Galen paced Medical as his healers worked on Sam.

When they lowered her limp body into one of the regen tanks, he still couldn’t shake the emotions storming through him. In his head, he just kept seeing that sword slicing across her throat, the blood. So much blood.

His healers kept shooting him nervous glances. He was well aware they weren’t used to seeing him so worked up, and his tattoos were still glowing.

“Galen.” Raiden stepped up beside him. “She’s going to be okay?”

“That’s what they tell me.”

“She’s tough. You’ve always said the women from Earth are tough to the bone, but Sam has tough running through her veins.”

A little bit of the knot in Galen’s chest eased. Sam’s face looked relaxed as she floated in the blue gel in the tank. Still, he wouldn’t be satisfied until she opened her brown eyes and talked to him.

“Your tattoos haven’t glowed since I was a teenager,” Raiden said.

Galen turned his head. “Since you were old enough to defend yourself.”

“Royal guards were given an extract from a plant on Aurelia. It was dangerous, but if a guard survived, it enhanced their strength in battle.”

“The shidlea plant.” Galen remembered how bad the extract had tasted and how sick it had made him. It had been an honor to be given it.

“It activated when a person the guard cared about, their charge or their mate, was in danger,” Raiden murmured.

Galen remained silent.

Then Raiden grinned. “Drak, G, you’re falling for her. You, a man who vowed to never love a woman. You, a man who rolled his eyes at all of us who fell for these Earth women.”

“Enjoying yourself?” Galen asked.

“Oh, I’m barely getting started and just wait until the others find out.”

Galen was fucked, to borrow an Earth phrase. He looked at Sam again and couldn’t bring himself to be that concerned about it.

“I couldn’t have designed a better woman for you,” Raiden said. “Sam Santos is strength personified, but she’s not hard. She has a…softness isn’t the right word, a suppleness. You know she can fight but cares as well.”

“I don’t deserve her.”

Raiden hissed out a breath. “You deserve her and so much more, Galen. You have done nothing but protect me, and then the people of your House, not to mention all the captives you’ve helped rescue from the arena. You give, you stand as a shield, and you never ask for anything in return.” He looked at the tank. “I think that maybe she’s your reward. Don’t screw it up.”

“I already did. I pushed her away last night. I hurt her.” Galen’s hand curled into a fist. “She nearly died today.”

“Another mark against the drakking Thraxians, not you. And if you screwed up with her, that just makes you mortal like the rest of us. You make it up to her and make her realize how important she is.”

Galen kept his gaze on Sam.

“It’s time we stop the Thraxians and their ugly plans,” Raiden said.

Galen nodded. “I need to reschedule my meet with Mortas.” The self-important imperator would treat the delay as an insult.

“I’ll take care of it.” Raiden gripped his shoulder. “You stay with her.”

“Thanks, Raiden.”

“And brace yourself.”

Galen turned his head. “For what?”

“For the ribbing, teasing, and general taunting your friends are going to throw your way.”

Galen managed a smile. “As long as she wakes up, I don’t care.”

With another slap on Galen’s back, Raiden left. Galen dragged a chair over to Sam’s regen tank.

Winter appeared. “Galen, she’s going to be fine, but she won’t wake up for a few hours. Why don’t you—”

“I’m staying.”

Winter bit her lip. “I’ll call you when—”

“I’m not leaving, Winter.”

She huffed out a breath. “Oh, fine. Don’t think that I can’t see what’s going on here.”

He raised a brow.

With a smile, Winter leaned closer. “And don’t think for a second that I’m not sharing all the juicy details with the others.” She reached over and touched his cheek before moving away.

Galen leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and kept his gaze locked on Sam.

* * *

She was floating and it felt good. Sam felt like she was swimming at her favorite beach close to her abuela’s house in Puerto Rico.

Then she frowned. This wasn’t the beach. Something felt…off. Lights. Quiet murmurs. Sharp, clean scents. All around her body she felt a sticky, cool goo. Slowly, she cracked open her eyes.

“Hey there, Sam. You’re okay. You’re in a regen tank here in Medical.”

Sam turned her head slightly, and saw Winter’s pretty face with her one blue eye and one milky white eye.

“What happened?” Sam tried to sort through her foggy memories.

“You were injured in a fight with the Thraxians.”

Just that one word brought all the memories back. She sat up, gripping the edge of the tank. “Galen—”

“Is fine.” Winter pressed a finger to her lips and tilted her head.

Sam spotted Galen, asleep in a chair beside her regen tank.

“He refused to leave your side,” Winter said quietly. “Even after I assured him you were going to be okay. He just fell asleep.”

