Rory's Mate by J. S. Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

pulled her against him.  "I want you, Callie.  You are my mate, but I also want you .  I always have.  You're everything to me now.  I'll never stop needing you.  Or loving you.  You fill the emptiness inside of me.  I feel like someone special because you love me."
     
    He was all she really needed.  All of the lonely, sad days seemed to slip into the past, unable to hurt her anymore.  The love of one good man...or one good vampire...was better than the adoration of many.  Maybe she had intentionally closed herself off, looking for excuses, waiting for this man. 
     
    "Oh, Rory.  I don't understand how you could not know how special you are."  She stroked his hair as she wiped her tears.  Her crying days were over.
     
    He pulled back and looked at her.  "I'm a twin.  The twin of a very powerful healer.  I love Liam.  I would die for him.  But sometimes I felt like I walked in his shadow.  I never had my own talent that made me stand out.  He was always special.  I was just...his twin." 
     
    Her heart ached.  She suddenly understood that Liam had gotten a lot of attention because he was a powerful healer and Rory was left in the background.  Kind, sweet Rory, who brought sunshine to everyone's day with his smile.  The man who liked to make other people happy just because it pleased him.  Was there any better man?
     
    She put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.  When she finished she looked him in the eye and told him solemnly,  "You have your own talents and your own personality, Rory.  You have traits that Liam doesn't.  You're twins...but very different.  You're separate, each having your own strengths.  You are very special.  I could never have fallen in love with Liam."
     
    He tightened his grip, pulling her tighter against him as he answered in a possessive tone, "It's a good thing you didn't or I would have had to commit fratricide.  And I actually would rather keep Liam around."
     
    She laughed.  She couldn't help it.  Rory made her happier than she had ever been in her life.  He took away the pain of her past and made her realize that she hadn't really been rejected.  She just hadn't let herself live a life free of guilt, self-blame and depression.  She had closed herself off from the world because she felt rejected. 
     
    "It wasn't you, Callie.  It was your parents.  I don't know why they left you, but it was their problem, not yours."  Rory spoke to her as though he had heard her thoughts.  Maybe he had.
     
    "I know.  Although my life was unstable it may have been better than living with drug addicts or worse.  I can see that.  It could have been worse."  She answered sincerely.  She was starting to believe in fate.  Some things happened for a reason.
     
    "It could have been a hell of a lot better, too.  I'll make it up to you, Callie.  I'll give you everything you need and more.  You are mating with a very rich vampire thanks to Nathan and his hobby of building all of our investments."  He shot her a wicked grin.  "I'm loaded.  And I'm a vampire. I can buy or make anything that you want."
     
    She burst into laughter.  He might have insecurities at times, but he still had a touch of the Hale arrogance.  "You forgot handsome and very well endowed." 
     
    He puffed his chest out.  "Yep.  That too.  I have it on very good authority that I'm the best looking of the Hale brothers."
     
    She couldn't argue with that.  "Yes you are, Rory.  You definitely are,"  she told him with laughter still in her voice. 
     
    His face changed, becoming serious and intense.  He lifted his hand, making a fist and closed his eyes.  He was concentrating hard.  When he opened them he asked in a hopeful voice, "Does that mean you'll have me, Callie?  Will you mate with me?  Will you marry me?"
     
    Her eyes filled with tears again.  Damn it.  Rory could make her laugh and cry in the same breath.  She guessed her crying days weren't quite