Page 174 of Ruthless Creatures

He’s so beautiful I lose my breath.

His grin dies and he growls, “I fucking love it when you look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re mine.”

He tugs off my shirt. He tears off my bra. My jeans and panties he dispenses with a few quick moves, then I’m naked underneath him, trembling.

He takes a moment to run his hands slowly down my body, from my chest to my thighs, staring at me with the eyes of a hungry wolf. Then he rips open the fly of his jeans.

“Say it.”

My voice comes out in a whisper. “I’m yours.”

He closes his eyes for a moment, exhaling. When he opens his eyes, he reaches into his pants and fists his erection, pulling it out and stroking it from base to tip.

“Say it again, baby.”

I take a breath and blow it out. Every cell in my body is singing. “I’m yours, Kage. Even when I hate you, I love you. Whatever happens, we’ll work it out.”

With a groan, he falls on top of me. Then he’s kissing me again, pushing up to an elbow and spreading my thighs open with his hips. I run my hands down his muscular back to his ass, sliding my hands under his jeans and sinking my fingernails into his skin.

Then I softly laugh.

He couldn’t wait to take off his pants or boots again.

“Laughing while I fuck you will earn you a spanking,” he says hotly.

“Then I guess I better keep laughing.”

Gazing down at me with adoring eyes, he whispers,“Ya tebya lyublyu.I love you.Ty nuzhnah mne.I need you.Ty moya.You’re mine.”

Then he slides inside me and proves it all.

FORTY-FIVE

NAT

Over the next week, what seems like a hundred men in suits come and go from the penthouse, paying their respects to their new king.

There are serious handshakes. Formal double-cheek kisses. Quiet conversations in the library with whiskey and cigars.

And always, on arrival and departure, a bow and a kiss to Kage’s signet ring.

He introduces me to some of the men. When others arrive, he quickly ushers me out of the room. I know the intention isn’t to keep more secrets, but to protect me.

No cast in any mafia movie I’ve ever seen comes close to the reality of the darkness and danger those men wear like a second set of clothing. It’s palpable. A scary vibration in the air. An unmistakable energy of violence hovers over them, emanating from their narrowed, watchful eyes.

If Sloane were here, she’d be in hog heaven.

I do my best to be poised and polite, though I don’t know what’sexpected of me. I don’t know how I fit into this world, or if I do at all. The only certainty is that Kage always wants me within arm’s reach.

If I’m across the room, he’ll come and stand beside me. If he’s talking with someone and I’m not near, he’ll beckon with his finger. His gaze is always on me, too, following me with a focus and heat I feel as a tingle of awareness under my skin.

I told him I love him, but I’m not sure love is a complex enough word.

There’s a weight to this thing I feel for him. A darkness. A violent edge, like what I see in the dangerous men’s eyes.