Page 77 of Their Mate

Declan’s smirk was instant, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “How can you even think of getting it up, Buchanan? We’re wrecked.”

Aidan didn’t miss a beat. “Stretch first. Wouldn’t want you pulling something.”

Edward, deadpan as all hell. “There a sign-out sheet for that? I’d like to avoid double-booking the disciplinary wing.”

Logan just folded his arms and tried not to smile. He failed. “Keep it at least sort of quiet.”

Sera crossed her arms and gave me a look that could have peeled paint. “Deal with me how, exactly?”

“Oh, you know,” Declan chimed in, helpful as a cliff. “Firm hand, bit of correction, maybe a good fucking if you’re lucky.”

Aidan made a show of considering the possibilities. “Or a good hard spanking over his knee on your bare ass with your legs kicking.”

Edward, without blinking: “Do log any corrective measures for accountability.”

“Gods,” Sera muttered, cheeks going pink in a way that did not help my self-control. “You’re all insufferable.”

I leaned in, close enough so that the heat of her flushed face warmed mine. Kept my voice for her alone. “Trust me, lass.”

She held my gaze for one long heartbeat. Then she huffed, put on a pout, and jerked her chin toward the door. “Fine. Do what you need to do to make yourself feel better.”

“Enjoy sitting for the moment because you won’t for long,” Declan sang after us.

“Bring her back thoroughly used then,” Aidan called, his tone wicked.

“If you’re doing it right, she’ll be nice and sore for a good day or two when you’re done with her,” Edward added.

Logan cleared his throat in a tone that saidI didn’t hear any of thatand waved us out. “Make sure you get some rest and don’t wear yourselves out.”

I tugged Sera into one of the back rooms and shut the door with my hip. The room smelled like damp carpet and old paint. She glared at me. I loved her for it.

“If you really think you’re going to spank me—” she started.

“We need to keep up pretenses, lass,” I said quickly, both hands up.

Some of the fight bled out of her shoulders, but the pout stayed, because she was stubborn, and I was an idiot for liking it. “Then what is this, Jamie?”

“This is me helping you out,” I whispered.

She blinked. The anger cracked just enough to show the worry underneath. “Helping me how?”

Quietly, I told her my plan. “There’s a boat down on the quay and I got the keys in my pocket. I can get you out of here. I can get you to the Isle of Man.”

Her breath snagged, and she whispered urgently, “You’d go against them?”

I shrugged like it was easy. “They’ll come round eventually, or they’ll catch up. Either way we need the Watch aware of what’s going on.”

Sera looked at me like she was cataloguing the parts of me she could trust and the parts she’d break if she had to. “But I thought you didn’t like the Watch.”

“Sometimes needing something doesn’t always coincide with liking it,” I said.

She went quiet.

“Listen, if this is going to work, the others are going to need to believe that I’m actually in here dealing with you, so come here and get over my knee,” I said boldly, reaching out to take her hand and pulling her toward the queen bed that was set up in the middle of the room.

“You can’t be serious,” she said, blushing harder, but she let me pull her along.

“Aye.” I couldn’t hide my smirk. “I am.”