Page 117

Silly man. Laughing softly through her nose, making little huffing noises, Tamsyn shook her head and tipped it back into the water. “None of us are legal—not the girls, anyway. Disposable, remember? Hard to keep the community concealed and cover up the death rate if they report everyone who dies. Only the boys who show physical and genetic promise are given official documents—the ones who might benefit the community using the outside world when they come of age.”

“I’m looking forward to the day Tabitha burns that shithole to the ground,” Merrick grumbled, snaring her attention. As she lifted her head, the weight of her wet hair hanging down her back, she watched him strip off the used condom, tie a knot in it, and toss it toward the trashcan by the sink.

He really did have a nice penis, she thought, still amazed she managed to take that thing into her body. It hung between his legs, fat and long, passing the time until some signal in his brain told it to wake up and wreck her.

“I’m gonna talk to Evander,” he continued, seemingly oblivious to her admiration. “He’s well connected, maybe he can help expedite the process of making you legal. Make no mistake, there’s gonna be a ring on your finger by the end of the week, little owl, but the actual ceremony part might take longer than we like.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Did it just twitch? Did it know her eyes were caressing it, stroking the thick vein running along the under curve of the shaft?

“Don’t even think about riling it up again, Tamsyn,” Merrick warned with a chuckle, telling her he knew exactly where her attention was aimed. “Your pussy can’t handle me again so soon, and I have plans for your ass. Eyes up here before you get yourself into trouble.”

Thighs pressing together, she obeyed. Her core was spectacularly tender, every inch of her bruised in a not unpleasant manner. Her abused muscles still felt fluttery and tingly, as though summoning the ghosts of her orgasm.

Lathering his hands in lavender scented body wash, he began to soap her up, starting with her neck and kneading the muscles with strong fingers, working his way down her arm. “Gonna propose properly when I’ve got the ring, but for now, I’ll promise you this, little owl: you’re gonna want for nothing. Loving you isn’t just the honor of giving you my heart, it’s taking care of yours.”

“Because you love me,” she whispered, closing her eyes as the touch of his hands did something wonderful to her brain.

“Because I fucking adore you,” Merrick corrected. “I’m not a man who believes in divorce, darlin’. Not with you, anyway. It’s gonna be until death do we part, because I can’t imagine a future without you in it. When I take my last breath, it’s gonna be with your hand in mine, when I’m surrounded by our kids and grandkids, maybe a few great-grands thrown in there.” He bent and kissed the top of her shoulder. “When I go to the next life, it’s gonna be with the feel of your skin against mine, a lifetime of memories in my head, and the last thing I’m gonna see is these beautiful eyes I fell in love with when I pulled you out of a damn storage closet. Then I’m gonna wait for you, Tamsyn. I’m gonna wait for you in every life, because you’re my fucking soulmate.”

Tears stung her eyes. “What if I die first?”

Merrick’s hands grabbed her hips and lifted her; she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist as her eyes popped open. Belatedly, she realized she hadn’t protected her cast from the water, but it didn’t matter when his gaze burned into her, wiping all other thoughts but him from her brain.

The heavy sincerity in his voice curled around her, holding her every bit as tightly as his arms. “Well now, if you lead, little owl, I’ll be damn sure to follow. You don’t have to worry about that.”

It was just that simple.

Me and you, forever and ever, no matter what happens or comes our way.

Somehow, that struck her on a deeper level thanI love you, even though those three words scored her soul like a hot brand. She was loved so much, he was prepared to follow her, wait for her, through whatever lifeanddeath had in store for them, and she…

She was the luckiest woman alive.

Chapter Twelve

Merrick

“I’m not happy, Merrick.”

Sitting in the chair across from the exam table, one boot propped on his knee, Merrick just raised his eyebrow at Linnie. “Could’ve guessed that, Doc, judging by the scowl on your face. Might want to remove that before Tamsyn gets the gumption to walk in here, else she’s gonna be heading straight back out.”

Muttering under her breath, Linnie yanked a stretch of disposable paper down the table before skewering him with a glare. “What happened to not touching the virgin? It was a stupidly simple assignment; you admitted it yourself, you’re not the man for her. All I’ve heard the past couple weeks is how sweet a couple you are, what a good little submissive you’ve got. JesusChrist,Merrick.”

Unperturbed, he stroked his thumb along his lips. “She’s a consenting adult, same as me. I didn’t pressure her into doing anything she didn’t want—quite the opposite, in fact. Truth is, Tamsyn knows what she wants and I’ll be damned if I don’t make sure she gets it, even if I put up a fight at first.”

Stomping silently over to one of the cupboards, she wrenched the doors open and selected several pieces of equipment. “You’re twice her age.”

He took offence to that. “That would make me fifty-two, Linnie. I’m forty. Careful.”

“The difference is the same—you’ve lived, you’ve fucked, and now you’ve corrupted a young woman who’s just beginning her own journey. Do you have any idea of the heartbreak you’ll cause when you get bored and dump her? When she sees you move on with another woman?”

Merrick narrowed his eyes. “Got a pretty low opinion of me, Doc. Tell me, is it me personally you’re pissed at or whatever asshole did the dirty on you when puberty was still visible in the rearview mirror?”

The cupboard door slammed shut violently. “Grasping the wrong end of the stick.”

“No, I think I’ve got my fingers curled tight around the issue, Linnie, and I can’t say I’m pleased with you casting your aspersions on me when I’ve done nothing to deserve them.” Tapping the fingers of his other hand on his thigh, he gave her a baleful stare. “Maybe you think I’m a fucking player, but that’s far out of the realm. Levi’s probably had more pussy since his divorce than I have in my entire sexual history.”

“Levi’s a manwhore who hates women as much as he loves fucking them,” she shot back, spinning around to jab a cast saw in his direction. “Correction: fucking them over.”