The hell with that! I hooked an arm around her knees before the big bastard could cage her in.
“Hear that, little wife? Your mountain of muscle thinks you’ll break.” Seri squeaked as I hauled her with me to the edge of the mattress, curls tumbling over my forearm like spilled honey. “But I know what you really want.”
Her blush burned hotter than forge coals.
“Just say ‘Zane, wreck me.’ Three little words. Well, four if you count the accompanying moan.”
A choked sound escaped Cas. “Night save us from your seduction techniques.”
“Jealousy’s an ugly color on you, brother.” I flipped him off without looking, my other hand skating up Seri’s thigh. “Come on, baby. Tell me how badly you need—”
The blood stopped me cold.
A red Rorschach blot on the sheet where Koa had been holding her, and suddenly all I could smell was copper. Shit. Shit. My throat closed like someone had garroted me with piano wire.
“We’re done.” I cleared the gravel from my voice. “We’ll pick this up tomorrow, moonbeam. Like Ko said.”
“Did I…” Seri’s smile stuttered as her body stiffened. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Wrong?” My laugh came out strangled. “Princess, if you were any more perfect, I’d have to invent new sins. But you’re also…” Fragile. Broken. Precious. “Not used to handling prime stallions back-to-back.”
“What?”
“Your pretty little pussy needs recovery time,” I growled into the damp column of her throat. “But when I finallydosink into you? I won’t show any mercy.”
Her lower lip trembled. Shit.Shitshitshit. I ground my hips upward, letting her feel every rigid inch.
“This isn’t about wanting, angel. This is about not splitting you open on night one.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “But it doesn’t hurt.”
“Bleeding’s kinda the universal ‘ow’ signal, sweet cheeks.” I tried for a smirk. Failed spectacularly. “Unless witch brides dig pain? Kinky, but we should’ve discussed safe words first.”
“Zane.” Warning tone and all, Casimir leaned over, glass in hand. “Here, Seri. Hydrate.”
Propping her up, I watched her throat work as she downed the water, imagining it was my cock she was sucking down that fast, my seed she was swallowing.
“Zane?” Seri gave the glass back to Cas and laid down again.
“Hmm?” I tried to force myself to focus on blue-ball reality.
“I love you.”
The world tilted. My heart did something that should’ve required defibrillators. For half a breath, I forgot how lungs worked.
Three words shouldn’t level a man faster than dragonfire.
“Stars would crash from the sky before I stopped loving you, precious girl,” I rasped.
“What did you say earlier?” Koa snorted. “Leave the poetry to—”
“Bite me, mountain.” But I was drowning in gray eyes, in trembling lips already parted for my kiss. Her leg slid over my hip with coltish grace and disastrous intent.
“Zane.” Her whisper scorched my neck.
“Yeah?” I blinked at her, blood pounding in my ears.
“Iloveyou.”
