Page 46 of Secured By the Buyer

Expression softening, Liam presses a tender kiss to my forehead. “That’s a perfect place.”

His ready agreement relaxes something deep inside me. A tattoo marking me as a Rockford can’t be removed as easily as a wedding ring. “Do you really want a baby?”

He said a lot yesterday, when passion blurred the lines, but was it only lust speaking? There are so many stories of Alphas knocking up Omegas, then claiming they were tricked into it by Heat.

Sensing my unease, he sits up, pulling me along to face him. “I want all of the redheaded kids with you, Milo, but it doesn’t have to happen right now.”

He brushes his thumb across the freckles on my cheekbone. “I understand everything between us was rushed, and if you need more time to become confident in our relationship, we can use protection during your next Heat.”

I nibble on my bottom lip. “The way I grew up, I never had the luxury of dreaming about having a family. Relationships seemed like a distant fantasy when every day was a struggle to survive. My mother left me behind to run from her abusive marriage, and I feared ending up in the same hopeless situation. But I don’t think you’d ever beat me.”

“Oh, princess.” He cups my jaw. “Never.”

“And I’ve seen how different the Rockfords are from my father. You’re close with your brothers and Leo is so nice and welcoming.” I swallow hard. “Being a part of this family, even a hidden part, might not be so bad.”

“Violence has never been my first choice.” Liam’s gaze holds mine. “Not my second or third choice, either. I took over running our security systems to stay out of the messier side of our businesses.”

Wanting comfort, I crawl into his lap, and he welcomes me like we’ve done this for years. “I’m glad I fell into your arms, even if youdidhave a dead man stashed in the bathroom. It’ll make for a good story for our kids.”

Liam growls and tackles me to the bed. “I’m going to make you so happy, Milo.”

He captures my mouth in a passionate kiss, his tongue exploring my depths, savoring every taste and sensation, while he caresses me.

The warmth of Liam’s body anchors me in place as we separate, my lips tingling after an entire night spent in pleasure.

Chest heaving as I catch my breath, I hold him close. “I enjoy all the pampering, but I’m getting restless. I need something to do besides laze around in this suite.”

Liam’s hands find their way to my ass, massaging it as he smirks. “Are you talking about riding horses again?”

I try to scowl, but the corners of my mouth twitch upward. “No, I meanrealwork.”

“You’d be surprised how much goes into caring for horses. Though, I suppose I’d hire someone to do the hard stuff for you,” he muses.

I smack his shoulder. “Be serious.”

Liam rolls over, dragging me on top of him by my hips. “Okay, what kind of work do you have in mind?”

“Not cleaning.” I run my nails over his chest as I think. I’ve never considered what I’d do with my life without my father’s debt and our lack of income holding me back. “What does Leo do?”

“He’s attending online university classes to finish his degree while working a virtual job for data entry.” His hands move to my waist.

“Sounds tedious.” I hesitate before asking about another member of the Rockfords. “And Oliver? What does he do?”

“He’s a journalist.” He strokes my sides in soothing circles. “He writes gossip columns about high society, with a focus on our family. That’s what he needed to speak to me about yesterday. He runs allhis articles by one of us to make sure he’s pointing people’s attention in the right direction. He also pushes for more visibility of Omegas who go missing in our city.”

I knead my nails against his hard pecs. “Don’t make me respect my competition.”

“Only you are in my heart. When I flirted with Oliver in the past, it was only to rile Caleb, and I stopped doing it the day I met you.” Liam touches my chin gently. “All I feel for Oliver is gratitude. He’s the reason I was at the casino for the auction. His little brother was taken a year ago, and no one saved him. Oliver’s happy his efforts helped save you.”

“Fine,” I huff, resigning myself to the fact that I can’t dislike Oliver anymore. “He’s an angel who deserves your admiration, and I won’t claw his eyes out when we meet.”

“Thank you,” Liam chuckles. “I wasn’t looking forward to stepping between you and Caleb when he protected his husband. I wouldn’t last a minute against him.”

“Is it true Caleb’s teaching Jade to be a hitman?” I ask, curious about an Omega entering such a dangerous line of work.

Wariness tightens Liam’s face. “I’m not sure about the gleam in your eyes.”

“You don’t think I’d do well in the profession?” I nestle closer to him. “I think I might have the instincts for it.”

---