be with him for all time. He reached for the only person in the world he thought he could trust to help him. His mom.
    I have a mate, but she’s going to leave me. He sat down on the only other flat surface in the entire apartment. I can’t let her go.
    I figured her for a runner. I’m surprised she hasn’t tried her best to be away from them all before now. Poor little thing. Reed frowned. His mom had known?
    Why? How did you know ? He looked around the tiny apartment and realized that this was where the pictures had been taken. He was going to fucking kill that wolf.
    Have you read about her family? Her father and sister? He told her he had but that he would protect her from them. They aren’t going to leave her alone. Not ever. They’re taking from her all the time. What do you think they’ll do once they find out who you are and what you are to her?
    I don’t care. They can have it all so long as I have her. He could feel his mom’s fear, and then he realized what else they could take from them. They’ll tell what I am. They’ll sell me out and her too if she’s converted.
    I would imagine they would sell out each other if they thought there was a profit. He’d never met them but knew that his mom was right. Does she know yet? What you are? Have you told her yet?
    No. I came here last night to talk to her, but…when I got here all I could think about was my head pounding. I never meant to fall asleep. He remembered her telling him that she’d called Walker. She called Walker for me to see what to do. She was asleep near me when I woke too hot for the room.
    He watched Kerry while he thought about the pictures he’d seen of her. Whoever had taken them had to have been inside the apartment. He looked around and realized that it was much too small for anyone to hide in, and tried to remember the angle that the photos had come from. Reed went to the bathroom and looked at the shower, and tried to think where the man had to have been standing, and realized it was over the door. He nearly went to get a chair when he heard something. He reached for his mom when he heard it again.
    There’s someone in this apartment with us. He looked around the apartment but no longer up at the ceiling. He was sure that there must have been some sort of false area that allowed someone to get the angle of some of those shots.
    Do you want me to send the police or your brothers? Most of them are here. As is your father. But I doubt he’d be much use, the old fool. Reed smiled at his mom. She’d been calling his dad that for his entire life.
    Neither for now, but…I have to get her out of here before whoever it is.... Christ. I need Ama. Can you send her to me?
    Twenty minutes later Ama was at the door, and he let her in. She smiled at him, and he looked up at Sebastian. He knew that he’d come too, so wasn’t really surprised to see him. He went to the bed to wake Kerry. She looked up at him, and he watched her face to see if she was pissed or not. She smiled.
    He leaned down and nipped at her shoulder as he spoke to her through their connection. The man that took the photos of you is here now. Can you…my sister-in-law is going to make it so he can’t see us. Can you get dressed quickly and pack whatever you’re going to want to keep?
    He’s here now? He nodded, marveling slightly that she’d taken him talking to her this way so easily. Is it Death? He didn’t know who this Death person was and nearly asked her if he was a wolf, but didn’t think she’d