Page 87 of Ruthlessly Mated
Kita’s eyes flash and before she can open her mouth again to say something that will absolutely derail proceedings, Damon is behind her, his hand wrapped over her mouth.
“Quiet,” he purrs into her ear. “Relax.”
She obeys him, the way she always does. She has submitted to him from the beginning. Their connection is so deep, so natural. She and I, on the other hand… I wonder if there is anything between us besides my presence and her receptivity to domination.
“I’m going to go for a walk,” I say, walking off.
CHAPTER 18
Kita
I feel guilty as hell. I didn’t mean to hurt Tailor’s feelings. He looked so upset when he left, but not in an obvious way. He looked the kind of upset people look like when they’re trying to act like they’re okay.
“Fuck,” I curse, getting up. “I need to go talk to him.”
“I also enjoy folk music,” Conroy adds as I rush away. I can’t tell if he’s talking shit or if he is trying to add a last minute dash of personal flavor. He’s trying. Damon’s trying. Tailor is trying. But I haven’t been. I feel terrible.
Tailor is already out by the tree line, quite a way from the house. He is walking stiffly, his long legs taking great strides. He looks fucking great in his waistcoat, formal pants, and knee-high boots.
“Tailor!” I call out to him.
He keeps walking, forcing me to trot after him.
“Tailor!” I call his name again. He just keeps walking.
“I’m going for a walk, Kita. Alone.” He responds to me with an icy tone, and without turning around.
I scoot around in front of him, putting on a burst of speed so I can intercept him as he enters the bluebell-infested forest.
“I’m sorry,” I say, stopping him with two hands on his chest. I get a bit of mayonnaise in my hand at the same time.
“What are you sorry for?” He stops and looks down at me with an expression that reminds me of a stern headmaster. It’s giving vampire vibes, actually, but I try not to think of that comparison too much.
“I’m sorry I gave you so much shit. I’m sorry I said I didn’t like your waistcoats. I love your waistcoats.” I run my hands down the front of his chest, feeling the thick lines and ridges of muscle beneath the fabric. The waistcoats really do a good job of showing off how damn good his body is. So good, in fact, that I forget what I am doing for a second and just run my hands over his torso.
“Kita,” he says, taking hold of my hands and stilling them against his pecs. “I’m not going to be distracted by fondling. You were rude. And you were hurtful. I can’t make you be emotionally open. I’m not going to keep trying to force it. Any of you.”
I let out a sigh. I am going to have to be honest with him, and it is going to suck.
“I don’t want to talk about my past, and I… I don’t want to hear all the bad things that I didn’t know about before. Every time I’ve tried to go back, it hurts. Alexander told me terrible things, and then Conroy told me the whole town is gone, and I am starting tofeel like this little moment now isn’t going to last. We can be safe now, for a moment, but the moment there are babies, they’ll kill us too.”
“We’re going to keep you safe.”
“Youcan’t!” I yell the word, my temper flaring with fear. “You can’t keep me safe. You can’t keep them safe. The vampires are too strong. Alexander is too strong. And he’s going to come back, because he… I don’t even know why. Because he’s bored. Because he thinks I am his. Because the world is nothing but entertainment to him.”
“Then we take care of the situation.”
“What does that mean?”
Tailor drops a kiss on the top of my head. “Let us worry about that. You have one job, Kita. Being our mate. Being protected. You don’t have to fight anymore. You’ll never have to fight again.”
I don’t really believe him, but I want to. My body produces feelings of warmth and I decide to let the moment be what it is. Tailor drapes an arm around my shoulders and walks me into the forest.
“Now you and I just need to decide what’s going to happen to you after all that rudeness. You know I won’t let that slide.”
I feel a tingle of excitement that lets me know I have already been forgiven. He’s going to punish me, but he’s not angry or hurt anymore. He understands.
“What do you want?” He snugs me close and rumbles in my ear. “Want me to spank your ass, or fuck it?”