So many feelings were working and tumbling through Sam. She saw that while he’d cleaned up a bit, there were still dried streaks of blood on his face.

“Oh, your injury is all healed, too, if you’re interested.” Winter sounded amused.

“I’m all clear?”

“Yes. Perfectly healthy.”

Winter helped Sam out of the tank, helped her clean off the last of the blue healing gel sticking to her skin, and handed her a silver-gray robe. She wrapped it around herself, and then knelt by Galen’s chair.

His eye opened and his gaze sharpened on her. “You’re all right.” His voice was gritty from sleep.

She nodded resting her hand on his thigh. He leaned down, cupping her chin.

His fingers moved lower, caressing her neck. She remembered the sting and shock of the wound. The warm mist of blood.

Suddenly, Galen stood, and a second later, he scooped her up into his arms.

Oh. Apart from being carted around by her captors, usually with her fighting them every step of the way, she’d never been carried so carefully before. Like she was something precious.

She felt everyone in Medical staring at them, but they both ignored the looks.

Galen strode out and down the corridor. They moved past where his high-level gladiators had their quarters, and down the long hall leading to his suite. He nodded at the guards as they opened the door. He headed through his living area and up the stairs Sam had seen before.

She looked around the room with interest. “Your inner sanctum.”

He stopped in the middle of the large space. It was three times the size of her bedroom. There was an enormous bed resting on a platform at the far end of the room, covered in a sleek black cover. Above it was an amazing skylight that let light filter in. At the head of the bed, a striking painting graced the wall. It showed a lone gladiator wearing a beaten metal helmet, topped with a red plume, in an empty arena. His sword pointed to the ground and his head was bowed. She knew instantly that the strong body in the image belonged to Galen.

Everything else in the room was neat and tidy. Exactly as she expected of him.

He strode over and set her on the bed. “I’ll order you some food.”

She nodded, watching as he went back downstairs. She heard his deep voice as he spoke with somebody.

When he came back, he started to pace the room, not speaking. She could tell he was tense. There was a knock on the door below, and Galen disappeared and returned carrying a tray over to her.

“Here.” He set the tray down beside her.

Sam looked at the offerings—berries, freshly-made bread, cheese-like cubes.

She pulled in a breath. More of the foods she’d told him she’d craved. When she looked up, he was staring at her.

“I’m okay, Galen.”

“And I’ll believe it…eventually.”

She set the tray on the bedside table and reached up. She loosened the neck of her robe. “See. Healed.”

He moved closer and reached out. He stroked a long finger over her neck, then along her collarbone.

Her eyelids fluttered and she trembled. His touch felt so good, and she felt the pulse of it between her legs. “Galen.”

He pulled away. “You need to rest.” He stalked to the windows, staring outside, his back tense.

Noble to the core, this man. It was as admirable as it was annoying.

“I just got out of a regen tank. I feel wonderful.” She rose and walked to him. “I need you to give me what I need.”

He spun to face her. “And what’s that?”

Sam shrugged out of the robe. It slithered to the floor.

She stood there, naked, and felt the heat of his gaze burn through her. His gaze moved downward, like he was drinking her all in, before it slowly moved back to her face.

“I need you,” she said. “Your lips, your hands, your tongue, your cock.”

“Sam.” A tortured groan.

“I had everything taken from me. And had so much horror forced on me.” She stood proud before him. “Now I’m choosing what I want.”

She watched Galen’s battle-scarred hands curl into fists. She could see him fighting some internal battle.

Then he closed the space between them in one short stride. He gripped her shoulders. “I’ll give you what you want.” His fingers dug into her skin. “But be warned, I’ll take everything, Samantha. I want it all.”

Her breath hitched. “Show me, boss-man.”

* * *

She was gorgeous.

Galen stroked his hands down Sam’s sides. So strong and all woman. He skimmed a hand over her hip and then down one thigh. She reminded him of the warrior goddesses of Aurelia, and some primal part of him wanted to fall on his knees and worship her.

He stroked his hand back up her leg, hearing her indrawn breath. He nudged her legs apart and dropped to his knees. He pressed a kiss to her taut belly, eyeing the patch of dark curls at the juncture of her thighs.

“Galen—”

“I want to see you, Sam.” He looked up her body, vowing to give those rounded breasts some attention later. “I want to give you pleasure.”

She licked her lips, her dark eyes on him. She nodded.

Galen moved his fingers through her dark curls, then stroked deeper. His fingers moved through her soft, warm folds.

Her hands clamped on his shoulders. He took his time, caressing her and learning what she liked. He was a patient man, and he planned to use every bit of it to learn how to drive her crazy.

