Page 95 of Desperate Victory
“Never stopped you from barking them out.” The smile in her words belied the accusation.
“No, because I will always choose your safety first. Always.”
Adam had one hand on my shoulder and the other cupping her chin. His gaze bored into hers and I drank in the sight of them together.
“As much as I want to lock you away and keep the rest of the world from ever touching you again,” Adam told her in a silky soft tone that wrapped around us like an embrace. It was Adam at his most dangerous.
Indulgent and sweet, wrapped up in the most deliciously dark promises that he meant every single word. Goddamn the man made me hard.
“But?” Lainey prompted him, her smile almost as indulgent as his.
“But—that’s not what you need from me. From any of us. You’re more than our equal, Lainey. It won’t ever stop me from wanting to keep you safe or protecting you every chance I get.”
“It won’t stop any of us,” I added. “Just like it won’t stop you from protecting us.”
I almost said trying to protect us. But Lainey had protected us. My kotyonok was ever fierce with her teeth and her claws.
“That’s the way it should be,” she said and Adam lifted his gaze to meet mine. I read the worry there. The worry he wasn’t sharing with her. The worry for her as much as about her.
“It is the way it should be,” I said, turning the words over even as I spoke them. Adam’s look of reprimand made me grin. That wasn’t what he wanted from me right now. “It is though,” I told him as much as her. “When we’re together, we can look out for each other. Fuck knows, Kotyonok is much prettier than any of us. They’re going to be trying to steal her when they see her tonight.”
Adam’s lips flattened and I had to swallow back a little bit of glee at the retribution-filled promise in his eyes. “You’re not making this case for her.”
“I don’t have to make it for her. She’s already made it. And again, we’ll be right there. How much you wanna bet anyone who gets too frisky will disappear five seconds after Bodhi notices?”
For a brief moment, Adam opened his mouth then snapped it shut. A vicious gleam entered his eyes. “He really does have a way of dealing with interlopers.”
“Exactly,” I said, then to my delight Lainey laughed as she leaned back against me. The earlier smile had been more than welcome, but her laugh? That was a gift.
“You two are terrible.”
“The worst,” I agreed. “But like us, Bodhi wants you safe and he has far fewer lines that need to be crossed before he takes action.”
“True,” she said in the same breath as Adam. “However, I suggest we keep it as business-focused as we can tonight. I’ll play arm candy.”
I snorted. “Not that you aren’t stunning, Kotyonok. But you are so much more.”
“I love you too,” she said, tilting her head back and then winking at me.
“Every once in a while, you remind me why I didn’t drown you when we were kids,” Adam informed me and I just smirked.
“That and I can suck a dick like a god.” Since I had literally done that between finishing my shower and starting his, Adam really couldn’t disagree.
He shook his head then focused on Lainey. “Remind me to put him in a timeout later.”
Yeah. Timeout my ass. That sent a wonderful shudder through me. I wouldn’t be opposed. “Fine, let’s go, the sooner we get this fucking dinner over, the sooner we get back here. I’m in the mood for Lainey to suck my cock and Adam to watch. He can enjoy all the things I do to you, Kotyonok.”
“That you do to her?” Adam challenged.
“Oh yes, that I do to her. You already got your dick wet today.”
“Asshole,” he muttered and I grinned. Lainey’s soft laughter circled around us. The distraction wasn’t much, but I’d grab every single bit of one I could with both hands.
“Keep laughing,” Adam murmured next to my ear. “I bet I can make her come more times than you can.”
Liquid heat spilled into my blood. “Challenge accepted.”
“Come along boys,” Lainey said, still chuckling. She claimed her clutch and headed for the door. I wasn’t the only one groaning because that silk sheath flowed with her steps as though caressing her.