“Yes, my lady.”
Roark looked down at me. “I’ll give you a new one, mate. Leave that one be.”
I shook my head. “No way. That’s the one you gave me. That is the one that saved my life, twice now. I want it back. Cleaned, of course. I might never go anywhere without it, ever again.”
“Then you shall have it.” He looked to the soldier. “Remove it, once we are gone. Clean the blade thoroughly and return it to my lady first thin
g in the morning.”
“Yes, Councilor.”
Roark tugged me up to tuck me into his hold. After nodding to Seton, who was finally letting the woman heal him with the wand, Roark led me from the room, and I let him, eager to be away from the tension and blood. To leave it all behind. “Where are we going?”
“Home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Roark
I held Natalie in my arms as we gazed down on our sleeping son. My parents and Miranda were safe below, surrounded by two dozen guards. Commander Loris’ men were locked away, awaiting judgment. I would deal with them later, much later. Right now, I needed to stand silent in the peace and safety of my home, our home, and hold my mate.
Traveling from outpost to outpost the last few months had taken its toll on my body and my spirit. Home wasn’t a physical place. It was the people you loved. Seeing Noah asleep, his arms bent with his hands up by his ears, soothed my soul in a way I’d never expected.
This moment, with Natalie safe in my arms, looking down at the child we’d made, was a gift I would never take for granted. My mother would be pleased. My wanderlust was gone. There was nowhere on this planet, or any other, I wanted to be other than in my own home with my mate and son safely under my care.
It was time to settle in Xalia, to allow Natalie and Noah to know my parents, to become close. Noah deserved to know his grandparents, to be smothered by my mother’s adoration and taught about the world by my father. There would be no more outposts for any of us. If the tribal leaders wanted to see me, from now on, they could make the trek to Xalia or meet with one of my commanders in the field.
Natalie pulled away from me to reach down and stroke Noah’s perfect cheek with her hand. “He’s so beautiful. He looks like you.” She whispered the words into the quiet, careful not to disturb him. Her hand froze and she shook her head, her voice clogging with tears. “I have blood on my hands, Roark. Look at me. I shouldn’t touch him. Not like this.”
“Come, mate. Our son is safe and protected. Let me take care of you.”
I led her to the adjoining rooms and directly to the bathing chamber, stripped her bare. I walked around her, studied every inch of her skin, ensuring the doctor had been thorough, that her wrist was truly healed. I would allow no bruising to remain on her body, no pain. Seeing nothing but lingering blood, I stepped into the shower and pulled her under the warm spray. Using soap and gentle hands to wash away every bit of Loris’ blood, I was gentle, massaging sore muscles, worshiping her.
My hands were on her breasts, cupping and stroking them, tugging gently on the chain that hung between them, my mark on her, my claim. The gold sparkled in the light and made her look like some kind of mythical goddess, a creature no mere mortal could claim. I looked into her eyes, saw no remnants of her brush with death, nothing but humor and a hint of arousal.
When the events of the day were washed down the drain, my hands changed from clinical cleaning to soothing, heating touch. I wanted to erase the evil from her body and from her mind.
I felt Natalie’s laugh beneath my hands more than heard it. “I think I’m clean there.”
“Yes, I think you are,” I murmured, my hands sliding lower. “And here? Is your pussy clean as well?”
Had she pulled away, I would have been content to hold her, but she grabbed my wrist and directed my hand to her wet core. “I don’t know, mate. I think it might be dirty. You’d better check.”
All too eager, I backed her up against the wall of the shower and lowered my lips to her cheek as I slid one finger into her wet pussy. The heat of her body wrapped around my finger like a hot glove and I couldn’t help but remember what that felt like around my cock. “It’s dripping wet. I guess you are a dirty girl.”
“You like it when I’m dirty,” she countered.
I did, and the way my cock pulsed and swelled, it liked it, too.
“I know what you like, what you need, what makes you scream.”
Her pupils dilated and I knew she was turned on by my words. I didn’t need the little gush of arousal onto my fingers to tell me that.
“Tonight, you’ll give me everything, gara. Your body, your mind. Your submission. Perhaps another baby. Yes?”
She licked her lips, nodded.
“I need to hear you say it.”