Page 134 of Serpent & Saviors

I set my drink down on the side table and reached for her hand, threading my fingers through hers, grounding us both. “I promise.”

It’s what she needed. I was still learning her, too. She squeezed my hand in response, then let out a breath, shifting closer. “Andy, I want to wait. I want Winter by my side when I marry you.”

I paused and evened out my breathing. Was she really worried I’d be upset over that? “Angel—”

“It’s really important to me. I know it’s unrealistic. We may never find her so I think a time limit. Like we make the basic plans and then I don’t know if we haven’t found her in two years…” Her voice trailed off.

“Can I talk now?”

“Yes, Sir. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I will wait two years, five years, ten years. However long you need me to. I love you, Victoria, and I will never force you to do something outside your comfort zone.”

“Oh, God, thank you. I promise it won’t be five years or ten,” she breathed, relief tinging her voice. “Isabella knows, and well…Kinsley does as well, about waiting. Isabella said she was waiting to get a tattoo until the four of us were all together.”

“I see. Well, we can play all of that by ear. Now is that everything?”

“Yes, Sir. How were things here?”

I smiled, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Quiet. Easy. Just the way I like it.”

“Sounds like the perfect evening.”

“I know what would make it more perfect.”

“Yeah, and what might that be?” She raised her eyes to mine and let them drift to my lips.

“I could tell you, but it’d be more fun to show you. What do you say? Where is your head?”

“Scene negotiation words? I see you, Dr. Marcel.”

It was something we established early on. If I asked her, ‘where is your head?’ she knew where mine was. “And your answer?”

She slipped from my lap and positioned her body at my feet beautifully. Another thing we established. My cock throbbed with her answer.

“I’m at your disposal, Sir. What would you like to negotiate this evening?”

“A trip to the playroom. As to what takes place tonight, that’s solely up to you. What does my angel crave this evening?”

“Oh, hmm. Well, I forgot my headphones, so while Isabella drowned out the surrounding conversation on the way home, I was forced to listen.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, apparently teasing is something the Blade does a lot with Kinsley. She was tormenting the Reaper on the way home about it.”

“Teasing, is that the word she used?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe not that exact word.”

“You want me to edge you, pretty girl?”

“Sounded kind of fun. At least she made it seem so.”

“Very well. Anything else specific?”

“There was mention of toys, sensory items. But if that’s too much, I understand. I know we are still learning how to do this. Well, I am, at least the proper way. How did I do?”

“Excellent. You did excellent, angel.”