I nodded. “That’s right, Damien. Didn’t you hear what I said to you?”
He thought about it for a second. “That I belong to you, and I can only die with your permission?”
“That’s right. So don’t you dare leave me without my say so, ever again. Do you understand me?”
He leaned down and kissed my lips sweetly. That surprised me, considering I never thought of anything Damien did as sweet, but just like his rough side, his protective side, and even his possessive side, I was quickly becoming addicted to this sweet side as well.
“I love you,” I said. I couldn’t say it enough.
“And I love you, pet.”
I looked off to the side, trying to catch my bearings. I didn’t want Konstantin and Dmitriy to see me crying. They had enough in their short lifetime of catering to the moods of the adults around them.
The only thing they needed to do now was to be kids and have fun.
I looked back at Damien. “Did they hurt you badly?”
He shook his head and brought one of my hands up to his lips, kissing the back of it. “No, they were pretty lenient with me.”
I knew he was lying. I didn’t see all the scars on his body yet, but that was only because he hid them from me. I would soon.
I would see all that he had to endure, and I would kiss every one of those healing wounds, knowing they were all a true testament to him being alive and here with me.
I swallowed noisily, and Damien focused on that. “Enough,” he said. “This is upsetting you.”
“You can’t just avoid a topic just because it might upset me.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Damien.”
He turned me around so that I was straddling him, his hands coming down and cupping my ass. He squeezed, and I wiggled a little against him.
“Damien,” I said, looking back to see where the boys were. I hadn’t been as affectionate with my men since they arrived. They knew I was Nikolay’s girlfriend, but what would they think if they saw me kissing one of their uncles?
“You’re not in charge, pet. I am.”
“I know that,” I grumbled.
He massaged the supple flesh, and it was getting really hard to pretend I wasn’t affected by him, but fuck me, I was. I really was. I could feel how wet I had become from this simple move.
“Damien,” I said again, and I didn’t know if this was said in protest or encouragement.
He grinned mischievously.
“Pet.”
“T-Tell me why you wanted to let Leo go,” I said.
His hand movements stopped, and he looked directly into my eyes. I resisted the urge to squirm.
“He wanted to kill me because it was my fault Inessa died.”
“What does your sister have to do with Leo?” I asked, though I was beginning to see the picture. Something about what Leo said before he killed himself played in my mind. At that time, I didn’t really pay attention. I just cared that we got Damien back.
“He loved her, pet.”
My hands clutched his broad shoulders. “It’s not your fault she died. It was an accident.”