Page 6 of Wicked Bonds

He stepped closer to her, his palm finding her hip as he pressed his lips to her ear. “You and I are going to have a long conversation after this, Lee,” he told her softly, the words meant for her alone. Then, louder for everyone else to hear, he asked, “How’s she doing?”

Leela shivered as she debated whether or not to acknowledge his previous statement. He nibbled on her ear, deciding for her.

Because he’d meant it.

Theywouldbe discussing this later.

In great detail.

Whilst naked.

In bed.

Her mind flashed with memories of straddling him on a stool, her body heating against him in response. But it was there and gone too fast for him to detail the embrace.

However, it was enough to know that he’d been inside her.

And she’d thoroughly enjoyed it, too.

She shook her head, turning to face him and knocking his hand off of her hip. He merely met her gaze, allowing her to see that he knew. But he wouldn’t tell her how much.

No, that wasn’t how they would play this game at all.

If she wanted to fuck with his head, then he’d repay the favor in kind.

However, there were other, more pressing priorities at the moment, including the bundle of energy in her arms.Beautiful darling, Balthazar thought as he met a pair of stunning brown eyes. They were exactly as Leela had described.

“Well, hello there, little LJ,” he murmured to her. “I see you have your mother’s eyes.”

The baby blinked at him, the intelligence in her depths confirming what Leela had whispered into his mind about Seraphim births.

He pressed a finger to the little darling’s nose. “That’s all Jay,” he decided out loud, admiring the mix of her mother’s and father’s traits. “But the cheekbones are definitely Lizzie.”

He couldn’t help his smile, the sight of the little one warming his heart.

Her short fuzz of auburn hair seemed a little darker than Lizzie’s, likely a result of her father’s darker features blending with Lizzie’s genetics.

“You’re stunning, little beauty,” he told the child.Positively breathtaking.

Little LJ—a nickname Balthazar had decided on prior to the baby’s birth—studied him for a moment before puckering her lips.

Leela giggled. “Yes, yes. You need to bond.” Her blue-green eyes met his once more before turning toward Lizzie and Jayson on the bed.

“Oh, she’s alive!” Lizzie said after taking the child from Leela. Her surprise reminded Balthazar to pull back on the emotional control because the mother should have recognized that several minutes ago.

“I told you, she just needed to heal a little,” Leela replied. “But yes, she’s very much alive, and quite a survivor, if you ask me. She’s also impatient. You exchanged power during the birth, but she needs a little more.”

Balthazar recalled that power exchange, the act also differing significantly from a mortal birth. Truly, nothing about this experience could have been considered human at all.

Which made sense with everyone in the room being of immortal heritage.

“How do I do that?” Lizzie asked.

Leela guided her and told Jayson to help the mother sit up. Balthazar continued unraveling his emotional control while they worked, and he noted that Lizzie was already mostly healed as well.

There’d been concerns prior to the baby’s birth about what to expect since Lizzie wasn’t a pureblood Seraphim, but it seemed she had enough in her to guarantee her survival.

Jayson would be pleased by that.