“You’re mine,” I replied as I cracked an egg. “You don’t thank me for taking care of you.”
My movements were efficient. Familiar. I didn’t ask if she was hungry. I just cooked, plated the food, and set it in front of her with a glass of orange juice.
“Eat, baby.”
She picked up her fork, a smile playing around her lips and a twinkle in her eyes. “I’m only eating because I’m starving.”
I stepped in behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, dragging her back against my chest until my mouth brushed her ear. “You sure it has nothing to do with how good I am at rewarding you when you do what I want?”
Her fork froze halfway to her mouth.
Then she blushed.
Hard.
The apples of her cheeks bloomed bright pink, and the freckles across her nose and cheekbones stood out like a constellation. I groaned quietly against her skin. “Fuck, I love those freckles. Especially when you blush. Sexy as hell.”
Maren ducked her head and giggled softly before finally starting to eat, her appetite apparently back in full force. I sat beside her, watching her while I picked at my own food. She looked more relaxed this morning, grounded. Even after everything that happened, she’d slept peacefully, curled against me like I was the safest place in the world.
But I knew it wouldn’t last. Not once she started asking questions. And that would happen eventually.
Sure enough, halfway through her second strip of bacon, she glanced over at me, her tone casual. “So about last night.”
I cut into my eggs, keeping my expression unreadable. “Told you, baby. Not gonna fuck you again until you’re not sore.”
Maren huffed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Sighing, I shrugged. “What about last night?”
She raised an eyebrow.
I kept eating.
Finally, she set her fork down and turned slightly in her seat to face me better. “I’m clearly in danger. A guy tried to drag me into a van. That prospect got shot. You showed up likesomething out of an action movie and took them both down without breaking a sweat. And then brought me to a clinic built on the compoundso no one will report gunshot wounds.” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “And you think I’m going to just forget about it all?”
My jaw flexed, but I still didn’t answer.
She crossed her arms. “Lucas.”
“Look,” I muttered, “there are things you’re better off not knowing, baby.”
“Oh really?” she shot back, her voice rising slightly. “You don’t think I should know why the heck someone tried to kidnap me? Seems like knowing why I’m in danger might be a good idea for avoiding it in the future!”
Her voice had risen along with the pace of her breathing, making her tits bounce enticingly. That alone made me hard. But when she got sassy…fuck.
I let out a low, frustrated breath. “You’re too damn sassy for your own good.”
“And you like it,” she retorted smugly, with a glance at the growing bulge in my jeans.
I stabbed a bite of egg a little too hard with my fork and lifted it to my mouth. “Doesn’t mean you won’t get another spanking for arguing with me.”
She sighed overdramatically and picked up her juice. “Guess I’ll just have to risk it.”
I glanced sideways at her, frowning. “It’s hard to keep my punishments effective when they turn you on.”
She nearly choked on her drink. “You’ll just have to find other ways to punish me, then.”
I grinned. “Challenge accepted, baby.”
