Vanished Pride (The Seven Sin Sisters 4) (2 page)

Donovan ran his fingers
over his nearly shaved head. He was losing his focus. He knew he couldn’t give
his mate much more time. What the hell was this baking competition she talked
about? Could he wait until after the event? Not likely. He shook his head and
sighed as he turned to head back home.

Home. That was another
change he hadn’t seen coming, but in hindsight, it was for the best. Seamus,
his best friend, had mated while Donovan had been in captivity. Seeing Seamus
with Gemma was like meeting a completely new Seamus. His insecurity with women
was gone and replaced with a tenderness he’d always relied on Donovan for when
they’d shared their women. In fact, they’d secretly wondered if their mating
would be to the same woman. That was a definite no. Seamus would no more share
Gemma than Donovan planned to share Paige. Once he got inside her, not another
set of hands would touch her again. She belonged to him and the longer she kept
him waiting, the stronger his urge to take her.

After returning from
Italy for Seamus and Gemma’s wedding, spending four tortured days within
breathing distance of Paige, Donovan had boxed up Seamus’ belongings to ship back
to Italy. Seamus, Gemma, Caedon and Eloise, along with Caedon’s parents, would
be opening the newest TEU compound on Pianosa. For the first time, Donovan was
alone in the house he’d always shared with Seamus. It was too quiet, too big
and too much of a reminder of everything he didn’t have.

What had he been
thinking when he’d allowed Paige to strike this deal with him? He didn’t want
to wait to claim her. It was against everything in his Valendite DNA to allow
his newfound mate to go unclaimed. Yet when she implored him with her soft
green eyes, he couldn’t refuse her. The sweet way she’d curled her hand into
his as she explained her desire to be a world-renowned pastry chef meant he
couldn’t possibly refuse her the simple thing she requested. Time. She’d simply
asked for time to meet this lifelong goal, before she committed herself to
their mating. It seemed so simple at the time.

* * * *

“Van, Madden wants to
see you.” Nicolaus looked up from the comm desk as soon as Donovan walked through
the doors to the TEU office.

Aware of the
conversation coming, Donovan reminded himself his sacrifice was for his mate.
He’d do anything for Paige, even if it meant withholding the fulfillment of his
own needs. Goddess, he just wished it hadn’t played out in such a public way.

Knocking once, Donovan
entered Madden’s office. The stare of his boss, no, his friend, immediately met
him. “We have to talk.”

Donovan grinned, “Those
aren’t words you like to hear.” Trying for casual, but suspecting Madden saw
right through it, he took a seat and waited.

“Look, Van, I’ve been
trying to piece this together for a while now. Shit, maybe even since my own
Pronouncement. Something has been off with you. I didn’t plan to get all in
your business, but this rut you’re in affected your decision-making in the
field. Now I have no choice.” Madden paused and when Donovan said nothing, he
continued, “This is going to sound crazy but I think you may have unknowingly
made contact with your mate.”

With that statement,
Donovan whipped his head up. Madden shouldn’t have figured it out
  
yet, and Van surely didn’t even know. Could he
deny knowing anything? He could either play into Madden’s assumptions, or he
could come clean. Maybe Madden had something to help Donovan work through this
mess.

Jumping in with both
feet Donovan said, “I know who my mate is.”

“That’s great,” Madden
responded without thought. Then he paused, considering, “then why this mood?
And why haven’t we met her?” He cocked his head. It was obvious Madden knew
something wasn’t right.

“She asked for time,”
Donovan explained.

“What are you talking
about? You don’t have time once you’ve made contact. The Claiming is
inevitable.”

“Yes, it’s inevitable
but not necessarily compelling enough to be immediate.” Donovan shook his head,
the absurdity of this conversation taking hold.

“The hormonal surges
have to be doing a number on both of you,” Madden hypothesized.

