“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Jade shut his eyes, as if in agony. “I understand if that...outburstdisqualifies me from being a father to your children.”
My jaw dropped. I was so annoyed at him that I abruptly shifted to cat form. I lashed my tail, hissing angrily as I landed in his lap.
“What the hell are you talking about, you obstinate lizard?” I yowled, boxing his ears with my paws. “Don’t say such ridiculous garbage to me ever again!”
Jade laughed as I beat him with my cotton-soft paws. “Come now, you’re notthatupset, Alaric. Your claws are sheathed.”
“Keep testing me and I’ll unsheathe them,” I hissed.
He gently took my front paws, set them down, then started petting my fur. My hackles fell under his touch. Grumbling, I curled up in his lap.
“Judging by your reaction, I assume you never retracted your offer,” Jade said, amused.
“Of course not,” I snapped as my fur bristled again.
Jade stroked it flat. “I see. Well, I appreciate the clarification. And your feelings on the matter.”
I tucked my paws under my body and loafed in his lap like I’d staked my claim on it. “I’m not going anywhere. Neither are you.” I flicked him with my tail for good measure. “Understood?”
He smiled. “Yes, kitten.”
I knew he was teasing me for being in cat form, but it didn’t stop my heart from skipping a beat.
I glared at him. “And youwillbe putting a baby in me. Is that clear?”
A mix of love and desire flashed in Jade’s emerald eyes. “Yes, kitten. When and where?”
My whiskers twitched. Now we were onto something. I shifted back to human form, draped naked across his lap.
“Whenever and wherever you want,” I promised.
He blinked the desire out of his eyes, turning away. “I don’t know if I should. Not so soon after...that.”
I felt a mix of disappointment and sympathy. He was still stuck on going feral earlier. I had to break him out of that spiral.
An idea lit up in my mind.
“Earlier, you mentioned a total loss of control,” I said, sliding my arm behind his neck.
Jade raised a brow. “Yes, I did. Why?”
My heart hammered, nerves and anticipation swirling within me. Could I really do this?
“What if...Itook your control away?” I asked.
Jade blinked. When he was silent for a few beats, I expected him to turn me down. After all, being the lord of bondage was his thing, not mine. I wouldn’t know what to do without Jade walking me through it. Was my offer even tactful after the mess that caused him to go feral in the first place?
Just as I opened my mouth to retract my offer, Jade said, “Yes. Please. I would enjoy that very much.”
“You... would?”
He tilted his head. “Do you remember how you felt during our scene?”
“Yes. I felt strangely calm. Almost like I was asleep, or in some kind of trance. I didn’t need to think or do anything, because you took care of me.”
As I recounted the memory, I realized that was exactly what Jade wanted right now. For once, he didn’t want to be the one in charge. He didn’t want to contemplate, remember, or spiral. He wanted to wipe his thoughts clean.
