Page 124 of Lesson In Faith

“Of course not. You’re panicking when you don’t need to, so just take a breath.” His thumb caressed her cheekbone. “Are you okay? Shit with Linnie went south quickly. You did well, bringing everyone to the rescue.”

They hadn’t really been given much choice, she mused. After the door slammed in her face, with his shout for her to run ringing in her ears, she’d almost thrown herself down the stairs to the ground level and flattened Fordham at the bottom.

Somehow, he’d understood her terrified rambling. A quick look in the restaurant netted him support from Mistresses Ericka and Violet, who’d been having breakfast, and a phone call to Elias to update him on the situation brought the club co-owner and the Master of Security out of their meeting from the upstairs office.

Fordham had taken the time to situate her in the bar with Liam, who’d ushered her over to sit with her new friends and given her juice to calm her nerves, before he joined the others in rushing to Merrick’s aid.

“I didn’t like the shouting,” she confessed, leaning into his palm. “Did she hurt you?”

“No, darlin’. She didn’t.”

“Why was she so angry?”

Merrick pursed his lips. “Her past came back to haunt her. Something bad happened when she was younger and a few things triggered that reaction. She’ll be okay with time and support. She’s got both here; Elias and Evander will make sure she’s in the best hands to heal.”

Tamsyn frowned. He really did put a lot of faith in those two men, didn’t he? Come to think of it, everyone here seemed to idolize the hulking blond god and his dark, British husband. Their wife, Callie, was tiny in comparison to them.

Her frown deepened. “Did you have sex with Callie, too?”

His eyebrows almost rose to his hairline in surprise. “Uh… that’s one hell of a segue, little owl. Slightly confused as to how we’ve jumped from one subject to another, but to answer the question, no. Pretty sure Eli would dismember my body and leave me in the woods for the bears.”

She narrowed her eyes. “But you had sex with Sierra.”

To his credit, he didn’t hesitate, even if he shot the redhead a frustrated glare. “I did, yes. A few months ago, before I even knew you existed or that I needed you—and only you—in my life. It was a one-time favor, never to be repeated.”

“You traded sex for favors?”

“No, little owl. Sexwasthe favor. Liam and Mack asked for help. Levi, Fordham, and I agreed, because that’s what we do. We help if and when we can.” He bent and brushed his lips over her pouty mouth. “Just like if I asked for help, they’d step up for me. Not that I’m looking to share you, but should the day come when you want to experiment, they’re the men I’d trust.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Experiment how? What?”

Laughing quietly, he guided her to the side as someone opened the door behind him. Turning her back to the wall, he crowded against her, resting his forearm above her head. “The moment I laid eyes on you, you were mine, Tamsyn. But that doesn’t mean I’m unaware of how young you are, or the fact I’m your first and only lover. There may come a time in the future when you feel the urge to experience more than just me.”

The idea of it made her recoil. “No.”

Eyes glinting with possessiveness, he smiled. “I’m not gonna argue with that. I’ve always been a man who’s shared, Tamsyn. Maybe because the subs I’ve played with were never mine, were never meant to be, and my cock isn’t for the faint-hearted. But you…” He sighed, then breathed in with his nose against her hair. “Always mine, always meant to be. The only way I’d share you is if you ask for it. For now, we’ll leave it at that.”

She’d never ask for it willingly. When Merrick consumed her thoughts, possessed her body, and owned her heart, why would she need anyone else? Regardless of her age and current lack of sexual experience, she had a strong moral compass despite all of her father’s attempts at brainwashing.

Annoyed that he thought he wouldn’t be enough for her at some point in their marriage, Tamsyn stubbornly folded her arms over her chest, refusing to drop them even when he kissed her sweetly. But the movement reminded her of the cast, and brought her brain full circle back to panic.

“No Jasper.”

“That, I am gonna argue. Linnie said the cast could come off this week; we fucked up last night by getting it wet. Until someone comes to replace Linnie, Jasper’s the only one remotely qualified to remove it.” He chucked her under the chin. “Before you stomp your foot and huff at me, the decision is made. Deal with it, darlin’.”

The noise she made through sheer indignation made him grin as he kissed her.

“Just to really piss you off, I should probably tell you I’ve booked the medical play room for tonight.” He nipped her bottom lip sharply when her mouth dropped open in horror. When she fired daggers at him with her eyes, he didn’t seem affected. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous when you’re mad. Angry sex with you is gonna blow both our minds.”

Tamsyn snorted derisively, turning her face away. “Like we’re going to have sex if I’m angry with you.”

“We haven’t even discussed how many types of sex there are, little owl. Trust me, I’m gonna show you all of them. Gonna show you there’s no reason to be afraid. Not of me, not of a room. If I need to rile your temper to prove it, that’s what I’ll do.”

“It’s okay to be scared,” she said, repeating what Fordham had once told her. When a flashback of Merrick saying something similar struck, she threw his words back at him as well. “It’s okay to be nervous.”

“It is until it controls you.”

Voices hummed in the hallway. Merrick peered around the corner, his expression softening. Whatever, whomever, he could see, he watched for what seemed like an interminably long time. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes when he finally captured her gaze again.

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