I don’t know where he takes me. There’s a short car trip, followed by a short elevator trip, both of which I spend with my face buried in the crook of his neck and my eyes closed, dragging his scent into my nose and clinging to him.
Then he’s lowering me onto a bed.
Without a word, he tears off my dress, ripping the silk apart like a tissue. He removes my bra and panties and my remaining shoe. Then he kneels beside the bed between my spread legs and presses his burning cheek against my bare belly.
My heart swelling like a balloon, I dig my hands into his thick hair and sigh in happiness.
“You’re going to have my child,” he whispers, wonder in his voice.
“If it’s a boy, let’s name him Mik. Actually, that would be a cute name for a girl, too.”
He exhales. Wrapping his hands around my hips, he reverently kisses my stomach. “I have to admit, I’m thrilled your birth control shot was no match for my super sperm.”
“Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back, stud. My shot expired while I was in Russia. Funny how time flies when you’re having fun.” I glance around the unfamiliar dark room. “Where are we?”
“Hotel. Now hush. I need to fuck you.”
My laugh is soft. “I missed you, too.”
He gets his clothing off in record speed, tossing it all to the floor impatiently, then lowers himself on top of me. He kisses me, cradling my head in his hands, giving me his weight and every ounce of his passion.
When he breaks away, he’s breathing hard. He stares down at me with adoration shining in his eyes, murmuring something in Russian.
I shake my head. “No, say it so I can understand it this time.”
He says gently, “It’s the same thing I’ve been telling you since the beginning, malyutka. You’re beautiful. You make me crazy. I can’t remember my life before you. I’d give anything to be able to love you for all time.”
My throat gets tight. Tears well in my eyes. I inhale a ragged breath, feeling like I’m flying. “So you like me, huh?”
Against my lips, he whispers, “I worship you, my sweet, mouthy little queen.”
“Prove it. I’m still mad at you.”
He grins then kisses me again, this time harder. His hard cock throbs against my thigh.
When he slides inside me, I gasp and arch. A lone tear slides down my temple.
In a husky voice, he says into my ear, “Daddy’s home.”
I laugh, but it quickly turns to a groan as he starts to thrust, lowering his head to kiss my throat then bite it. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders, holding onto him as he fills me, body and soul.
I know he always wanted to keep me safe. To protect me, no matter what it might cost him. But what he didn’t know is that I never needed a white knight to save me.
I need the dragon.
I need him, forever, and that’s all.
Later, sweaty and sated, I lie in his arms with my cheek resting on his chest and my heart glowing.
Into the darkness of the hotel room, I whisper, “What happens now?”
He stirs, rousing to press a kiss to the top of my head. “What do you want to happen now?”
My reply is instant. “I want to go back to your cabin in the woods.”
His chuckle is a low rumble under my ear. “Our cabin, you mean.”
My toes curl with happiness.
“Poe misses you, by the way.”
“I miss him, too, that big dumb cocky bird.”
“Don’t let him hear you call him dumb. He’ll steal all your shoelaces and make a cape for himself out of them.”
“I bet he would. You know what else I miss?”
“What?”
I smile. “Bath time.”
I hear the smile in his voice when he replies. “I found it interesting that the heroine in your book took a lot of baths, also. Strange thing for a ghost to do.”
The thought of him in the cabin reading through my yellow legal pads while we were apart makes my heart sing. “That was in her memory. From before she died.”
He says thoughtfully, “That’s right, she didn’t know she was dead.”
“Judging by your tone, I feel like I might need to make some revisions.”
He slides his open palm up my back and cups my chin, tilting my head up for a kiss. He whispers, “No. It’s perfect. Except that man she was in love with when she was alive sounds like a gorilla.”
“He’s not a gorilla! He’s macho!”
He looks at me pointedly. “Please tell me you didn’t base his character on anyone you know.”
My smile is sweet. “I would never. That’s probably illegal, anyway.”
“What’s illegal is the size of his dick. I bet that’s how she died, right? Punctured lungs?”
“Okay, you know what? You’re not reading any more of my works in progress.”
He presses his lips together. I can tell he’s trying not to laugh at me.
I poke him in the ribs and tuck my head under his chin, sighing.
When he speaks again, his voice has turned serious. “It’s going to be dangerous.”
His life, he means. As if I didn’t already know it.
“If you can break in undetected to safe houses all over the world surrounded by armed guards and crash a mobster wedding, you can keep me protected. I trust you. Plus, look on the bright side. I know how to shoot guns!”
“But with a baby—”
“Mal,” I say in a warning tone. “Tread carefully. I don’t want to hear any more nonsense out of you about us not being together because it’s too dangerous. That subject is closed.”
He chuckles. “And you say I’m bossy.”
“Look, I know the Thirteen isn’t a bachelor party, okay? Those guys have wives and girlfriends and manage to keep them breathing. So can you.”
After a short silence, he says, “Who told you about the Thirteen?”
“Declan.”
He rolls me onto my back and stares down at me. His voice is deadly soft. “Did you just say another man’s name in my bed?”
Oh, shit. Commence backpedaling. “Um. You sort of asked. And unless you own this hotel, technically this isn’t your bed.”
He growls, “Nice try, baby. I do own this hotel.”
“What?”
“I own a lot of real estate all over the world. Pakhan compensated me very well for what I did for him.”
“Not well enough to hire an interior decorator, obviously.”
“Excuse me?”
“That apartment of yours in Moscow isn’t what you’d call cozy, sweetie. I think skeletons would like it, but for people with flesh, it’s a little cold.”
His eyes glitter. His nostrils flare. He doesn’t know whether to laugh or spank me.
I snuggle closer to him, grinning.
“You’re trouble, little bird, you know that?”
“Yeah, but you like trouble.”
His eyes soften. He kisses me like I’m the most precious thing in the world, then says gruffly, “Actually, I love trouble. I love it more than anything.”
That settles it. My next tattoo is going to be the word “Trouble.”
I’ll let him choose where on my body I should get it.
I say innocently, “You know what I love more than anything?”
“No, what?”
“This gorilla I met. Once you get past the scary exterior and all the grunting, he’s really sweet.”
His smile is as brilliant as the love shining in his eyes. “I’ve heard that about gorillas.”
He kisses me again, this time more deeply, his tongue delving into my mouth and his hand wrapped lightly around my throat.
I put my hand over his and make him squeeze tighter.
He chuckles against my lips and whispers something in Russian that sounds filthy. Then he says in English, “You’re going to have my baby. You’re going to be my wife. You’ll be the center of my universe and the queen who stands by my side.”
His voice drops. “But first, I’m gonna fuck you again and show you who your king is.”
He flips me onto my belly, drags me up onto my knees, and spanks my ass five times.
I bury my face in the covers, laughing.
Yes, Daddy’s home.
Oh, yes, he is.
