"Me too," I gasped, feeling the tension coiling tight in my belly, ready to snap. "Don't stop. Please don't stop."
He didn't. He drove into me harder, faster, and then his hand was between us again, his thumb finding that sensitive bundle of nerves and circling, and that was all it took.
I shattered, crying out his name as the orgasm tore through me, more powerful than the first, leaving me trembling and gasping. He followed moments later, his body tensing above me, a deep growl rumbling from his chest as he found his release.
We stayed like that for a long moment, tangled together, hearts racing, breaths slowly evening out. He rolled to the side, pulling me with him so I was tucked against his chest, his arm wrapped securely around me, his tail curled possessively around my leg.
"I love you," he murmured into my hair, his voice soft and full of wonder. "My mate. My Ruby."
"I love you too," I murmured, feeling complete in a way I never had before.
And as I drifted off to sleep in his arms, I knew with absolute certainty that this was where I belonged. Where we both belonged.
Together.
Chapter 15
Cristox
The morning air carried the scent of fresh bread and roasted nuts, mingling with the earthy smell of produce and the faint metallic tang from the smithy at the square's edge. But the usual energy of market day felt muted, like someone had turned down the volume on the entire village. Conversations were hushed, laughter sparse and apologetic. Not surprising—we buried Craig just two days ago. I adjusted my peacekeeper's badge, Craig's badge, the metal still warm from my pocket, and tried not to think about how strange it felt pinned to my chest.
"Cristox!" Old Man Hendricks waved from his vegetable stand, his weathered face creasing into something between a smile and a grimace, deep lines carving canyons around his eyes. "Congratulations on the appointment, son. Craig would've been proud."
I nodded, my throat tight, the words stuck somewhere behind my sternum. "Thank you, sir."
"Hell of a way to get the job, though." Hendricks shook his head slowly, his gnarled hands resting on a pile of root vegetables. "Hell of a way."
That sentiment echoed through the market like a funeral dirge. As I made my rounds, people kept stopping me. A hand on my shoulder or arm, warm and heavy with expectation. Asolemn nod, eyes searching mine for reassurance I wasn't sure I could give. Mrs. Chen pressed a still-warm dumpling into my palm, her fingers lingering a moment too long. The Kowalski brothers both shook my hand, their grips firm, eyes red-rimmed, faces drawn with grief that had aged them a decade. Even surly Tom Brennan managed a gruff, "You'll do right by us, won't you?" before turning back to his metalwork display, his jaw working as if he wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.
Each interaction felt like a stone added to the weight already pressing on my chest. They were counting on me. All of them. And I was determined that no one else would get hurt.
Especially her.
Ruby stood behind her booth near the center of the square, and despite the grief, the pressure, the uncertainty gnawing at my insides, I felt something in my chest loosen. My tail swayed slightly, betraying my pleasure before I could stop it. Somehow, in the midst of everything and using someone else's kitchen, she'd managed to bake enough to open her stand. The display was modest but beautiful. Golden loaves with crusts that caught the light, honey-glazed pastries glistening in the morning sun, small cakes decorated with preserved fruit in careful patterns that spoke of hours of patient work.
She glanced up as I approached, and the smile that spread across her face—warm and genuine and just for me—made the whole damn morning worthwhile.
Memory hit me like a tidal wave. Ruby beneath me last night, her back arching off the bed, lips parted in ecstasy as I'd claimed her completely. The way she'd wrapped her legs around my hips, pulling me closer, deeper, her nails scoring delicious paths down my shoulders. The sounds she'd made when I'd gripped her thighs and spread them wider, those breathless moans that had driven me wild. The slick heat of her, the wayher body had clenched around me when she came undone in my arms.
My cock responded immediately, and I had to adjust my stance to keep from making it obvious to the entire market. Not the time, not the place. But my body didn't seem to care about propriety when it came to Ruby. One look at her, and I remembered the taste of her skin, salt and sweetness. The heat of her around me, velvet and fire. The way she'd whispered my name like a prayer, a plea, a promise.
I cleared my throat and tried to think about literally anything else. The killer on the loose. The pressure to protect everyone. Tom Brennan's ugly mug.
It didn't help much.
"Peacekeeper," she said, her voice teasing but warm, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. "Come to inspect my permits?"
"Just making sure everything's in order, ma'am." I couldn't keep the grin off my face.
Our eyes locked, and suddenly the noise of the market faded. The haggling voices, the clatter of coins, the shuffle of feet—all became distant and unimportant. I couldn't look away. Didn't want to. The way the morning light caught her hair, turning the strands to molten gold. The flour smudge on her cheek that I wanted to brush away with my thumb. The way her lips curved, soft and inviting.
"Cristox, you're holding up the line," someone called out, and I realized I'd been standing there like an idiot while three people waited to buy Ruby's bread.
"Right. Sorry." I stepped aside, heat creeping up my neck, but I didn't go far. Couldn't seem to make my feet carry me more than a few yards away.
For the next hour, I found excuses to circle back to her booth like a moon caught in orbit. Checking on crowd flow.Making sure she had enough change. Asking if she needed anything—water, a break, help with the heavy baskets. Each time I got close, my hand found the small of her back, or her fingers would brush against my arm, feather-light touches that sent electricity shooting through me.
"You're not very subtle," Ruby murmured when I leaned in to grab the pastry she offered.
