Page 95 of Coerced Queen

Relief sparks in that strikingly blue eye.“I’m happy to hear that.I’ve been a little too adventurous in the sex department and definitely too rough.”

Tilting my head, I prop a hand on my hip.“I hope that’s not an apology, because I liked what we did, and I’d hate for you to regret it.”

His gaze narrows with dark possession.“Oh, I don’t regret being inside you.I can never regret claiming every hole in your body and making you mine.The only thing I’ll regret is hurting you by going too far.”

I watch him carefully.“Is that what bothered you yesterday?”

A shutter drops in front of his uncovered eye.“I should’ve been more careful.”

“You didn’t do anything I didn’t enjoy, and we didn’t take any risks.”

He splays his fingers over Claire’s tummy, his large hand bigger than her tiny body.“Let’s not discuss this in front of her.”

As if to agree, Claire takes her thumb out of her mouth and makes a gibberish sound.

“Okay,” I say slowly.For some reason, I’m not reassured.“Are you sure you’re all right?”

His expression softens.“I’m good, but it’s not me who deserves the concern.”

“How aboutus?”I ask, unable to keep the vulnerability from my voice.

Reaching up, he cups my nape and pulls me down for a kiss.

“We’re good,” he declares in a deep, raspy timbre as he brushes his thumb over the back of my neck in a soothing gesture.

“Okay,” I say again, frowning as I straighten.

Something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on it.

“I got you a decaf latte.”He points at the travel mug waiting on my desk.“Extra-large.”

I blow out a sigh of contentedness.“How did you know what I needed?”

He’s dead serious when he says, “It’s my job to know.”

Despite the hurt that’s like a constant pressure underneath my breastbone, warmth spreads through my ribcage.That hurt has moved in to stay.It’s not going anywhere any time soon, but he also makes me happy when he does these considerate things such as getting my favorite coffee exactly the way I like it.

“Do you want me to take Claire off your hands?”I ask.“I can put her in her playpen.”

“Not yet,” he says, affection creeping into his voice as he looks at her with a soft smile on his lips.“She seems happy here.”

Like me, he’s crazily pleased that she no longer cries when he picks her up.I leave him to enjoy the moment and go downstairs to the bar.Roy is teaching Livy how to operate the POS system the evening shift waitresses use.

When I lean on the bar counter, Roy looks up with a smile.“Hey, boss lady.I hear you have a new name in town.”

“I do?”

“Didn’t you know?”He grins.“Lady Luck.”

“Excuse me?”

He wags his pierced eyebrows.“The talk is that Mr.Bennett gave you the nickname himself, and that’s a mighty honor.”

“It’s ladybug,” Livy says with an eye roll.

“Huh?”Roy turns to her with a scrunched-up face.“What kind of bug?”

I wave a hand.“Never mind.Tell me something, Roy.What will make a bar lose its liquor license?”

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