Page 17 of No Saint

“Planning to beat me to death with a child’s toy,leonessa?”

“It’s tempting,” She spits, using her free hand to tug Lincoln closer to her.

I cock my head, studying her. She was a beautiful woman. Dark curls and sun kissed skin, curves begging to be explored, flesh to be bitten and reddened by my hand.

She climbs from where she was perched on the floor, bringing Lincoln up with her to cradle him on her hip, that block still gripped in her hand.

I close the space between us. She holds very still, tipping her head to maintain eye contact with me. She puts on a good, strong front but she fears me. She fears us all.

She was smart.

Her eyes bounce between mine as I reach across and pry the block from her hand. She resists for a moment before she lets it go. It thumps as I throw it down onto the carpet, going for the child next.

This time she doesn’t let go.

“Do not touch him,” she growls, her voice low, her protective motherly instinct forcing every other emotion down until only this one reigns.

“I’m not taking him away, Amelia. I would like you to place him down.”

“Why?”

“We have things to discuss.”

“There is nothing to discuss,” she hisses, “Say what you have to say and leave me alone! The least you could do is get the fuck out of my sight, seeing as you’ve taken away every other choice of mine.”

“And I’m about to take one more,” I warn.

“Oh, are you finally getting it over with?” She scoffs, clutching Lincoln harder and looking away.

Giving up on removing the child from her, I curl my finger beneath her chin, bringing her eyes back to me. “You will look at me while we are talking, Amelia.”

“You have no right to demand anything from me, Gabriel.”

Fuck, my name on her tongue…

I move until I’m cupping her face, fingers biting, just enough for her to feel it, into the soft tissue of her cheeks. Her breath whooshes between her plump parted lips and her nostrils flare but her eyes, they darken a little, her skin pebbling.

Interesting.

Everything about her was interesting and not at all what I had expected.

“From now,leonessa, you are mine. No one looks at you. Touches you. Even speaks to you without my permission. Mine. Are we clear?”

Her eyes clear immediately, “Fuck. You.”

“I’m sure we’ll get there eventually.”

I anticipate the strike and catch her hand before she can make contact with my face. The boy remains solidly attached to her.

I grin down at her.

“You make this so fucking easy,leonessa, so easy. You think I care what you want? I will take whatever the fuck I please. Including you and your son.”

“I will not beowned.”

“You already are.”

Her eyes narrow.

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