Chapter 25
“I’m going to sell this place.” Logan unlocked the door to his apartment and ushered Lucy inside.
“Whatever for? All it needs—”
“I’m not interested in what it needs—it’s a question of what we need.”
Lucy spun on her heel and stared at him. “We?”
“Yes, we.” He looked squarely at her. “We’ll work out the details later, but just so you know—I want it all. A real home for us, and a family—two point four children, a dog, the works. If you want it, too.” He caressed her cheek, moving his thumb gently over her lips when she would have answered him. “Later. And when we do talk, all I want from you is honesty. Okay?”
She nodded. Her gaze glittered with a joy that made his heart ache with wanting her… loving her.
Logan closed the door behind him. When he’d headed out of town to go to his woman, it hadn’t even occurred to him that events might take the turn they had. Facing Lucy’s parents—his future parents-in-law, if he had his way—had been an interrogation for which he hadn’t been prepared. His future brothers-in-law had whisked his girl from under his nose, no doubt at their father’s suggestion, and Logan’s presence had very politely been requested for a meeting in the den.
Rachel Winter had greeted him with a smile and a welcoming hug—her husband’s alpha male stance had made it clear he’d be a harder nut to crack. Thirty seconds into the conversation, Logan had figured out why. D/s didn’t just run in that family, it galloped. As soon as he’d worked that out, he’d adjusted his responses to the inquisition accordingly. Once he’d made it clear that their daughter was the centre of his world, that he adored her, would lay down his life for her—and without going into too much detail, that he had the necessary skills to give her everything she needed—the rest had slotted into place. Her parents had given him their blessing, and since he was now part of the family, he was expected back in a few days’ time, with Lucy, to join in the celebrations for Rachel’s birthday.
All in all, a long day, but a good one. No—the best. And now he had a woman to take care of—which did not include sharing her parents’ secrets. Hell, no.
He turned his attention back to his love, and was stunned when she dropped to her knees, placed her hands palm-up on her spread thighs, and lowered her gaze. She must have been buzzing with questions, yet now she waited patiently to take her cue from him. He stooped to take her hands and encouraged her to stand. “Not tonight, princess.”
He lowered his head to steal a kiss. Her lips were sweeter than honey, and he couldn’t get enough. After a day that had been too crazy for words, all he wanted was to take his girl to bed, make love to her, and wake up with her beside him tomorrow morning.
Her arms around him filled Logan with the peace he’d been missing since the night they were taken from Nenufar. No matter what happened, everything would work out all right now, including the whole in-laws thing. They spoke the same language.
Loving the way Lucy was leaning into him, Logan nuzzled her hair, inhaling the springlike fragrance of the shampoo he associated only with her. The Dom in him demanded that he take proper care of her, get her something to eat and allow her to rest, but the primitive human male was impatient and wanted only one thing—to take his woman and in no uncertain terms, make sure she was his.
“Sir, I know we still have a lot to talk about, but it’s been a long day for both of us. I don’t know about you, but I could do with going straight to bed.”
Too damn right they still had a lot to talk about, not least of which was Sir Guy’s hare-brained scheme to train Lucy as a field officer. His little subbie had told him about the plan before they’d left to return to London. No way in hell was that happening—once was more than enough for her to play fast and loose with his sanity. He tried hard not to be swayed by thoughts of how good a team they’d made during their assignment and what it might be like if that team became permanent. That was so not happening.
“Tired, princess?”
“Not in the least. It wasn’t sleep I had in mind.” She pulled away from him. Her face was glowing, with a mischievous smile that told him he’d been had. “Or we could do it here, if you prefer?”
He glanced at the sofa, doing a swift mental comparison with the very large, very comfortable bed a short distance away—no contest. “I prefer you where you belong.”
“And where’s that?”
Logan lifted her into his arms. He loved the way hers automatically went around his neck. “In our bed.”
Or in a private room at Aegis. That would work, too. The things he could show her…
He kicked the bedroom door closed behind him, and that was where he hesitated. He wanted this to be good for Lucy, the best, and though he wanted to take her fast and hard, he was going to give her the time and gentleness she deserved.
