Eloise chuckles and kisses me on the temple. She pushes her fingers into my hair and snuggles me close.
“Fucking hard,” she says. “He’s trying to kill me.”
“I think that’s the point. You said you wanted to learn self-defense. Mateo is the best.” He’s a Krav Maga master, and he’s agreed to teach Eloise and Scarlett how to fight for their lives if needed.
“He’s the best, yes, and he’s trying to kill us. But it’s kind of fun, too. Scarlett and I went our separate ways to shower off all the sweat, and now we’re heading out to eat. We’re starving.”
“Be careful,” I say against her neck as I slide my hands under her shirt and let them drift over her soft-as-fuck skin. “If anything happens to you, no one in this world will survive my wrath.”
“Careful is my middle name.” She kisses me again, and it’s like a balm to my soul. “It’s just lunch, Rome.Then I’m coming back here to bake some cookies before Carson takes us to target practice.”
“Chocolate chip.”
She leans back so she can look me in the eyes and brushes her fingers down my cheek. “Is that a request?”
“Yes.” I lightly push a dark strand of hair back from her face and hook it behind her ear. “How is Scarlett feeling?”
“Much better. It’s been almost two weeks, and she seems to be healing well. Physically, anyway. I don’t know if she’ll want to go back to work in the playroom. I know that’s none of my business, but?—”
“It’s your business,” I assure her and kiss her softly. “I’ll talk with her later, now that she’s feeling stronger. I’ll have Luke send two guards with you to lunch.”
“You’re so paranoid.”
You have no idea, firefly.
“One of my warehouses was hit last night,” I tell her, and her eyes darken in concern. “I don’t know who’s behind it. So until further notice, yeah, I’m paranoid as fuck, and you’ll do what I say.”
“Yes, Rome.” She kisses my lips, and my cock twitches.
“I’ll be putting your tracking device in later today, too.”
Her eyes narrow on mine. “Who’s doing yours? I can’t do it. I hate needles.”
“Already done.” I take her hand, kiss her fingers, and place them on the back of my neck. “Feel right there.”
She gently moves her fingertips over my skin, and when she discovers it, she bites her lower lip. “It’s tiny.”
“Give me your phone.”
She shifts to pull the device out of her pocket and passes it to me. It only takes a moment to download the app and sync it with the tiny capsule, the size of a grain of rice, in my neck.
“Here it is.” I turn the screen to her and show her how to check it. “That blue dot is me. When yours is active, it’ll be yellow.”
“Why yellow?” she murmurs, watching the screen.
“Because fireflies are yellow.”
She smiles softly, then wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me hard. “Thank you. We’ll do it before I make the cookies.”
“Deal.” I wrap my hand around her throat and pull her in for a deep kiss. She opens for me, letting me in to glide my tongue over hers, and all too quickly, she’s gone, climbing out of my arms. “Get back here.”
“I have to go,” she says with a smile. “Scarlett’s waiting. I’ll text you to let you know I’m okay if you want.”
She bites that lower lip, and her words hit me right in the chest.
My girl wants to make sure I’m okay.
“That would be appreciated,” I tell her with a small smile. “Thank you, firefly.”