Her hips jerked on his hand and he slid one finger inside her. She moaned. Drak, it wasn’t enough. He slid another finger inside, where she was tight and warm.

No, not enough. He pulled his fingers out, wrapped his arms around her, and pushed to his feet, lifting her up.

She gave a small cry and he crossed the room, laying her back on his bed.

“Open your legs, Sam.”

She looked at him, her hair spilling around her face. There was heat and hunger in her gaze. This wasn’t a woman who submitted easily.

Anything she gave freely would be a gift.

She let her legs fall open. Open to him.

Galen felt desire claw his insides. He pressed one knee to the bed, kneeling between her legs, gazing at her pink folds. It had been so long since he’d allowed himself pleasure, and he was planning to gorge himself on this woman.

“So drakking pretty.” He stroked her again, watching pleasure cross her face. Then he found that small nub that all his drakking gladiators had been so obsessed with since the Earth women had crashed into their lives. He rolled her swollen clitoris between his fingers.

Her hips jerked up, her hands clenching in the covers.

Galen lowered his head, breathing in the musky scent of her. Then he licked her.

“Galen… Dios.” She moaned, long and loud.

He sucked and licked her, lapping at her and stabbing his tongue inside her. He loved the taste of her. More. He needed more.

Her hands curled into his hair. “I want to touch you.”

“This is about your pleasure.”

She pulled on his hair hard, until he looked up her gorgeous body and met her gaze.

“You’re allowed pleasure too, Galen.” She stroked his cheek. “This is about our pleasure.”

No one had concerned themselves with his pleasure…ever. He’d never let anyone close enough.

Sam reared up, her hands moving to his chest and pushing his shirt up and off. Then she leaned forward and put her lips on him. He groaned. Her tongue moved over his nipples, her teeth nipping at his muscles.

“I love your body,” she murmured. “So hard and tough. Strong.”

Her tongue traced over his scars and Galen jerked. Then her teeth sank into his shoulder. He hoped it was hard enough to leave a mark. Then her tongue danced over his skin, and he realized she was tracing his tattoos.

“I saw these glow,” she murmured.

Desire was like a fire in his blood. He felt his control crumbling. Control he never gave up. Ever. “Yes.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It signifies an increase in my strength, when I need to protect someone I care about.”

She laved the ink again with her tongue. Her hands moved over his stomach, trailing over the ridges there. Then she moved down, cupping his hard cock through his leathers.

Galen growled. Enough. He pushed her back on the bed. He pressed a hand to her belly, holding her there as he put his mouth between her legs again.

“Oh. Galen.” Her hands twisted in his hair again. “Yes. More.”

He sucked harder. She was so damn addictive, and he’d never get enough of the taste of her. Her hips lifted up again and he groaned against her. With another suck, she cried out, arching as she screamed his name.

Body shaking, Galen stood. He tore his trousers open, his skin feeling too tight for his body. He shed the rest of his clothes methodically.

Sam rose up on one elbow, watching him. She was panting, her breasts jiggling with each shift of her chest. Then he reached down and circled one ankle. He dragged her closer to the edge of the bed.

Galen knelt on the bed, hitching her leg over his arm and opening her to him. With his other hand, he reached down and stroked his swollen cock.

Her gaze dropped, hungry. “Yes.”

He covered her, notching his cock against her.

“Now,” she cried. “Please.”

He thrust inside her.

Drak. Drak. Their mingled groans were loud. She writhed against him and he started to move.

He pounded inside her. He knew there was no finesse and no rhythm. This wasn’t an elegant loving. This was mating—pure and simple.

“You feel that?” He ground himself inside her.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Dios, you fill me up.”

Need made his chest tight. “Who’s inside you?”

“You are.”

“Say my name.”

“Galen.” Her eyes met his. “Galen, you’re inside me.”

He gritted his teeth against the wave of pleasure. She was so tight and hot.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

“No, Sam. Eyes on me,” he growled.

She opened them again.

“Good. I want to watch when you come.”

The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room. All Galen could feel was the need riding him hard, and her body clenched tight around his cock.

He shifted the angle of his thrusts, grinding against her clit.

She cried out. “Galen, I’m going to…”

“Let go, Sam. Give yourself to me. I’ve got you.”

She cried out, her head thrashing against the covers. Pleasure spasmed across her face, and he felt the rhythmic pulses of her body clamping down on him.

With two more wild thrusts, Galen lodged his cock deep inside her. He leaned over her, setting his teeth into the spot where her shoulder met her neck. He bit down, hearing her cry out again. His orgasm ripped through him, the fierce pleasure tearing him apart.