The honesty of it gutted me.
I pulled back, meeting her eyes. "I'm terrified," I admitted. "Every day. Terrified that I'll lose you. That I'll fail to protect you. That our child will pay for my mistakes."
Her expression softened, tears spilling over. "Finally. The truth."
"Always the truth with you." I positioned myself at her entrance. "Even when it scares the hell out of me."
"Then be scared with me," she whispered, her hands framing my face. "Stop trying to shoulder everything alone."
I pushed inside her slowly, both of us groaning at the sensation. She was tight, hot, perfect.
"Together," I promised, withdrawing and thrusting back in. "We face it together."
She wrapped her legs around my waist, changing the angle. "Then start acting like it."
I moved faster, harder, pouring my frustration and fear and desperate need into every thrust. She met me stroke for stroke, her nails raking down my back hard enough to leave marks.
"You don't get to make all the decisions," she panted, her walls clenching around me.
"Then tell me what you want." I shifted my angle, hitting deeper. "Be my equal, Sienna. Be my partner. Take what you need from me."
She pushed against my chest, and I let her flip our positions. She straddled me, taking me even deeper, her hands braced on my chest.
"This," she said, rolling her hips. "I want this. Partnership. Choice. Trust."
I gripped her hips, watching her move above me—powerful, beautiful, mine. "You have it. All of it."
She rode me with increasing urgency, chasing her pleasure with single-minded focus. I reached between us, my thumb finding her clit.
"Come for me," I commanded. "Let me feel you."
Her orgasm hit like a wave, her body clenching around me as she cried out. The sight of her—head thrown back, pleasure written across her face—shattered what little control I had left.
I thrust up into her twice more before my own release crashed through me, spilling inside her with a groan that came from somewhere deep in my chest.
She collapsed against me, both of us breathing hard. I wrapped my arms around her, one hand settling protectively over her stomach.
"This doesn't solve our problems," she said quietly.
"No," I agreed. "But it's a start."
She lifted her head, meeting my eyes. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"Promise me that from now on, we make decisions together. No more hiding things from me to 'protect' me. No more treating me like I'm too fragile to handle the truth."
I studied her face—fierce, determined, unbreakable. "I promise. Partners."
"Partners," she echoed, settling back against my chest.
We'd barely dressed again when the security panel beeped.
Marco's voice came through the intercom. "Boss. We need you. Now."
The urgency cut through everything. I pulled on my shirt as Sienna did the same.
"Stay here," I ordered.
