Page 77 of His to Take

Pushing myself up to my feet as quickly as I could, I edged toward the vase. The two men were locked in battle on the floor and neither one paid any attention to me.

Adrenaline surged through me as I kept an eye on the battle raging in our living room. One moment, Ryker would be on top, and then the beast would gain the upper hand and punch him again and again. His grunts of pain made my stomach turn. Both men were bloodied but it wasn’t clear that Ryker would be the victor and that terrified me.

I wrapped my hands around the heavy vase and lifted it off the side table, maneuvering around behind the brawling pair. When it looked like my attacker was gaining the upper hand again, I heaved the vase over my head and crashed it down on the back of his head.

I hit him so hard the crystal broke over his skull. Water flooded into his eyes, and he immediately tried to use one arm to clear his vision. He wavered a little, clearly stunned, and Ryker took advantage of the distraction to sink his blade into the man’s neck all the way to the hilt, in one side and out the other.

The assassin grunted in shock before he slumped over. Ryker scrambled away from him, got to his feet, and pulled his knife free, angling it to make sure enough damage was done to stop him permanently. We both watched in stunned silence as blood pumped from the severed arteries, shards of broken crystal creating twinkling islands in the gruesome spreading pool. A sob escaped me, the horror of the last few minutes crashing through me in the bizarre silence that had fallen over the room. Ryker rushed toward me and used his body to block the sight of the man dying on the floor.

“Shhh. It’s okay. You’re safe now, my darling. I’m here. You’re safe.”

CHAPTER 18

Naomi

The rest of the night passed by in a blur. Ryker shuttled me out of the house and into a waiting car. We drove to a place some distance away. I didn’t see where because I spent the entire ride curled against him, sobbing, my face pressed into the crook of his neck. Once we arrived, he carried me into a bedroom and stripped me right there in the attached bathroom. He turned on the shower and disrobed beside me, making sure that he kept a hand on me the entire time. I furrowed my brow, reaching towards him and tracing my fingers along the cuts and bruises now revealed on my husband’s face and body. His hand curled around mine, letting me know without words that he was alright and that everything was going to be okay.

We stepped under the hot water together, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, rested my head on his chest, and pressed my body against his. His arms came around me and we just stood there. Safe. My heartbeat gradually returned to normal as I listened to the steady beat of his own, and felt my adrenaline draining away.

“If you hadn’t come…” I began.

“Shhh. I did come. And I’m here now. You’re safe. Don’t let those thoughts continue any further, my love,” he murmured.

“But you shouldn’t have been there,” I pressed.

“I know I wasn’t supposed to be, but I know my little girl, don’t I?” he whispered.

“What?” I asked breathily.

His hand splayed across my lower back, pressing me to him even more closely. The hard rod of his cock pressed against my belly.

“I told you to delay the meeting with the emissary, didn’t I?”

A quick jolt of fear pitched down into my belly.

“Yes…”

“And did you?” he asked pointedly.

I shifted my gaze to stare down at the floor, but his hand grasped my chin and forced me to look up at him. I expected him to be angry, but his eyes were warm with his love and adoration.

“No,” I whispered, feeling so very bad.

“I knew you wouldn’t, little girl. I could tell from the sound of your voice that you were going to defy me,” he stated plainly. With every syllable, my heart sank, and guilt curdled up from the tips of my toes. I licked my lips, dread filling me.

“But I…I was trying to…” I attempted to explain myself, but Ryker shook his head and put a finger to my lips and, the words died on my tongue.

“Hush now. We will deal with that tomorrow after you have eaten and had a full night’s rest,” he answered. My skin heated and I felt my cheeks flush.

“Deal with it how?” I asked, unable to stop myself. I wanted to know what he was thinking, even though I already knew what the answer would be.

“I’m going to punish you, little girl,” he said simply. His arms squeezed around me, holding me tight.

It felt like such a safe place to be. I never wanted him to let go.

I slept cocooned in Ryker’s embrace the whole night. The next morning, there was a knock on the door, and I started, but he kissed my forehead and went to answer it himself. Naked, I pulled the sheets up to cover my breasts. Ryker rolled in a cart, and I realized that we had probably come to a hotel or bed and breakfast the night before. He unloaded the cart and poured a cup of coffee for me, serving it to me while I was still in bed.

I sipped it slowly, watching as he uncovered several platters of food. Excited to see that a few of the plates were covered with thick pancakes, I wondered if they would be as good as the ones he’d made for me that first morning after he’d slept over back in New Englandia. He set it all up on a wooden tray and carried it over to me.

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