“She’s taking herbs and
I’m…handling it-”

Interrupting, Madden
said ironically “not very well, Van. You’re not handling it well. No Valendite
Breed could handle this situation well. I’ve never heard of such a thing
before. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking if I
let her come to me on her own terms, she’d find a way to love me.” Donovan
stood and walked to the window where he didn’t have to see the look of sympathy
play across Madden’s face. “It’s Paige,” Donovan offered.

“Layla’s sister,
Paige?” Madden’s voice was raised and Donovan couldn’t be sure what had him so
angry.

“Yes. I tried to talk
to her at your Pronouncement. She seemed scared and I remembered Layla, how
difficult it was for her, and I couldn’t do that to Paige. I took the next few
mission assignments with Seamus to keep out of dodge.” He paused, as if
watching the scenes play out before him. “Then at Caedon’s Pronouncement, when
I saw her, something snapped and now I can barely fight off the need to claim
her.”

“Then I sent you on the
recovery mission that went to hell,” Madden filled in.

Donovan nodded. “I was
glad to leave again. She still wasn’t ready, says she has these goals and
mating will change everything and she can’t leave behind everything she’s
worked for.”

“She runs a bakery,
right? Who says that has to change?”

“She’s competing in
some baker’s competition in France next month. Her goal is to achieve master
baker and then she’ll take time off to mate,” Donovan explained what he knew
from listening in on Paige’s conversation with her sisters.

“It doesn’t work that
way. You don’t plan a mating, a claiming. For Goddess’s sake, you both are
getting weaker even if you don’t realize it yet. What were you thinking, Van?”
Madden’s voice grew steadily louder until all at once, his voice cut off.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Does my mate know about this?”

Donovan swallowed but
held his tongue.

“Donovan. Now. I want
the truth right now.”

Donovan nodded. “She’s
bound through a silence pact.”

“Dammit. Listen to me
Donovan, and heed my warning. You need to claim your mate. You realize Paige’s
soul sin is pride. This is the only thing holding her back. She can’t allow
something to control her so she calls the shots.” Madden stood and walked over
to Donovan. He placed his hand on Donovan’s shoulder and squeezed. “You, my
man, are going to have to call the shots now.”

“It’s different with
her, Madden.”

“I disagree. I saw you
and Seamus working the ladies. You were the firm one
and
the caregiver. Seamus was the player. I suspect this little
mate of yours needs exactly what you can give her. A firm hand.” Madden
snickered. “Now, get out of here. You are off mission status for the next two
months. You will assume the protection of Paige Sinster effective immediately.”

“You are directing it?”
Donovan asked incredulously.

“Whatever it takes. You
can fight the claiming but you’ll do it while seeing to her protection. I’m
pulling Stefan back to vineyard security which leaves the prideful little vixen
in your capable hands.”

Madden picked up the
phone, connected to Stefan and let him know Van would be meeting him in an
hour. Madden fixed his gaze on Van even as he spoke to Stefan. Donovan knew
there was no way out of this. Madden had just handed him a gift he was no
longer willing to resist.

Chapter Two

“I
cannot believe this.” Paige held her hands fisted by her side. She’d been
spewing obscenities—mostly about Madden—since Donovan had picked her up at the
café. She knew it was most
unlady
-like, but she was
so pissed. “How can you let him just assign you as my security and not do
anything about it?”

He
hadn’t said more than three words so it caught her off-guard when he spoke in
his deep, stern voice. “It’s time, Paige. I’ll wait no more. Now open the door
and show me into your home.” Although the command infuriated her, the
vibrations of his voice in her stomach—and lower—did her in. She felt that
tightening sensation and without looking, she knew even her nipples were
betraying her. Thank the Goddess for scarves.

Clearly,
Donovan was done holding himself back. His restraint had obviously met its
limit. Paige would need to do some fancy footwork to keep on even ground with
her mate. Ach, her mate! She had far too much self-respect simply to be
someone’s mate. She could entertain him for a few weeks while she prepared for
her trip to Paris. Then, on her own terms, she would allow herself to be
claimed. She took great pride in her self-control.

