It takes another hour or so, but eventually, her eyes flutter open. “Hey,” she mumbles. “What happened? Why am I…?”
“You fainted.” I squeeze her hand, tuck her body close against me. “At the courthouse.”
Her eyes go wide. Memories seem to be rushing in, each uglier than the next. “I lost the case,” she rasps. “Ginny… I…”
“You didn’t lose.” I stroke her hair, press my lips against the crown of her head. “Isaak’s on it. Though he wasn’t very happy you kept him from doing his job.”
“I’m sorry.” She sounds so sincere that I regret my words immediately. “I just couldn’t let him hurt her.”
“I know.” I kiss her again, this time between the eyes. “You could never hurt anyone.”
And I, you.It’s the reason I decide to keep my meeting with Desya to myself. Mia is going through enough—I’m not going to pile on with the life-or-death gamble I made.
She cuddles closer against me. I can feel her soft arms closing around my back, her belly pressing against me. Our child, snuggled tight between us.
“Where’s Eli?” she asks.
“At school.” I rub a soothing circle into her back. “Want to go get him early?”
She shakes her head. “He likes his routine. And he likes school. I’ll hug the living daylights out of him later.”
I can tell she’s mournful about it. It’s understandable: she thinks she might lose him. She has no idea I’d never let that happen, regardless of what any court of law said.
Mia sighs into my chest. Her arms wrap tighter around me.
“What do you need,kotyonok?” I murmur into her hair.
She looks up at me. Her eyes are lucid with tears, but her pupils are wide, black and wanting. “I don’t want to think,” she whispers.
That’s all I need to hear.
Within seconds, I’ve got her on her back. I capture her lips with mine, savoring the taste with my tongue. Every inch of Mia is delicious, always, no matter the circumstances.
“Close your eyes,” I command.
She obeys instantly. “What are you…?”
“I’m going to make you feel good.” I can feel her shiver at my promise. “But you’ll have to trust me.”
She gives a slight, trembling nod. “I do.”
It’s intoxicating. Hearing those two words from her lips, having her unconditional surrender. I slip off my tie and wrap it aroundher eyes. I can tell the instant she opens them again. But her makeshift blindfold is snug, blocking out all light.
“If anything feels uncomfortable, youwilltell me.” I tip up her chin and speak directly against her lips. “I’ll punish you if you don’t.”
She nods breathlessly.Good.
I get up from the bed. She makes a confused little sound, mourning the loss of my body on hers. But that’s what trust is, too: knowing I won’t leave her. Not for long, anyway.
I grab three toys from my drawer, then gather Mia’s wrists near the headboard.
Click.
“W-What’s that?” She sounds alarmed.
“Hush.” I press my finger to her lips. “No more questions, kitten. From now on, you’ll take what I give you.”
Her lips go slack at that. Shiny, red, pliant. I kiss them until they’re all bitten and bruised. Then I work off her clothes.
