Bless The Beauty - By Stacey Kennedy Page 0,24

I wasn’t quite sure of my reasons behind it, I just knew, it wasn’t an option.

Kellen wanted to say more, I could see that, but apparently, he knew to leave it alone. “Then, we must bring him to Mistress Ellery.” He glanced back to the phone book.

“As soon as we can get away from this mind-numbing task.” He glanced at me, amusement twinkling in his eyes. “You really enjoy this?”

I nodded and laughed. It was a funny thing really, something he would never understand. His life revolved around danger and action. Mine was so simple compared to his. “This is just one part of it, but yes, I love it.”

The amusement in his eyes grew as he brushed his knuckles against my cheek. “I am pleased to find you like this. I had hoped that giving you this time would settle you and you would return to me when ready.”

“You see a difference?” I asked, curious about what he saw.

He nodded without hesitation and pride oozed off him. “I see a purpose. Turned so young, you hadn’t had the time to gain a life for yourself. I had two hundred years on your twenty-four. I was already established as a shield with a meaning for what I was to do. You lacked that.” He ran his hand along my face to cup my cheek. “I am happy to see that you have found a purpose to your days that gives you joy.”

I sank into his embrace. All of what he just said filled my heart with a certain kind of peace. “I guess I should probably thank you. I know the past years without me must have been hard.”

“Hard…” he repeated, incredulous. He dropped his hand as a loud laugh spilled from his lips, “is putting it lightly, dear.” His gaze was as intent as it was soft. “Your happiness is all—and will always be—what is important. If this life you have now pleases you, than I am content with that.”

I smiled as happiness coursed through my body and leaned forward to bring my face close to his. “You know you are perfect, right?”

He grinned, haughtily. “Yes, I do know this.”

I shook my head at him, laughing. Classic, arrogant Kellen. How I missed his confidence. “So what’s the plan?”

“Make the call—if we find out this is the hospital, we’ll take Chase with us to go and talk with this Doctor. But first we’ll take a quick trip to see Mistress Ellery to claim him.”

“We?” I repeated. Did I hear him right? Was he really that accepting of all this? I couldn’t believe my ears.

“He is important to you,” Kellen replied with a smile that showed he just enjoyed shocking me.

“If I claim him too, it will give him a stronger protection.”

“You think he could be in danger?” I hadn’t even considered that a possibility.

Kellen glanced away from me for a moment. When he met my gaze again, there was guilt in the depth of his eyes. “I am a shield again, Hadley.” His look was firm and serious. “You know what that means.”

I did know. It meant danger of every sort. I hadn’t wanted to go back to the memory of all the times I found myself in precarious situations before I left Kellen. But it was those reasons he loved and thrived on by being a shield. The only reason I never put up a stink about it was because Kellen was a strong protector. I never was in serious danger.

Now, things were different and the idea of bringing Chase into this world was very unsettling.

“Have you been in danger recently?”

Kellen let out a self-righteous laugh, then his grin settled. “Not likely. If I happen to piss someone off and they know my bride has a consort, they may use him as an act of revenge. If I claim him too, it is more likely they won’t.”

The thought of anything happening to Chase sent a shudder straight through me. Just as that settled, I felt entirely grateful Kellen would offer this. No matter how long we’d been together, he could still surprise me. “You would really do that for me?”

“Darling…” Kellen arched a brow, “I would lay my life down for you. This is not putting me out by any means.”

I could only smile in return, unable to explain how I felt about this with words. I was beginning to remember why I loved Kellen so much. The man didn’t have a selfish bone in his body. I knew