Present Day
Celia was in the middle of seasoning the meat when the kitchen doors flew open with a bang. She, along with Darcey, Hazel, and Brady, jumped in unison. Spice jars tumbled across the counter, a few rolling off the edge and clattering to the floor.
Lucas stood in the doorway, chest heaving. His face was flushed, eyes dark and stormy, mouth pressed into a hard line. She would have known he was furious even without the bond screaming it at her, but the visual confirmation only sharpened her awareness.
He crossed the kitchen in long strides and wrapped an arm around her waist, yanking her firmly against him. His face pressed into the crook of her neck as he took long, deliberate breaths. His entire body trembled.
Celia froze for half a heartbeat, then curled her arms around his
