My voice was deeper than usual. That was my Devil, of course. But it couldn’t be helped.

Darkness filled my vision, and I was so close to fucking losing it. But I breathed in her scent and squeezed her soft body in my hands, reassuring myself she was safe and whole.

This asshole upset her. But she was not hurt, which was good for him. Well, for now, anyway. I wouldn’t kill him. At least, not yet.

“Yeah, um, yes, I ordered,” she replied, and pressed her body even more heavily against mine.

I rumbled and dropped a kiss on her neck. I liked her leaning on me. It was like she trusted me, and I needed her to know she could.

Penelope could depend on me for anything.

“Good. I hate to ask, but would you mind paying with this while I introduce myself to this person?” I asked her, cupping her neck and forcing her eyes to remain on mine when she would have turned her head otherwise.

Dick move, maybe, but I wanted her attention on me. Not the fuck who was bothering her.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” she started.

I didn’t want her shutting me down, so I kissed her lips instead.

Fuck. She was so good. So sweet.

I almost lost myself to the desire to claim her here and now. Then, the soon-to-be-hurting asshole muttered something, and I remembered I had a job to do.

His affronted gasp made me want to snarl, but I ignored him. I smiled at her, giving her nose a nuzzle before I stepped back.

“Okay, I’ll go pay,” she whispered, and I was hard pressed not to kiss her again.

Something about her easy submission to my request made me want to pound my chest, toss her over my shoulder, and take her to the nearest private space. I wondered if she would be submissive in bed.

And I smiled, knowing I had a lifetime to find out exactly what she liked and didn’t.

Oooh, she didn’t know it yet, but she had me. All of me. Lock, stock, and barrel, I was hers.

And I meantallof me.

Penelope had a monster on her side now.

I patted her on her soft, round ass, earning me a delighted squeak from her lips before she turned away.

“Penelope? Who is this person?” Asshole asked, but Penelope didn’t acknowledge him.

That’s my girl.

I approved of the way she dismissed him, turning her back. But before she left, I whispered in her ear.

“Good Girl,” I praised her, memorizing the way her breath caught in her throat and her scent changed from upset to aroused.

My mate liked praise. I could do that.

“Don’t forget the salt and butter, Sugarplum.”

She nodded and bit her lip. I watched for a moment longer, ignoring asshole’s huffing and puffing.

Then I turned to the dickless wonder, and I pinned him with my stare. Now, having been on the other side of a Jersey Devil’s ire a time or two, I can tell you it wasn’t pleasant.

This guy had the nerve to speak to my woman as if he were worthy of her attention. And that made me fucking furious.

“I don’t know who you think you are, buddy. But I am her husband and we were having a discussion,” he began.