I was much colder than she knew. I was a killer. A warrior. Only for her did my heart beat. Only for her did I feel pain.
My grip was stiff as I opened my fingers and released my hold on Engel. But I did it for her.
Dax stood behind Tiffani, arms crossed, ion blaster in his hand and waited as the ReGen wand worked. Once done, he motioned with his head and the guards bent down and grabbed Engel and half carried, half dragged him from the room, the criminal’s cries of pain receding.
“Thank you.” Tiffani fell to her knees before me. I could feel the warmth from her skin, her scent swirling between us and I breathed it in deep. “I wanted him dead, too. I did. I should have shot him. I should have protected you.”
My eyes widened. Tiffani was softness and light, love and laughter. I could not imagine such evil touching her. “Gods, no. I forbid it. You don’t need that kind of evil on your hands. It blackens your soul.”
“That’s right.” She placed her hand on my chest and I could feel my heart rate slow. Feel the way her touch had a calming affect not just on my beast, but on me.
“I can’t let you have that on your hands, either. Why? Because I’m supposed to be taking care of you. Me. Your mate.”
I took a deep breath, then another one.
“I don’t ever want to see him again. Promise me, you’ll see him dead?” I asked Dax, tilting my chin up to meet his eyes.
“I will. I will report to you when it’s done. You see to your mate. The ReGen wand removed all effects of the paralyzing agent. She’s fine.”
I was thankful for my friend, for his clear thinking, for tending to my mate while I beat the shit out of Engel. But now it was time to reverse the roles. Dax would tend to Engel—I wouldn’t mind if he beat the shit out of him some more—and I would take care of Tiffani.
“Well enough to spank?” I asked.
Tiffani’s eyes widened and Dax chuckled. “Well enough, I assume.”
“Deek, I don’t think—”
“That’s right, you didn’t think.”
I was better right then, the world righting itself, finally coming into focus. And Tiffani was at the center of it.
“Putting your life in danger like that? Calling yourself fat and stupid? It’s time for a spanking, Tiffani.”
She sputtered as I stood and picked her up into my arms. She was the perfect handful, just right. For me. I would never let her go again.
I carried her to the bedroom, dropping the cuffs she’d abandoned onto the bed before entering the bathing room. I heard Dax down below, escorting everyone out of my home. Tiffani’s home. Our home. And no one was ever going to threaten her again.
She remained silent until we heard the front door slam shut, courtesy of Dax, no doubt. I pushed Tiffany back against the wall in the shower and turned on the warm water.
Biting her plump lower lip, her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at me. “You can’t spank me! I was trying to save you.”
I didn’t answer her right away, simply ripped the now wet dress from her soft body and let it drop to the floor. I washed her thoroughly, needing every ounce of this day, any hint of the drug or Engel, gone from her body.
My big hands were fast, efficient, for I didn’t want to fuck her here in the shower, with Engel’s blood swirling in the water at our feet. I wanted her cleansed and ready in my bed, mine. All mine.
Finished, I ignored the rise and fall of her chest, the darkening of her eyes, and stripped my armor, dropping it next to hers on the shower floor. I scrubbed the touch of Seranda from my body, Engel’s blood and hatred flowing away with the smell of fresh soap.
I inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of my mate’s wet skin, her heat, her wet pussy.
Oh, yes, she was hot and wet, ready for me. Her gaze lingered on my chest and shoulders, my hips. When she stared at my cock, her cheeks turned pink, her breathing grew shallow.
“I’m yours, Tiffani. Every fucking inch of me.”
Clean, I turned off the water as she watched me with uncertainty in her gaze. I intended to make sure she never, ever had that look in her eyes again. She was mine. And after today, she was never going to doubt it again.
I wrapped her in a towel, not bothering with drying myself, and carried her to the bedroom. “I’m going to spank you now, mate. But this spanking isn’t for punishment, although Gods knows you need one.”
“What other kind of spanking is there?” she asked, when I tossed her onto the bed. She bounced once, then settled. Grabbing her ankle, I flipped her onto her stomach.