Page 38 of Saving Meri

“All of it,” he commanded.

Her pupils dilated, her chest rising with every breath she took. “I obey you, Daddy, and if they get you, I listen to my brother.”

Bear pulled her flush against him, crushing his mouth against hers in a kiss that was more than possession, more than dominance. It was acknowledgment. Acceptance. A promise of what came next.

When he finally pulled back, he pressed his forehead to hers, his voice a low rumble against her lips. “You’re mine, little one.”

Meri shivered. “And you’re mine.”

Bear let out a slow breath, forcing himself to step back, to pull himself together.

Archer cleared his throat. “I swear to god, if you two start fucking in front of me, I’m going to throw up all over that very nice, very expensive carpet.”

Fitz snorted. “Like you weren’t the one who punched him in the face when we got here. Let the man have his moment.”

Bear shot them both a glare before turning back to Meri.

“You’re in,” he said. “But you follow my rules.”

She nodded. “I will.”

His gaze darkened. “Then let’s end this.”

Bear didn’t let her decision sit as words alone. If Meri wanted to fight, she had to prove she was ready. No hesitation. No second-guessing. No looking for an exit when things got real.

He stepped back, scanning her with an assessing gaze, measuring the fire in her eyes against the reality of what she was about to walk into. This wasn’t some controlled training exercise. This wasn’t just pulling a trigger at a stationary target or throwing a punch at a willing partner.

This was war—without warning, Bear lunged.

Meri reacted instantly. She twisted to the side, her arms coming up defensively, her stance shifting to brace for impact. Good. She hadn’t frozen. But Bear wasn’t going easy. He feinted left before sweeping her legs out from under her, forcing her to recover fast.

She hit the floor hard, a grunt escaping her lips, but instead of staying down, she rolled. Agile. Smart. Not a second wasted.

Bear caught her wrist as she went for a strike, flipping her, pinning her to the floor with his weight pressed into her back.

“You’re not fighting me,” he warned, his voice dark, demanding. “You’re fighting a man who wants to take you. Hurt you. Who won’t care if you beg.”

Meri snarled, twisting under him, her elbow jabbing toward his ribs. He caught it, but it was a close thing.

“You talk a big game, little one,” he murmured, lips at her ear. “But words mean nothing when you’re pinned.”

She bucked, using her lower body to try to push him off. Not bad. But not good enough.

Bear let her fight. He wanted her to. Needed to see if she’d panic. If the weight of a larger body holding her down would send her into that dark place again. But Meri didn’t shut down. She didn’t freeze. She gritted her teeth and fought.

She slammed her head back, aiming for his face. If she’d been a little sharper, she might have landed the hit, but he saw it coming and dodged just in time. Still, her reaction was fast, instinctive, and deadly.

Bear flipped her onto her back, pinning her wrists above her head, his legs straddling her waist.

“Better,” he murmured. “But still not good enough.”

Meri glared up at him, her chest heaving. “You’re cheating.”

He chuckled. “This isn’t a fair fight, little one. You think DeLuca’s men are going to give you an opening? You think they’ll let you stand up and compose yourself?”

Her jaw clenched. “No.”

“Then stop acting like you need it.”

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