Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(83)

She breathed out, having imagined his marking on her skin more times than she could count through the years. Her heart pounded so hard her breath caught. God, she wanted this. She really wanted to wear his mark . . . wanted to make him hers forever. “Right shoulder blade.”

He withdrew, yanked her up, and turned her around. “Down.”

She leaned over the table, her cheek to the smooth mahogany, her heart thundering.

He grasped her hip and powered inside her with one strong stroke, lifting her up on her toes. She gasped and tried to rear up, but a hand at her nape stopped her. He tightened his hold. A warning.

She settled back down, her mind spinning. He pulled out and shoved back in, setting up a hard rhythm that kept her on her toes. She closed her eyes again as electricity uncoiled inside her. He slammed against her G-spot, and her internal walls clenched down, sending her into an orgasm so intense she stopped breathing. Fangs sliced into her left shoulder while a piercing hot pain burned into her right.

She cried out and reached back with her right hand to grab any part of him, finding the side of his butt. Her nails dug in, and fire roared between their flesh.

His forearm moved in front of her vision and she latched on, her teeth digging in to taste blood.

He growled close to her ear, his fangs sliced deeper to connect, and he stopped moving, jerking hard inside her.

Tears spiked the back of her eyes. Pain pounded at several points of her body, and she couldn’t get a mental handle on any of them. The fangs retracted, and she bit back a sob. A lazy swipe of his tongue sealed the wound, and a healing balm covered the pain. She released him and slapped her hands against the table, glancing over her shoulder to see the edge of the marking. Man, she needed a mirror to see the whole thing. If it looked anything like his palm had, it would be beautiful.

Nick withdrew and gently put her skirt back to rights before helping her up and turning her into his embrace. “Are you all right?”

Tears clouded her eyes. “Yes.” It had been much more intense than she’d thought. What in the hell had they been thinking, mating each other with everything around them so unsettled?

“I meant to do that tonight in a bed with candles and flowers,” he murmured against her hair, one hand sweeping down her back.

She allowed his heat to surround her with protection and security. “This is more us. I mean, in the middle of a trial for my life. You know.” But had it been a mistake? God. They hadn’t even really discussed mating, and now it was a done deal.

He chuckled and pulled her away, looking down into her face. “I vow to protect you with all that I have and all that I’ll ever be. You and the babe.”

She smiled and tried to will the tears away.

He frowned.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m not sure.” He glanced down his side and then stilled. “Jesus, Simone.”

“What?” She angled over and followed his gaze to see a perfect Celtic knot, her marking, askew on his buttock.

He coughed. “You marked my ass. And it’s not even straight.”

Humor bubbled up through her, and she threw back her head, laughing long and hard. She’d marked his butt. “Oh, Nick. I got carried away.”

He grinned. “I guess that’s good.”

With his powers, he could probably heal the burn until it was barely noticeable, but he didn’t move to change a thing. His obvious acceptance of her crazy marking warmed her throughout. “I’ll protect you and the babe, too.” Her vow was just as heartfelt as his, and just as powerful. They were talking protection and not love, but at the moment, her emotions were so jumbled she couldn’t find the right words.

Maybe he couldn’t, either.

Or maybe in Nick’s world, the offer of protection meant more to a warrior than the offer of love. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, about emotion, but a sharp rap sounded on the door. “One minute,” a guard called.

Nick jumped back and jerked up his pants, quickly straightening his shirt.

Simone pushed back her hair, having no doubt it’d be obvious what they’d been doing to prepare for her testimony. Her mind clouded, and she couldn’t grasp just one thought. She had just mated Nicholai Veis, one of the most powerful demons on the planet.

He grasped her hands and captured her gaze. “Several deep breaths. On the stand, I want you to be all you. Confident, honest, and strong. Don’t let them see one iota of concern, emotion, or doubt.”

She nodded, grabbing on to his directions like a lifeline. “I can do it.”

“I know. And Simone, if I tell you to run, you obey me without question.” He leaned in, his gaze so intent she could feel it in her abdomen. “Promise me.”

“Nick, I—”

His hold tightened. “Promise me.”

“What have you done?” she breathed, trying to back away.

He held her in place and ran a knuckle down the side of her cheek. The animal in him, the one he kept so carefully caged, stretched beneath the surface. She could see him. “What did you think would happen when you became pregnant with my child?” he asked, his voice even deeper than usual.

A tremble shook her spine. “Nothing. I mean, I figured we’d go on and work things out.”

“We will.” His hold gentled, but his gaze sharpened. “Your safety and protection are mine, Simone, as are you.”