“When I refused to sell Alek a dog,” she said, “he asked me to dinner. I said no, and he made certain my brother acquired a taste for heroin, so that, when Alek told him to poison Midnight, the oldest member of my pack, Dominik obeyed.” Her chin trembled, but as usual there was no burn of tears.
“Your own brother betrayed you?” Baden’s fork bent.
She fought a growing sense of emptiness. Where was Dominik now? “In an effort to save my other three dogs, I found them new homes. Alek tracked them, again with my brother’s help, and stole them, hid them. He showed me pictures, said I could have them back after the wedding. I—” Hurt too much, and couldn’t do this. “Let’s change the subject, okay?”
He set down the ruined fork and shifted, his knee grazing hers. “Why do you never cry?”
He wasn’t the first to notice, but he was the first to ask. “I cried while my mother was sick. After she died, I just...couldn’t. I was tapped out, I guess.”
“She suffered?”
“Very much.”
“So you were relieved her suffering had finally come to an end. And guilty that you were relieved.”
“Yes.” An insightful observation for a self-proclaimed brute. “How did you know?”
The guilt she’d glimpsed every so often tightened his features. “When I was beheaded, I wasn’t taken by surprise. I could have ducked. I could have fought, but I didn’t. I remained unmoving. I...in essence...committed suicide in hopes of saving my friends from Distrust.”
Judging by the conversations she’d overheard in the fortress, she knew those friends suspected he’d wanted to die, though he’d never confirmed or denied it. And yet, here and now, he trusted Katarina to keep his secret and not hold the outcome against him.
Her heart swelled. “Maybe you did it for yourself, too? To finally know peace.” Was that the true source of his guilt?
A stiff nod.
Lightbulb! No wonder he hated weakness. His greatest loss and regret had been born in the moment he’d stopped fighting.
“You’re a changed man,” she said. “What you did, you would never do again. You grew and you learned.” And now, they both deserved a break from their pasts.
She plucked at the collar of his shirt and leaned closer to him, as if she planned to offer him a treat...a kiss. As he tensed, readying for the press of her lips, she released him and leaned away.
Disappointment darkened his features, and she almost laughed. Just like that, she felt buoyant, even...mischievous?
“I’m trying to decide...” she said. Oh, yes. Mischievous.
“Between?” The word was gnashed.
Her voice dropped to a raspy purr. “Between taking what I want, and making you come get it.”
He looked at her as if she’d just fallen from heaven. His big hand settled on her hip and with a single tug, he pulled her halfway onto his lap, leaving her no choice but to straddle his thighs.
“I’ll come get it,” he said and nipped at her chin.
Panties? Suddenly drenched.
“Perhaps I’ll reward you for your initiative.” She cupped him between his legs...and oh, sweet heaven, he was hard. Bigger than she’d realized. Thicker, too. Longer and harder. “Perhaps not,” she said, removing her hand. “Are you pained?”
“Yes. But ask me if I care.”
She didn’t want him pained. But she didn’t want to end their play, either. “Do I owe you any other rewards?”
“You do. Anything I want.” He slid her down his thighs, until she was perched on his knees. Then he pulled her back, rubbing her core against him.
She shivered, barely able to gasp out, “What do you want?”
“For you to come on me.”
Darling man. “That can be arranged...” She arched her hips, once, twice, grinding on him. Moaning, she grabbed hold of his shoulders to hang on and enjoy the ride.
He gripped her hips and forced her to slow down, agonizing her, and...and...there!
Her mind hazed with the intensity of the pleasure. “This is so good! Don’t stop. Please, Baden, don’t stop.”
He didn’t stop. As she planted her feet on the floor and pressed down as hard, as hard as she could, he sucked in a breath.
“I like this,” she whispered. “I think I might keep you.”
He stiffened, then stilled. “You know this can’t go anywhere.” Every word emerged more ragged than the last, his hold on her tightening, almost bruising. “Yes?”
“Of course. I meant I’d keep you for a little while.” His need to explain was a bit insulting, and she found herself adding, “You realize I’m only using you as a distraction from my