Savage Mates novel Chapter 92

Chapter Ninety-Two: Driving to his apartment 

“So, more than a girlfriend is your sister.” Tillie asked, her voice was lacking the warmth that it normally did.

The muscle in my jaw twitched and I let out a sigh. “Nicole, yes.” I said, knowing that I should have told her about Jake and my sister this morning instead of her finding out like this.

“Does she make you happy?” Tillie asked Jake and he tilted his head to the side.

“Do they make you happy, Til? I wouldn’t have thought you would end up with three men.” He said, it wasn’t said roughly just a teasing tone that I didn’t like, and neither did Ryan. His lips pulled back, his teeth lengthened and his eyes darkened.

“They do. They all do.”

Her words made my heart beat faster and Ryan looked at her. His eyes softened and his beast pulled back from the surface.

“That’s all I want for you,” Jake said, stepping forward. I growled and he stopped, lifting his hands up in front of him. “I want you to be happy, but if they ever hurt you. You let me know and I’ll take care of it.”

“Jake-” Tillie said, but he cut her off.

“I mean it, Til. You weren’t my mate, but I care about you.” He looked over at me before his eyes moved to Ryan. “I’ll always be your friend.”.

“Thanks, Jake, I’m glad you found your mate.” Tillie said, pulling away from Ryan and throwing her arms around Jake. Squeezing him a tight hug, he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight before letting her step back to join

I didn’t like the fact that he had touched my mate. But I knew that Tillie needed this closer. That the hug was her way of saying goodbye to the relationship that they’d had. I could feel it through the bond that we shared.

Jake turned away from us, heading up the stairs, leaving us alone.

Tillie watched him go, I looked over at her. Watching her eyes tear up as she watched him go.

“Baby girl?” Ryan asked, his voice all soothing and gentle.

“I’m okay. It was just a better goodbye than last night.” She said, reaching out to take my hand in hers. She grabbed Ryan’s hand before looking between the two of us. “I’m ready.”

“Let’s take you to your friend then, kitten.” I said, pulling her towards the garage.

Tillie was quiet as I opened the door for her, helping her into the passenger side of her Jeep before buckling her in. I leaned close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. I knew that seeing Jake had to have been painful for her. “I’m sorry, Tillie.”

“For what?” She asked, her tone was so different than it was earlier. It was like some of that fire was gone and I hated it.

“For not telling you about Nicole. I found out last night after you were asleep and I meant to tell you this morning.”

“It’s fine.” She said, cutting me off and looking away from me. Well fuck, I had a sister. I knew that fine was not really

fine.

“Tillie.” I brought my hand up to her chin, turning her head so that she had to look at me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to forget to tell you.”

“Jason, I get it. You’re only human-well, you’re not human. But you know what I mean.”

I smiled, “Yeah, I know what you mean,”

Her phone chimed from her bag and she pressed her lips together. “I’m telling you, if we don’t get going, Charity is going to lead a search party for me. You guys don’t know what she’s like when she thinks I’m in trouble.

Ryan let out a laugh from the backseat, clicking his seatbelt into place. I looked back at him, shaking my head and he pressed his lips into a light line, trying to hold back his laughter.

I closed the door, walking around the car as Tillie pulled out her phone and sent a text to her friend. Opening the driver’s side door, 1 slid inside the jeep. Buckling the seatbelt before shoving the keys into the ignition/

Starting the car, I pulled us out of the driveway. Leaning over, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and handed it to Tillie. Her fingers brushed against mine as she took it from me.

“Did you want me to put in the address for Charity’s place?” She asked, swiping her thumb across the screen.

“No, we’re headed to Aaron’s place. I wanted you to put in your number so that I could text you later.”

“Aaron, the guy that she hooked up with last night?” Tillie asked, her eyebrows shooting up. “I don’t think they would go to his place. She has a strict rule about not staying the night.”

“I think she might change it for Aaron.” Ryan said and I looked in the mirror at him. He was going to tell her what I knew she wasn’t ready to hear if he didn’t shut up. It wasn’t our secret to tell.

I just hoped that the stress of it wouldn’t be too much for her. The car ride was relatively quiet and before long, we were pulling up to Aaron’s apartment. The brown brick building was old but the neighborhood was quaint, with its short wrought iron fences and tree-lined sidewalks.:

It was peaceful in the early morning, sunlight dappled the street as we pulled up to the building. Aaron was waiting outside for us. The lanky singer was clad in running shorts and a black tank top. His leg bent behind him as he stretched. I parked Tillie’s jeep and she looked over at me.

“I don’t think she’s here. It’s cool though, I can drive to her place.” Tillie said, unbuckling her seat belt. She leaned over the center console, pressing a kiss to my cheek. I moved my hand to tangle it in her hair, smiling at the gasp that left her lips. “Jason.”

“Kitten, I want you to text me later.” I was going to miss my mate, but I knew that it was important for her to spend time with her friends. Leaning down, I sealed my lips to hers in a kiss that was possessive, my tongue moved against hers.

I wanted her to remember that she was mine.

When I pulled back, she looked at me, her lips parted and her eyes wide. Ryan opened the back door, getting out of the vehicle, and moving to open Tillie’s door. “I’ll text you when I get home.”

I nodded, pulling the keys from the ignition and handing them to her. Tillie looked at them for a moment before taking the keys from my hand and slipping them into her purse. She turned away from me and Ryan helped her out of the car.

“Baby girl, have fun with your friend.”

“I will.” She said, pressing up onto her toes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. A smile spread across his face as he looked down at her and I could understand all too often why the people who shared mates ended up mating with each other.

A warm feeling spread in my chest, a feeling that was like the beginning stages of a crush. Those moments before you realized that you were falling for someone. It was the same feelings that she had for me this morning, the same way that her heartbeat raced at my touch.

Ryan let her go and I opened the door to the jeep, stepping outside before closing the door behind me.

Aaron stretched his arms over his head. There were claw marks on his arms and a fresh bite mark peeking out just over the edge of the neckline of his black tank top. He looked happier than when he was on stage playing up to a crowd. Being mated suited him and I was happy that my friend had found his mate.

“Morning, man, Wild night?” He asked, looking over at Tillie and Ryan before smirking at me,

“I could say the same for you.”

“Was a good night for all of us then. Tillie, I don’t know if you got to meet Aaron last night. But this is Ryan’s bandmate and one of our good friends.” I said and Tillie walked closer to me.

Hi Aaron, it’s nice to meet you outside of the ladies’ room.” She smiled a beaming smile up at him, sticking her hand out.

Aaron laughed before shaking her hand, “It’s nice to meet you in the light of day, too. Charity’s upstairs waiting for you.”

“She’s here?” Tillie said, pushing her hair behind her ear as her eyebrows knit together.

Aaron turned towards the apartment building, his neck stretching out as he motioned up to the second floor of the building. I felt her tense up beside me as she saw those marks. “Your neck-”

“I’m apartment 2B.” He said, his hand shot up to the side of his neck and his fingertips grazed against Charity’s claim. “Yeah, things got a little rough last night, but it was all good.”