Page 148 of Savage Hearts

When he throws back his head, shouts at the ceiling, and comes with me, I realize that any thoughts I may have had about protecting myself from him are now useless.

No matter how crazy or wrong this might be, I’m all in.

All I can do now is hold on and ride this roller coaster until the end, wherever it might take us.

FORTY

RILEY

Mal and I lie entangled in bed in the dark for a long time before he finally speaks.

“Are you all right?” He sounds somber. Like he’s worried he did something wrong.

“You didn’t hurt me, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Your throat…?”

“You could’ve squeezed twice as hard and I wouldn’t have felt it.”

He exhales in relief. “Breath play can be dangerous. We should’ve talked about it first. Had a safe word.”

Dear god, hearing him say “breath play” and “safe word” makes my imagination run wild with every kinky scenario people can engage in, in pairs, trios, or groups.

I picture him in the middle of a writhing pile of naked bodies at a sex club, godlike and glistening as he fucks every random hole in sight, and feel as if I might faint.

“Here’s a safe word for you: I have zero interest in hearing about your past sexual experiences. The thought of you doing what wejust did with another woman makes me want to bury a hatchet in your chest and set you on fire.”

After a moment, he says, “That’s too long for a safe word. Hard to remember in the heat of the moment.” I hear laughter in his tone, the bastard.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do,” he murmurs, squeezing me. “You’re jealous.”

“Pfft.”

“Deny it all you want, but I didn’t mention anything about my past. I simply suggested we needed to communicate about what we do together, then suddenly you were threatening me with death.”

Embarrassed because he’s right, I hide my face in the crook of his neck. When he softly kisses my throat, I whisper, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I know exactly how you feel.”

“You do?”

“Why don’t you bring up your blond bodyguard again and see how I take it?”

That dials down my aggravation to a manageable degree. I burrow closer to him, closing my eyes. “No, thanks. But can we talk about what happened at dinner?”

He peppers soft kisses down my throat and along my collarbone. “What happened is that you sassed the king of the Bratva, and he loved you for it.”

“You’re sure he won’t change his mind later?”

“I’m sure. The man hasn’t had anyone dare to even raise their voice to him for twenty years. He found your angry little speech very entertaining.”

“I can’t figure out why he was so mad at you, though.”

He pauses kissing me to say thoughtfully, “Me neither.”

“Are you not allowed to kidnap people?”