Opening
the front door to her house, Paige wondered if her sisters were home. With
three sisters now mated, it left only Sadie, Gracie, Amelia and herself to
share the large home that had been a gift from her parents. Though they drove
each other crazy, she couldn’t imagine not coming home to her sisters. Yet in
this moment, she didn’t want them here to witness her potential downfall. No
one saw Paige weak.

“Madden
and Layla invited your sisters for dinner tonight.” Donovan spoke behind her as
she paused outside the front door to listen for sounds inside.

“Thank
you.” A ripple of humiliation rolled through her as she considered everyone
talking about her. Paige had never wanted to bow down and cry as much she did
in this moment, but she refused to give in. She would maintain her pride. She
would hold onto her dignity.

“Damn
it, Paige. I’m not the enemy here.” Donovan closed the door behind them as she
continued into the kitchen. “I know who you are to me. And you know the same.
This should be amazing, wonderful and a time to celebrate.” Paige took notice
of his sincerity and it sparked a small frisson of interest. He was clearly
pleased to be with her. She noticed her hands becoming clammy, her heartbeat
accelerating and that warm sensation continuing to grow in her stomach.
Resisting him was going to take effort.

“I’ll
make us dinner,” Paige offered as conciliation. No way was she discussing the
topic of their mating with him. Eating always occupied a man.

“That
would be nice as long as you understand our claiming will not wait. It won’t be
too much longer before my need consumes me and I fail to act as the gentleman I
am.” There was a distinct warning tone to his words. Paige would meet it head
on. After all, it wasn’t as if he was wrong. Their mating would happen. She
just planned to hold him off a bit more.

As
if he still sensed her resistance as she avoided eye contact and flittered
about the kitchen, Donovan stood with his hands on his hips and watched her. He
was enormous. In her home, he now appeared larger than the other times they’d
been near one another. He was also incredibly intimidating, damn it, as his massive
body filled her kitchen. Paige felt tiny and worried for a brief minute that
she wouldn’t be able to control him. Then she smiled, reminded that she may be
small, but she was mighty. As Layla always said about the two of them—great
things, small packages…and all that stuff.

Paige’s
next move was a tactical mistake. She allowed herself to look at him, really
admire him. Her eyes roamed along his muscular torso as his bulging arms
crossed over his chest. Ooh, she so wanted to touch him! His shoulders were
broad and strong. Paige didn’t doubt the muscles hiding beneath his shirt were
corded and rock solid. Then his long legs crossed the kitchen in a few strides
to the large window overlooking their back yard. Paige swallowed a moan back as
she glimpsed his rounded ass clad in tighter-than-tight blue jeans.
Thanks for that view
, she thought.

Donovan
turned towards her, nodded and grinned. He couldn’t possibly hear her thoughts,
could he? That only happened with mates once the Claiming was completed.
Impossible. He was simply toying with her. Paige turned back to preparing their
meal.

“You
know, there are stories about this place, the elusive Sinster House,” Donovan
interrupted her thoughts, his deeply menacing voice seeming to stroke her from
across the room.

“Right.
You’ve heard the one about once a person comes inside, we don’t let them go,” Paige
teased, rolling her eyes. “My sisters love that one.”

“I’m
not sure I would mind if that saying were to come true.” Donovan’s words had
her abruptly turning around only to come face-to-face with the man. He’d
managed to move silently across the room. His head now so close, if he turned
just slightly to the side…no, no, none of those thoughts. Donovan’s cunning
silver eyes sparkled with humor. He was toying with her, something she was
coming to expect from him. Goddess, his eyes were burning silver so near steel
they were smoldering.

His
appearance might frighten a lesser woman. He could so easily look evil with his
closely trimmed goatee and sharp, angular features. It only served to make
Paige wonder how wicked he could be in bed. Paige just bet his short-cropped
hairstyle would feel soft under her fingertips. She reached out before
realizing she’d moved. Her hand touched the side of his head, just above his
right ear, and before she could pull away, Donovan placed his hand over hers.