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Sloane sighed and let her arms fall to her sides. She sat down and ran her hand over the comforter. “Will you just lay with me for a little bit?”
“Maybe we could work on some fighting techniques instead. I know Lincoln showed you some already.”
Her face fell. “I’m so tired.”
“I know, but my dad is already making plans for retaliation. You need to be ready. I might not be there next time. I need to know that you will be able to protect yourself.”
She fidgeted with her hands. Red rimmed her eyes, but she didn’t cry. “I know what’s at stake, Sawyer. I helped my mom tend to the ones too severely wounded to shift. I saw a man die on our table today. He just faded away despite our efforts. My mom and I alternated CPR for ten minutes before she called it. A handful of men might not make it through the night. It’s been an awful day. Tomorrow, we can do whatever training you want. I just want to lick my wounds tonight.”
“Sloane.” There was no time for rest. “My dad is already making preparations for the next time we attack. He’s getting more wolfsbane and calling in more men. As soon as he has both the men and wolfsbane, he’s coming back. You need to be ready.”
She shot to her feet. “I will be ready. I just wanted….”
She looked away.
My jaw worked. She wanted comfort. Something I wasn’t good at giving. I was too much like my father in some ways. My stomach churned at that thought. I didn’t want to be anything like the man he was.
Sloane bit her bottom lip and then closed the distance between us. “You’re right. Your dad isn’t resting. He’s probably still up plotting, or whatever he does.” She tapped the tips of her fingers together. “Lincoln showed me some, but he said you were the better fighter.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ve done a lot of training with my dad and the other enforcers.”
She pursed her lips and sucked in a deep breath. “Good. Then I can learn to fight like them.”
No. This was all wrong. I didn’t want her to fight like the monsters here.
Her brows dipped down into a scowl. “You can’t have it both ways, Sawyer. Either you train me to fight like your men or you don’t. They won’t expect me to know their moves.”
I tapped my temple. “Are you reading my mind now?”
She laughed and closed her eyes as she shook her head. “Yeah. I guess so. It’s not so hard when you’re screaming your thoughts at me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s been a rough day for me, too.”
She closed the distance between us and hugged me. “I can’t imagine how hard this is for you, playing a double agent and watching over your shoulder every step of the way. Then having to worry over both me and Lincoln.”
I rested my forehead on her shoulder as she smoothed her hand up and down my back.
She kissed the top of my head. “You don’t have to do this alone. Lincoln and I are here with you. Don’t carry the burden by yourself.”
I got what she was saying, but it didn’t help the part of me that wanted to keep them separate from all of this. It was also so hard to let go. I had to keep my emotions bottled up so my dad couldn’t see them. It kept us all safe.
Sloane’s lips were on my cheek, blazing a trail across my skin. I lifted my head and captured her mouth. She gasped, allowing me entrance. I swiped my tongue across her teeth and skimmed my hands down her back until I found the spot just below her ass. I picked her up, causing her to squeak with surprise. Her legs wound around my back on instinct, and I carried her to the bed.
I set her down gently and stared at her in awe. Sloane was mine. My mate. I’d displeased her, and I had to make it up to her.
I picked up her foot and kissed the top of it. The pants she wore were baggy, making it easy for me to push them up so I could kiss up her leg to just above the knee.
Her sweet, tantalizing scent called to me. I buried my face at her center, making her groan. Her hands went to my hair, gently pulling.
She smelled like heaven, like my salvation. I knew Lincoln wouldn’t mind if I had her by myself, but did she?
I looked up at her. “I want to put my mouth on you, Sloane.”
She blinked, and then her gaze met mine. “Okay,” she said breathlessly.
I didn’t waste time, sitting up long enough to drag her pants and panties down her legs. I tossed them to the side before dipping back between her thighs.
Sloane whimpered as I kissed the inside of her legs, slowly working my way to her core. She wiggled her hips as I pressed my lips against her center, moaning loudly as I started to lick and suck.
