Controlled Burn (Blackbridge Security 8)

“You left again,” I hiss, my cock already hard at reminding her that she’s not supposed to leave without me.

I toss the toys in the boys’ room, thinking they can clean the mess when they get home because I have other things to worry about, the first, reiterating to my woman that Keres is still a danger despite us not having heard anything from them in the week since their last visit to the condo.

“I had to take the kids to school. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you.”

I’ve slept soundly for a full week because Kendall has taken to sneaking into my room after the kids go to sleep. She wears me out, then falls asleep in my arms. It’s been utter heaven.

“Besides,” she continues. “I’m going to have to leave the house alone when I go back to work.”

I barely keep the snarl from my face. She took the last weekend off, and I had stupidly let myself imagine that she quit her job at The Kitten’s Cream. I know she hasn’t done shit with the bag of panties I saw spread out on my dining room table. I guess maybe I should’ve asked instead of assuming.

I prowl closer to her, not bothering to hide the outline of my thickening cock in my sweats.

“I’m sleeping so good because your pussy is the best medicine. I’m—”

“So, you’re saying it puts you to sleep?” She rolls her eyes. “If you don’t like it then—”

She squeals, a perfect, happy sound followed by a chuckle when I lift her off her feet.

“Your tight pussy grips my cock like a fist and drains me dry. You literally suck the life out of me. It leaves me sated and utterly exhausted. Holding you at night is the best thing I’ve ever had, Kendall.”

Her eyes dart between mine, and I can still see that wall she has there. The only time it drops and she lets me in is when she’s naked and we’re minutes away from getting dirty. If she’s wearing clothes or not in my bed, she’s all caged up again, and I don’t know how to fix that.

“If you leave without me again before the shit with your ex is solved, I’m going to spank your ass.”

She shakes her head. “Can’t do that. I don’t want marks on my ass when I go back to work.”

“Why are you going back to work?” I ask, lowering her back to the ground because I’m the one that needs a little space right now.

She laughs like I told a joke, but then her face softens when she sees that I’m not finding any of this humorous.

“I have to work, Finn. The Kitten is the best place to earn quick money. I need to move out.”

“What?”

“I’m sure you want your space back. You looked beyond annoyed when I walked in with that bucket of toys in your hand.”

I didn’t know she was planning on moving still. I know it’s only been a week in my bed, but fuck, I was ready to ask her to move her shit into my room permanently.

“I was annoyed, but not at picking up after the kids. I was irritated that you left alone again this morning. I’m agitated that some of the people who saw the viral video of that damn safe cracking have now figured out where we live.”

“We?” she asks, her brows drawn together in confusion.

“Me and the guys. We have legit fucking stalkers now. That’s why they locked down the floor, requiring the key card here.”

“That also makes me safe from Adrian and Brant.”

“If you’re here, you’re safe,” I clarify. “If you leave, they can grab you in the parking garage.”

“I won’t be scared forever,” she snaps, as if she’s angrier about that fear than me feeding into it by wanting her with someone when she leaves.

“Baby,” I whisper, closing the distance between the two of us. I cup her jaw so she can’t look away from me which is her MO anytime I try to get serious or talk about the future. This woman is the queen of shutting that shit down. She usually does it by crawling in my lap and grinding on my dick, but that’s not really possible since we’re both standing up. “I don’t want you to be scared, but sometimes bravery is stupid, too.”

Her eyes soften only for a second before she pulls away.

“I don’t need an escort to drop off and pick up the kids.”

I want to growl at her, demand she stop being so stubborn, but maybe I’m the one overreacting now.

I won’t tell her to think of her kids’ safety because fuck, that seems like I would be playing on her love for them, and there’s nothing worse than someone using children as pawns, but I’m legit worried for her. I’ve seen things and read reports of the brutality that Keres is capable of, and if she’s right about Adrian still looking for Ty Penman after all these years, then that fear is warranted.