Wounded Beast (Gypsy Heroes)

‘Somewhere I can ravish you.’

I grin. ‘Dom, do you think he’ll be all right?’

‘Who?’

‘The guy I hit with the bottle.’

‘Are you kidding? It’s gonna take far more than a bottle to down a Barberry boy,’ he says.

And I laugh.

And so does he, as we run to the car.

We climb into it in a rush, and, like children who have been promised a trip to the ice cream parlor, we can hardly sit still with excitement. I smile a secret smile. It’s clear that the rush of adrenalin and testosterone has fueled his sexual appetite and I’m going to reap the benefit. Dom drives us to a quiet country lane. And there, under a half-moon, he lays me across the back seat and buries himself all the way inside me in one hard slam, then works it until we’re both an exhausted, satisfied, beautiful, sweaty mess. He reaches below, finds his trousers, rummages in one of the pockets and produces a gold bracelet.

‘Here,’ he says and capturing my hand fixes it on my wrist.

I bite my lip.

‘What?’ he asks.

‘Did you steal it or something?’ I ask with a grin.

‘Why would you think that?’

‘I don’t know. Bracelets usually come in a box.’

‘I can get you a box if you want.’

I shake my head slightly and gently touch the jewels on the pretty bracelet.

‘Sapphires,’ he says.

It’s not big or flash and there is no great declaration that he bought them because they match my eyes or anything romantic like that, but I almost want to cry with happiness.

‘It’s beautiful. Thank you,’ I choke

‘You’re welcome. Wear it all the time,’ he says casually.

And my heart soars. ‘I will.’

For a long time, we lie naked and as precious as the stars shining brightly in the night sky.

THIRTEEN

‘You wouldn’t have any sisters for me, would you?’ Shane teases Ella, a seductive smile spread across his face.

We’re at my ma’s for Sunday lunch. I don’t know what I expected when I sprang Ella, the tax collector, on my family, but they’ve surprised me with the genuine warmth of their welcome. Never once has she been made to feel that anything might be amiss. Of course, Shane has to make a bigger ass of himself than usual.

‘Afraid not,’ Ella says with a grin. ‘But I do have a brother if you’re interested.’

‘Ah, I’ll let you know if I start batting for the other side,’ Shane says with a laugh.

I know Shane’s banter means nothing, but what the fuck! I feel jealousy pour through me. I place my hand possessively on her curvaceous bottom and throw my younger brother a ‘back the hell off’ glare.

With a brotherly pat on my shoulder and a mischievous glint in his eyes, he moves away.

Ella goes to join the women in the kitchen, and Jake comes over to me.