Page 60 of Claimed By the Cowboy
Tom immediately shifts, moving to put himself between me and the door while his hand instinctively reaches for where his sidearm would be if he were wearing it.
“This better be life or death, Daniel,” he mutters, tension radiating through his frame.
Daniel appears in the kitchen doorway, takes one look at our intimate positioning, and has the grace to flush red. “Sorry to interrupt, but we just got word from the federal task force. They made arrests this morning.”
“That’s good news, isn’t it?” I ask.
“Would be, except the men they arrested were hired hands, not the masterminds.” Daniel’s jaw tightens. “And before they got taken into custody,they sent a message. Said this was a warning shot. Next time, they won’t care about collateral damage.”
Tom’s expression transforms from protective husband to something cold and dangerous.“Well,” he says with terrifying quiet, “I guess we know where we stand.”
He turns to me, his mask slipping to show the fear beneath. “Kitty, darlin’, I need you to pack a bag. You’re going to stay somewhere safe until this is resolved.”
“Absolutely not. I’m not running at the first sign of trouble.”
“This isn’t running. It’s being smart.”
I hop off the counter. “I won’t be separated from my husband because some corporate bullies want to scare us.”
Daniel watches with admiration. “She’s got a point. Splitting up makes us more vulnerable.”
“You’re not helping,” Tom growls.
“Actually, he is.” I touch Tom's chest, feelinghis racing heart.
My husband runs a hand through his hair, the gesture betraying his internal struggle. “If something happens to you?—”
“I'm not the scared girl who stepped off that bus three months ago. I’m Kitty Sutton now, and Suttons don’t run.”
The fierce pride flickering in his eyes tells me I’ve said exactly the right thing.
“You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”
“Not a chance.” I lean into his touch.
Daniel clears his throat. “I’ll coordinate with Beckett on security protocols. Things have been happening at our place, too, and Kitty’s right—we handle this as a family.”
After Daniel leaves, the kitchen falls silent except for the sound of our breathing. Tom’s thumbs stroke across my cheekbones, and I can see him wrestling with the need to protect me and the growing understanding that protection doesn’t mean separation.
“I'm strong enough to handle everything my husband can give me.” I let my voice drop to something sultry. “All of it.”
The promise in my tone makes his eyes darken with hunger mixed with something fiercer—the need to claim me, to reassure himself that I’m his and safe and not going anywhere.
I press my body against his, feeling his immediate response to the contact. “I want my husband, not a nursemaid.”
“Kitty—”
“I want you to fuck me like you trust me not to break.” The crude words make his pupils dilate with shock and hunger. “I want you to claim me as the equal partner I am.”
Tom’s mouth crashes down on mine, no longer gentle or careful, but claiming me with desperate hunger.
“Tom,” I breathe, arching into his touch.
“Right here, darlin’. Not going anywhere. Not letting yougo anywhere either.”
“Good, because I want to be yours. Completely yours.”
“You are.”