“Logan?”
He met her gaze.
“If you put me down, I promise I won’t vanish into thin air.”
He let her down slowly, all the time keeping close body contact with her. Her eyes widened, and he detected the hint of a giggle when she discovered exactly how much he wanted her.
“I think we need to do something about that, Sir.”
“We will. Undress for me.”
Rage flared white-hot for a moment when he caught sight of the residual bruises, the evidence she still bore as a result of their captivity, bringing back the dreadful memories of the treatment she’d suffered at the hands of the bastards who’d wanted to sell her as a sex slave.
Her smile disappeared. She glanced down at her body, and when she looked at him once again, all he saw was her compassion and understanding reaching out for him.
“It’s the past, Logan.” She gestured towards her body. “This is temporary. The bruises are already fading, the cuts are healing, and everything’ll be gone in just a few more days, as if it never happened. Don’t think about it.”
“Are you telling me it hasn’t given you nightmares?”
“Every night.” Lucy came to him, beautiful, desirable, and so incredibly strong. “I can’t let the nightmares win, because that means they win. If I look at my body, and all I see are the bruises, and all I think of is how I got them, they win. I can’t allow that to happen. The bruises will go, and so will the nightmares, but I’ll still be here. I’m not the same person I used to be—I’m stronger and better than that now, and I’m yours. I’ll always be yours. I love you.”
Logan palmed the back of her head, gripped her hair between his fingers, and pulled, angling her face for a kiss. His anger towards their captors turned to raw, savage passion as he ground his mouth against hers.
“You’ve always been strong, and better than I’ll ever be or deserve. Into bed, so I can show you how much I love you.”
He was aware of her gaze on him as he stripped off his clothing. He was also aware of the effect she had on his body. As if he could help it. The highly desirable woman with whom he intended to spend the rest of his life was looking at him as if she wanted to eat him. Alive. Lightly sautéed in butter, maybe with a touch of garlic, and seasoned to taste.
The feeling was mutual.
Logan slid beneath the cool, cotton sheet with one thing, and one thing only, on his mind—pleasuring his woman until she was so far gone, she’d agree without question to what he planned. Her lips opened willingly beneath his mouth—she was as hungry for him as he was for her. His hand moved impatiently from her cheek to her breast, cupping her lush flesh so he could pinch her already hardening nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Her swift gasp went straight to his groin. Without any prompting from him, she draped her leg over his thigh and used him for leverage to bring her mound into intimate contact with his balls and the root of his dick. Shit, she was driving him crazy with lust already—if she carried on like this, he’d never last.
“Slow down, Luce—we have all night.”
“Not long enough.”
His woman was insatiable—as if he didn’t already know that. She’d come so far over the last few weeks. Then again, thanks to her, so had he. It might take a while to get used to the feeling, but the past was finally loosening its hold on him—they were free to enjoy each other, and free to enjoy the future spread like a feast before them.
“Agreed. How does the rest of our lives sound?” Even then, it wouldn’t be enough. A thousand years wouldn’t be enough. Forever and beyond… maybe. He’d always love this woman—she’d brought him to life, and he’d spend forever worshipping at her feet. She was his love, his life… his wife.
She went still. “Logan?”
“You’re going to marry me.” It was a given.
“I am?”
“You are.”
“Oh. Right. Does that mean we’re engaged?”
“That’s what usually comes before a wedding.”
“I suppose I’d better let the boys know, then.”
Mention of her brothers reminded him of another tricky situation looming on his horizon. Before leaving the farm, Logan had passed on some information about Aegis—they’d all shown a keen interest and expressed an intention to apply for membership. That, in itself, wasn’t the problem.
No, that would come later, when Logan had to break the news to their sister. Probably best done after they’d had that discussion about children—because confirming that his future wife wanted them could be the best way to protect his balls once he told her that during a future visit to the club, she might just bump into one of her siblings and have to call him Sir…