Tainted Bastard (Tainted Knights 4)

Her hair spread across my chest as she rested her ear over my heart. Wrapping her arms around my middle, she snuggled closer, letting out a relieved sigh. “I’m glad you didn’t get up. I wanted to lie here for a little longer.”

“Aubree said you didn’t sleep well last night.” I kissed the top of her head, my hands rubbing up and down her back. “You should have called me. I would have come back and slept with you.”

“Aubree snores.”

I laughed. “Then we could have taken the couch.”

She lifted her head. “Really? You would have done that?”

“For you.”

“Because I’m so special?”

Threading my fingers through her hair, I pulled her head down until her lips met mine. “Because you’re the best thing to ever happen to me,” I told her when I ended the kiss. “Because I want you to be happy and safe. And mine. I want you to be mine more than anything else.”

Her lashes lifted slowly, her kiss-swollen lips curling into a smile. “Right now, I’m all three of those things.”

“Only right now?” Her brows rose. “Maybe I want you to be mine forever. Can you promise me that?”

“I …” She licked her lips, her gaze lowering to my chest. “I don’t know. Forever is a long time.”

“It doesn’t feel long enough sometimes.” I pulled her head back down to my chest. “It’s definitely not long enough for what I want with you.”

“What do you want with me?” she whispered.

“Everything,” I answered honestly. “But right now, I’ll settle for this.”

“I’m hungry,” she said after a quiet minute passed. Her stomach growled, and my stomach echoed the sound. Giggling, she lifted her head. “Sounds like I’m not the only one. Come on, I’ll feed you.”

She climbed off me, pulling her nightshirt down over her panties. My hands itched to pull her back down, to roll her under me and make her come like the day before. But I didn’t want an audience listening to those goddamn little mewling sounds she made when she was coming on my fingers.

“I brought coffee and pastries earlier,” I told her as I sat up.

“Yummy. Knowing those three, there won’t be any coffee left, but they will have saved us one or two pastries.”

With her tugging on my hand, I stood. Leaving my keys, wallet, and shoes on the floor, I followed her out into the living room. Aubree, Genesis, and London were all sitting on the couch watching television. They barely lifted their heads when I sat down on the end beside Aubree.

“I checked on you guys twice,” she commented, handing me the box of pastries. “I almost thought you were dead, you were sleeping so deep. I guess kicking three guys’ asses wore you out.”

I grunted and picked one of the cherry-filled pastries still in the box, leaving the chocolate-filled croissant for Roanna.

“What are we doing tonight?” Genesis asked, sounding bored. “I want to go dancing.”

“No thanks,” Roanna called from the kitchen. “You guys can go, though.”

“Let’s at least eat dinner together, then,” Genesis complained.

“Somewhere fun,” London suggested. “Maybe that bar and grill two blocks over.”

“You just want to drink your dinner,” Genesis said with disgust.

“And you just want to whore around,” London shot back. “Shut the fuck up, slut. Go suck a dick, and get out of my face.”

Roanna appeared, holding two coffee cups. “I’m not going anywhere with either of you if you’re going to talk to each other like that.” Handing me a cup, she started to sit on the floor, but I pulled her onto my lap, careful not to spill hot coffee on either of us.

“What’s with you two?” I asked, knowing I would probably regret it. “Can’t you get along for five minutes? You two are worse than when Kin’s stepmom and Angie are in the same room.” Which was like an explosion ready to happen. I was still surprised they hadn’t attacked each other at Kin’s high school graduation.

“Shut up, Sin,” Genesis snapped.