He shoved the tail down between her legs and whacked her furiously.
“It’s clear I’ve been far too lenient with you. Apparently you think you can be disrespectful, yelling and shouting and uttering wild accusations that have no basis. My patience has worn thin. You will apologize for your behavior – and then give me the names of every man who has enjoyed your pleasures.”
“Apologize? Never! As for the men, it was I who enjoyedtheirpleasures.”
Kaden let out a roar. Harsh whacks rained down on her burning bottom as he continued his tirade. AJ didn’t struggle, didn’t resist. She welcomed the pain. It dulled the crushing ache in her heart.
She tuned out his words, knowing she deserved to be punished. She’d been foolish and vulnerable, allowing the human weakness called love to make her lose sight of her duty.
It was only when the onslaught slowed that she became aware his voice had changed. He sounded – there was only one word for it – sad.How strange. He has nothing to be sad about. I’m the one with the broken heart.
His hand quit whaling on her backside. He spoke again, his voice barely a whisper.
“It angers me to think of any other man touching you. But it tears my heart in half to hear you have taken pleasure in it. I thought what we had was special. I thought you had grown to care for me.”
His voice broke. Stunned, AJ heard him choke back a sob. He shoved her off his lap and strode across the room with his back to her.
AJ spoke from her heart. “I lied,” she confessed. “There were no other men. There has never been another man. You are my first. My only…”
She struggled to go on, unshed tears forming a lump in her throat. “I…I do care for you. And I thought you cared for me, too. Why did you do it, Kaden? Why did you take Dianna to your bed the other night?”
“Take her to my bed?” He whirled around. “Have you gone mad?”
“Don’t try to deny it. I saw you…with her. Holding her. Kissing her. Stroking her hair with the same gentle touch you use on me.”
He laughed.
The sound stabbed AJ anew, a spear straight to her heart. She snapped, sobbing as she threw herself at him, pummeling his chest with both fists. “You laugh? My soul is crushed, and you laugh? You’re worse than I thought. You’re a heartless beast!”
His arms closed around her like a vise, crushing her to his chest. “Tajina. My Tajina,” he crooned.
AJ struggled to get free. “Shut up! I’m not your Tajina.”
He laughed again. “I named you well. You’re a little wildcat.”
She took a swing at him.
He grabbed her fist before it could connect, brought it to his mouth, and kissed her clenched fingers. “I’m flattered to see how much I mean to you. You wouldn’t be this angry if you didn’t care about me. Now, come here.” He pulled her to the bed and sat down, cradling her on his lap.
AJ turned her head away.
“Listen to me, Tajina. What you saw was not a romantic tryst. It was a reunion, long in coming. Dianna is the reason I came to Petra.”
AJ couldn’t hold back a cry of despair. Kaden hurried on. “No, my love, it’s not what you think. Dianna is my sister, my youngest sister. I tracked that worthless cur who stole her away from us all the way here. I was afraid he’d sold her to Tok, but I couldn’t ask too many questions or admit I knew her. Tok has spies everywhere. I’ve been watched ever since I arrived. I feared if I began making inquiries about Dianna, he’d lock her away somewhere, and I’d never find her. Or worse, I might endanger her life.”
He held her close and went on, stroking her back as he spoke. “I planned to tell you about her and ask your help in finding her. But that was the night you shared your mission with me. We talked for hours, making plans, until we were both exhausted. I decided I’d wait until after we’d gotten some rest.”
“The next morning, before I could tell you my secret, you kissed me for the first time…and everything else flew out of my mind. Except how much I wanted to kiss you back.”
He slid a finger under her chin and tipped her head up. “I want to kiss you now.”
His lips covered hers. Gently. Then he drew back. “There’s something you need to know about me, Tajina. I’m a one-woman man. When I find my mate, I claim her. She’s mine to protect, to cherish…” His voice deepened. “To ravage. I love you, Tajina. I love your fire. I love your fearlessness. Gods be praised, I’ve even come to admire the cold, calculating soldier who lives in your head.”
Kaden kissed her again, longer and deeper, then put his hand over her breast. “But it’s the woman in here that I want with all my heart. The warm, gentle soul.”
He moved his hand lower, between her legs.
AJ moaned.