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“What?” I blinked at her. God, she looked gorgeous with her lips all kiss-swollen.

“I want to talk to her. Woman to woman.”

I tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The steely look in her eyes didn’t budge an inch. When she got that look, there was no arguing with her. Her mind was made up, but I had to say my piece. “She’s psychotic, like you said. She might try something even crazier if you ask to meet up.”

“I know,” Harley said. “She probably thinks I’m afraid of her.”

That made me pause.

“I haven’t done anything to defend myselformy relationship. If I were her, I’d think I was a scared little girl calling in my dragon boyfriend to defend me.”

“That’s not?—”

She squeezed my arm. “I know it’s not what’s actually happening, but Blakely’s crazy. She thinks she can walk all over me, so I need to show her that’s not the case. She needs to understand that I’m not going to let her get away with threatening my family.” She smiled and kissed the corner of my mouth. “I know you want to keep me safe. And you do. But I have to be the one to handle Blakely.”

It was a bad idea, but I couldn’t get rid of the fond smile on my face. “There’s nothing I can say that’s going to stop you, is there?”

“Nope.”

“If you’re determined to do this, I’m sending one of our enforcers with you,” I said.

She didn’t fight me on that—not that I’d thought she would. With what Sean had pulled, I wasn’t going to let her go anywhere without an enforcer anytime soon.

I pulled her into my arms again, and she laughed. I loved that sound. I’dmissedthat sound. It was even better when tinged with relief like this. We exchanged a few more lazy kisses in the kitchen to the distant sound of Dylan’s laughter and Cassidy’s playful shouts.

I wanted to live in this moment forever.

Eventually, I had to pull away. “All right. You win. I’ll set something up with Blakely.”

“Thank you.”

I sighed. “I’ve got some of my own stuff to set up, too.”

“Then who’s finishing dinner?” Harley asked with a half-smile. “Not me, certainly.”

“Definitely not. Cassidy agreed to keep an eye on the stove. I’ve got to head to the clubhouse and make a few calls.”

“What kinds of calls?” Harley asked with a suspicious tilt to her head.

“Nothing too sketchy. Don’t worry, I’m not getting back into the criminal world. But I do have some people who owe me favors. It should help me deal with Sean.”

Her gaze softened. “Right. Listen… I know you could’ve killed him at the compound. I know you almost did.”

I said nothing.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Harley continued. “I know it would’ve eaten you up inside. I don’t know much about dragons, but I know you guys need your rules. Your rituals. We’ve got to take care of him the right way.”

Even though she was a human, Harleyunderstood.That was yet another reason I knew she was the only woman for me. “And I will. I promise.”

Cassidy and Dylan came back inside, and I hugged my son tight before I left the house again. It was hard to leave Harley behind, even for a moment, but I had enforcers on the premises and the knowledge that she wasn’t going anywhere. Harley walked me to the front door, then stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind her. She pulled me into a searing kiss. “Be safe today, and come back to me tonight.”

The heat in her eyes had my desire for her surging. My dragon told me to forget the clubhouse, forget the plans, scoop her up, and drag her upstairs. To claim her. Claim her now.

I exhaled hard through my nose, then leaned down and kissed her neck right where I’d bite. She shivered, like she could feel my dragon’s desire, and her hands flexed on my hips.

“I will,” I growled.

She gave me one more kiss, then slipped back into the house. I stood on the porch for a minute, inhaling and exhaling, until my dragon settled down and I didn’t feel like I needed to chase her back into the house and take her immediately.