Declan stares at me in astonishment, then the corner of his mouth lifts. “Thank you?”
“Um…” It was the best I had.
He pushes with his hips, drawing a gasp from me and a round of aftershocks, my eyes fluttering closed. “Then I’ll make you another promise: I’m not going anywhere. I’ll ride with you wherever the road takes us.”
That sounds… serious.
And not as scary as it should.
“Is your thigh up to that?”
“Actually, no riding tonight.” He grins down at me. “It fucking hurts.”
Yeah. I did that.
But I got the better end of the punishment.
Twenty-Five
Declan
Iwake early, even though I didn’t set an alarm last night.
Raven sleeps, her dark hair spilled over my pillow, face peaceful. The ropes hang loose on the headboard above her, a reminder of a night I’ll never forget.
I watch her for a while, more content than I can remember being in… ever. And that’s strange, because Ishouldbe worried. There’s no hiding it anymore: this woman is my infatuation. There’s no way I can do my job properly with her in the picture. Declan Maddox’s interests are wholly at odds with Declan Hale’s, and I no longer care.
Bothof us want Raven. Forever and ever.
And last night, I claimed her. As clearly as I possibly could. She accepted it, too. Even if it was mid-orgasm.
Still counts.
It seems I’m in love.
That’s a new one for me, and I sit with it for a moment, chewing it over. Ten years since the Marines. Two on my degree. Five as a field agent, three more undercover. There’ve been flings, yes, but never time for anything serious. Love has no place in an operation; it brings bad decisions, risk, and conflict. I always thought it was a weakness.
Turns out, the proof I’m wrong was waiting in Tujunga, riding a red Ducati and breaking pool cues over men’s heads.
Raven has stolen my heart, and despite who Ireallyam, I’m happy to give it to her.
I smile to myself. She’d absolutely freak out if I told her that.
Instead, I slip out of bed, wincing as my thigh protests. It’s tight and swollen, much worse than before she hit me, but a small price to pay for what I got to do to her. I pull on a pair of boxers, and go to explore my fridge.
There aren’t a lot of options, but I have a pack of eggs and some bacon, enough for breakfast with some OJ on the side. I get to cooking.
Raven stirs in the bedroom, then goes silent. “Fuck.” It’s quiet enough to be muttered under her breath, but it still carries.
I chuckle to myself. That’s my hellcat waking up. What brought it on? The memory of where she was, and what we did last night? I hope not. The utter lack of clothing options? Yes, that would be more her thing.
Walking back in, I lean against the door, watchingher stretch in the bed. The duvet’s slipped enough that she has bare shoulders, but the rest of her is covered. I want to peel it away and start all over again, and it takes a surprising amount of willpower not to do so. But breakfast will be ruined, and she’s probably sore.
She notices me and stills, in that way she does, that calls to my predator side as much as any sign of her vulnerability. She brings out a dark part of me that I’ve rarely let out in the past, possessive and demanding. But when it comes to her, it’s insistent, and I don’t want to tap it down.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
She pulls the duvet higher. “I thought you’d left.” A pause. “Then I smelled the bacon.”
