“Yeah, how do you think you are at sex?”
He chuckles. “Sufficient.”
“Like I said, minimizing.” I stroke his cheek. “You can play piano, speak multiple languages, know so many facts, and I bet you’re lethal with any weapon.”
He adjusts on top of me, face hovering over mine as he straddles me. “I have the ability to protect you from everything the world can throw at you, Valerie. You never have any reason to be afraid.”
I swallow at the intensity in his eyes. He presses his lips to my forehead. “I promise, pet. You’ll never have a reason to be afraid. I’ll protect you. So will Chase and Hunter.”
“Why would I be afraid?” I ask. “I’m pretty good at dealing with my own shit. Remember how I almost tased you?”
He kisses me softly, his tongue gently stroking over my bottom lip. I can feel his heartbeat even on his arms as I stroke him. My eyebrows knit together and I shake my head at him. “What’s wrong, Lief?”
“I worry for you.”
I pull him down, wrapping my legs around him and drawing silly designs on his back. “I’ve dealt with a lot. I promise I can handle more than it seems.” I close my eyes for a long moment. “My parents … sucked. My mom was only half there and always let my father have control. It was like she was afraid to speak out against him. Even when he was giving me hell.”
“Valerie, I’m sorry that...”
“He never hit me hard enough to leave a bruise the next day, but he never hid how much I failed him either. If I got Bs. If there were typos. If I said something out of line. If I talked too much or not enough. Everything depended on his mood.” I stroke Lief’s back. “When I got older, I tried to protect my mother from him. I learned how to get in his head and make him think even if he didn’t want to. It was only hard when he was drinking. But I’d just pour a little more alcohol every time until he’d pass out. My mom would never run. Even when I had everything ready,” And I can’t stop talking.
He kisses the corner of my jaw. I shrug. “I stopped trying. I just told myself I would never be like her. I would never depend on a man for self-respect. I would never let a man control me so entirely. I would never pass along his genes, his anger, her weakness.”
“You’re a strong woman, Valerie. But you don’t have to do everything,” Lief whispers. “Otherwise, what can I offer you?”
“Company.” I smile. “Your fun facts. Soft kisses, kinky sex. Good memories and tons of happiness.”
Lief’s cheeks flush red and he kisses me hard, licking deep into my mouth before he pulls me up and hugs me. I blink a few times, then bury my face in his throat. “I like who you are, not what you can give me.”
“I like you too. I like your independence, the way your mind works, how we talk. I like how you make me feel and who you inspire me to become,” He whispers.
I open my mouth to say something as if I can say anything to those warm words that are making my heart beat faster. But my stomach growls. Laughing, Lief pulls me out of bed. “Come with me, pet. We’ll get food.”
And we do. The motorcycle is amazing, wonderful, a pure adrenaline rush. Lief weaves through traffic, hits speeds that I know are illegal, but I also know he’s in complete control, that he would never let anything hurt me.
After picking up food and checking his phone, he takes me home. He pulls the helmet off me and kisses me after smoothing my hair down. “Beautiful.”
“Do you have to leave?”
“Soon.” He motions to the bag I’m holding. “After sushi.”
“Come on, Viking. You have two whole rolls to eat.”
And that’s what we do. We share more about ourselves, even though it almost looks like it pains him sometimes, and then he checks his phone as I stuff and entire roll in my mouth, and his lips turn down.
“I must go.”
“Okay,” I say around my food.
He chuckles and kisses my full cheek. “I’ll see you again soon. Keep your taser on you and those smarts.”
I nod, show him out, and kiss him again, tasting the lingering spice on his tongue. I want to cling to him, get all three of my men – because they are mine, I refuse to share them with any other girl – in one place.
Another night. Soon.
“Be good, pet.”
“No making boys cry?” I tease.