Free SkyFall (Taken on the Wing Book 2) by Elizabeth Munro

fracture, ” he says. “ But
I won ’ t tell Lawrence. We ’ ll let him believe your match ended in a
stalemate. ”
    “ Okay, ” Cloud wheezes in a lungful as he puts her
foot down and slides closer.
    “ I have children. Did you know? ”
    Cloud shakes her head and draws back as
he reaches for her face.
    “ Hold still, I ’ ll get that out. You remind me
very much of my daughter; always taking the brunt of any disagreement with her
brother.
    “ I ’ ve patched up many of her injuries over
the years. She ’ s as tough a fighter as her
dame. My son lives far from here but she still comes by, sometimes just to let
me clean her up. ”
    Cooper ’ s love for his daughter comes through in
his voice. He ’ s a very different gryphon when
he talks about his family than when he talks of anything else. The lines of
worry grow deeper, as does his voice and Cloud can ’ t help but smile. The tenderness she
always receives from her adopted parents is as touching as Cooper ’ s and she couldn ’ t miss them more. She leaves him to his
silence as he picks food from her hair.
    “ We should go in. ”
    Rain patters around them, staining the
concrete tiles and red chairs with dark spots and Cloud starts at a crack of
thunder. She ’ s been oblivious to the
darkening of the sky and the flashes of lightning.
    “ Are
you homesick? ” Cooper asks. The great long
sofa is as comfortable as it looks and Cloud stretches out, her stomach full,
relieved to be away from the storm.
    “ More than I ever thought possible, ” she says. Four days to Soar is both an
eternity and far too soon.
    “ Perhaps you worry they won ’ t believe you? ”
    “ They will, ” Cloud
says but her shame can only reflect poorly on the Vancouver Island Eyrie and
her Sire and Dame.
    “ They must miss you terribly, ” Cooper adds.
    “ I
hadn ’ t thought —”
    Cooper ’ s phone rings, interrupting her, and he
excuses himself to the other room to answer. As he speaks to the person on the
other end Cloud leans back and closes her eyes, hoping he didn't notice the
guilt gnawing at her resolve. By the time Cooper returns she no longer cares
about him or his secrets.
    All she wants to do is go home.
     

Chapter Ten

     
    Cloud hasn ’ t bothered to check in.
    Soar grips the wheel like it ’ s responsible for his week in human
camper hell. Granted, he ’ d never demanded or arranged
an update but still. She left him there listening to dogs that won ’ t stop barking because they don ’ t like his bigger predator presence.
    And the little kids.
    And the big kids.
    And every time there ’ s a happy couple it only reminds him how
dumping Cloud was the shittiest thing he ’ s
done to anyone in a long time. It ’ s second only to getting her
expelled and right up there with sending her into Calgary. The pair in the
campsite next to his can ’ t screw quietly enough for his
gryphon hearing and all he can think of is Cloud.
    Tell me about your day, Soar.
    He still whispers his answer to the
question she asked every time she came to his den. Sometimes following a rough
exchange of dominance and urgent sex. Other times they ’ d simply nuzzle each others throats in
gentle surrender before he brought up her leg and took her standing just inside
his den.
    Tell me about your day, Soar.
    She ’ d
whisper as her breath grew tight and she accepted him; both his presence deep
inside her and the piece of his spirit he would share as he answered her
question.
    His answers don ’ t mean the same without her to hear them,
particularly when he ’ s alone in his Cloud scented
campervan. She ’ s never going to care enough
to ask again. If he ’ s learned anything about her
it ’ s that her compassion and
forgiveness are always ready and genuinely offered but he ’ s going to make sure she keeps her
distance until she knows all his crimes against her.
    Even then he ’ s certain to be the exception; the one
asshole she ’ ll never forgive.
    As he drives