Page 50 of Vicious Kingdom (Dynasty of Queens #3)

I lifted the kettlebell, swinging it strategically over my head. The weight strained and tore at my muscles. Forty-five minutes I’d been at it, doing a grueling workout.

It was all part of my grand plan.

Instead of going out to eat, Annaliese suggested we buy food and cook together.

I teased her the whole shopping trip. I touched her lips, swatted her backside, tweaked her nipple.

That coupled with the steamy kisses in the produce section and then again at the meat counter, right when she was in the middle of ordering steaks from the butcher, had her on edge.

Me on my toes?

No…she was the wanting, melting mess.

The moment we got home, I disappeared to the gym. Flustered, she’d taken out her laptop and was working at the kitchen counter. I’d stolen more than one peek at her in between sets.

Now it was time to make my move.

I turned off the music and went to collect my bride on the way to the shower.

“Mom, Mom! Slow down,” Annaliese said. She turned her head, watching me as I approached, phone pressed against her ear. “I can’t understand you, you’re yelling!”

Unease shifted through me.

I hadn’t counted on this morning’s business meeting to interrupt tonight’s date. They hadn’t contacted her at the bookstore, and I’d put the matter on the backburner, enjoying the time with my wife.

“He did what ?!” Annaliese pinned me with a look.

I leaned lazily against the counter, debating if I should end the call or let it run its natural course. The sharp look in those blue eyes told me the conversation was ruining all my hard work edging Annaliese.

“And now they’re pressing charges,” she repeated, glaring at me.

Yep, time for the phone call to end.

I plucked the device and hit the red button as my wife yelped, struggling to move toward the phone.

“Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?” I cajoled.

But Annaliese wasn’t having it. “You—” Her voice shook will ill contained fury. “You went and roughed up my uncle and cousin this morning?”

“I did,” I said, matter of fact.

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” she shouted.

“I didn’t want it to ruin our date, which now it is,” I grumbled.

Annaliese threw her hands in the air. “Unbelievable! You’re unbelievable!”

“No, I’m very believable.” I dropped the teasing tone and stalked forward, caging her against the island.

“You wouldn’t give me a name. I checked with the staff first, but they haven’t been around long enough to bother you.

Plus, you said the person was well-liked.

So the next logical choice was your family.

I started with your uncle, who was oblivious, and then your cousin happened to walk in.

He was equally as idiotic in his sniveling response. ”

Annaliese pursed her lips. “I asked you not to.”

“And I don’t fucking care who they are or what people will say,” I raged. “We’ll weather it. Together!”

“You don’t know that,” she countered. “I didn’t want anyone to know about this!”

There wasn’t a trace of fear in her eyes. There should have been. I was incensed.

Recognizing my own volatile reaction, I stepped back and took a deep breath.

“Fuck, Anna, how can you let him go unpunished?” I swiped a hand through my hair.

“His punishment is knowing I’m happily married and out of his reach,” she countered, voice laced with hot anger.

“Which one is it?” I demanded. “Because that’s not good enough.”

She faltered. “You didn’t figure it out?”

“It has to be someone at the house that day.” I let out a strangled roar. “Dio! I should have been there. I should have protected you.”

“But you’re healing me, can’t you see that?” she whispered.

But she couldn’t see me. I craved blood. Carnage! Revenge.

I turned on my heel and marched upstairs. A cold shower, time to cool down, and then maybe we could patch up the rest of the evening.

No sooner did the pelting drops of cold water fall on my face than the door flew open. Annaliese strode to the shower and yanked the glass open.

“We’re not done talking, Leo.”

“Yes.” I gripped her hand and gave her a tug. “We are.”

The beast was loose, and he needed satisfaction. He took it in the form of a bruising kiss.

Annaliese struggled in my arms, but I held her gently in place, remembering her bruised body. The kiss cut off her oxygen, leaving her gasping.

“Fuck you,” she hissed and launched herself on me again.

It was a tangle of arms and legs. Her clothes fell to the shower floor as we struggled to move closer.

Somehow, through the chaos, I managed to turn the water warm. Lifting her in my arms, I pinned her against the shower wall. One hard thrust, and we groaned.

She cried out, her nails digging into my shoulders as I buried myself to the hilt. The hot water cascaded over us, steam rising around our bodies like a carnal fog. I gave her no time to adjust, pulling back only to slam forward again with punishing force.

“Is this what you want?” I growled against her ear. “To be fucked until you forget everything but my name?”

“Yes,” she gasped, head falling back against the tile. “Good lord, yes.”

I gripped her thighs harder, spreading her wider as I drove into her relentlessly. Each thrust pushed her up the wall only for gravity to pull her back down onto my cock. The wet slap of skin against skin echoed through the bathroom, punctuated by her desperate moans.

“Look at me,” I commanded, slowing my pace to a torturous level. “You make me crazy, cara mia.”

I withdrew almost completely before slamming back in, cutting off her protests and making her whole body jolt with the impact.

Her legs tightened around my waist, heels digging into my lower back as she urged me deeper.

I was mindful of her bruises, placing my hands carefully to avoid causing pain, but there was nothing gentle about the way I pounded into her.

Water streamed down her face, plastering her hair to her scalp as she writhed against me. Her eyes locked with mine, pupils blown wide with desire, a silent challenge in their depths.

“You think this makes you right?” she panted, voice breaking as I hit that perfect spot inside her.

“No,” I growled, adjusting my angle to strike that same spot again. “This makes us even.”

She cried out, her inner walls clenching around me. “Not even close, Baldwin.”

Her defiance only fueled me. I captured her mouth in another searing kiss, stealing her breath as I maintained my punishing rhythm. The shower's steam enveloped us in our own private world, where nothing existed beyond this primal connection.

“Tell me who hurt you,” I demanded against her lips.

“Drop it,” she challenged, eyes flashing with stubborn fire even as pleasure made her gasp.

Something primal roared to life inside me at her words. I captured her mouth in another bruising kiss, swallowing her cries as I resumed my relentless pace. The shower’s steam enveloped us like a cocoon, sealing us away from the world and its complications.

I felt her body tensing, trembling on the precipice of release. Her defiance only drove me deeper, harder, my need to claim her overwhelming every rational thought.

“Tell me,” I growled again, slowing my thrusts to an agonizing pace that had her whimpering.

“Never,” she gasped, her eyes wild with both pleasure and determination. “Some things are mine to bear.”

I pressed my forehead against hers, our heated breath mingling as water cascaded around us. “Everything about you is mine now.”

A smile—dangerous and knowing—curved her lips. “Then take what’s yours.”

The challenge in her voice shattered my last thread of control. I drove into her with renewed vigor, my fingers digging into the soft flesh of her thighs as I held her against the wall. Each thrust pushed her higher, her moans growing louder, more desperate.

My balls tightened, and I exploded into her with a roar. That did it. That tipped her over the edge. Annaliese screamed my name. Despite the vise-like grip she had on me, I continued to fuck her through the orgasm.

As we stilled, as our breathing slowed, we found ourselves tangled in a moment. We were at another damn impasse.

“I’m going to—” she panted “—go to…bed…now.”

I brushed my thumb over her lip. “What about dinner?”

Annaliese only shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

I released her, lowering her softly to the ground. She bent for her clothes and winced.

My voice was iron. “I’ll get those.”

Nodding, she swallowed hard. “Thanks. Goodnight. Sleep well, lion.”

I watched her grab a towel and tiptoe away. A lion…. Hardly. I was caged and useless, not allowed to do what beasts of the jungle did best.

I need you to trust me to be strong enough for both of us, little one. I needed to be her lion.