Torren had bolted.

That was the only word she could think of when he asked her to stay where she was in that sexy, snarly voice of his. Stay while he gracefully glided on all fours toward a dilapidated staircase. He didn’t take the stairs like a human, nope. He scaled the side of it, pulling himself up and up until he slipped over the ledge and made his way into the office on the second level. The big window was cracked, but she could still see his rampage and hear the deafening crash as he threw something against the wall.

He was king. She was going to dig in and do as much research about gorilla shifters as possible, but he’d gone to war with two massive silverbacks tonight and held his own. And then he’d shelved his rage—for her. But now he was losing it up there.

Her heart ached for him.

Inhaling deep, she closed her eyes and tucked her tiger back inside her. The clothes she’d worn would be shredded and useless, even if she could find them under the pile of rubble. She still tried, rummaging around for at least a shirt, but stopped when she found the two wads of cash. Cash he’d fought for. Cash he would give to his sister so she could hear.

There was another deafening crash above. He’d asked her to stay down here so she wouldn’t have to witness the rage that took the animal after a fight gone bad, but it was important that she see it.

Slowly, she made her way up the stairs, and at the top, she stared sadly at a big dent in the middle of the metal door. She put her fist in it. It was much bigger than her own knuckles—that of a silverback fist.

Pain. This was a man full of pain, and stuck in a life he couldn’t escape. Being king wasn’t all it was cracked up to be when the crown didn’t fit the man.

Candace pushed open the door and stepped inside. She hesitated. There had been a desk, but it was in splinters. There were holes in the walls and broken chairs, a broken bookshelf. The only thing left untouched was a charcoal gray couch where Torren sat, face in his battered, tattooed hands. He was human again, and his black hair stood up in spikes as though he’d ran his hands through it roughly. He was still puffed up, every muscle in his body tensed.

“I don’t want you to see me like this. Afterward…it’s hard.”

“Because of guilt?”

“Most of the time,” he rumbled, not removing his face from his hands. “Tonight, it’s different.”

After the span of a few heartbeats, Candace made her way to him, pushed his shoulders back, and straddled his lap. She cupped his cheeks and searched his blazing green eyes. “Tell me.”

Torren was pale, and streams of drying blood ran down his chest from a bite at the base of his neck that was already closed, and well on its way to healing. Powerhouse. Powerful. Magic. The new Kong would be damn near invincible if he took his place at the head of the gorillas.

“You Changed,” he murmured, slipping his giant hands to her bare hips. He gripped her hard and clenched his teeth. “You Changed to defend me, and you were so fucking beautiful. Fearless. I got to see you for the first time. Tigress. Badass. Tiiiiny stripes. All orange and white, eyes blazing with the promise of vengeance for those gorillas. Why?”

“I told Dax to settle. That he couldn’t go two gorillas on one. He didn’t listen, and I wasn’t going to watch you get shredded.”

“You wouldn’t, would you? You’re a ride-or-die girl, aren’t you, Candace?”

She nodded once.

“Fuck.” Torren gave his attention to the side, but she pulled his face back to her.

“You pulled Colt off me before he got to my face. You protected me, too. You’re a ride-or-die too, aren’t you, HavoK?”

He smirked and let off a single humorless laugh. “I think you knew that before you saw me defend you. Because of Vyr.”

“Vyr, and now me. You gonna make me safe, Torren?”

“You’re so fucking safe around me, it’s ridiculous. Anyone who messes with you? They’re in trouble. I won’t have much control over what I do to them.”

She rolled her eyes closed at that oath. “I haven’t felt safe since my dad died. I’ve been on my own, in this world I didn’t prepare for.”

“The club?”

“Yes. I was a good girl, and now I’m not.”

“Fuck that noise. You’re good enough, Candace. If you were your old self, you wouldn’t be here, taming a riled-up silverback shifter in an old sawmill. You wouldn’t have gone teeth and claws first after a dominant shifter just to protect a wreck like me. You wouldn’t have looked twice at me.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m not. I wouldn’t have let you. I think what you’ve been through has toughened you up. It’s conditioned you to match me. I wasn’t sure, but I think after tonight, you won’t be walking behind me or in front of me. You’ll be perfectly comfortable right beside me. Won’t you?”

She ran her nails down the sides of his head and smiled when he was the one who rolled his eyes closed and made a satisfied rumbling sound deep in his throat. “Bad Boy from Damon’s Mountains. Are you saying we match?”

“Bad Girl from Vyr’s Mountains. I think the person you are now is maybe the person I need.” His grip tightened on her waist, and he dragged her forward onto his hard erection. “Any softer, and I would be too scared to draw you into my life. Any harder, and you couldn’t tame the monster inside of me. And that’s what you’re doing…right? That’s why I’m Changed back now and settled. Why I’m not beating myself up, wondering why I can’t be less fucked-up like other shifters. It’s why tonight is easy. Why I feel fine being just who I am.”

“If you weren’t this. If you weren’t HavoK, I don’t think I could feel safe like I need to. I’ve chased every boy away because they made me feel like I needed to pretend to be normal, and good. You’re different. I don’t need money, Torren. I can take care of myself. My love language doesn’t include lavish presents. It’s feeling safe with someone, and comfortable being in my own skin. It’s having someone accept me, even the gritty parts.”

A slow smile stretched Torren’s lips. “I understand. I’m the same.”

“Date number three.”

Torren’s slow smile was wicked and understanding. “One. Dinner with my crew.”

“Two,” she played along. “You saw me at my worst in the club, and then a movie and cuddling in the private room. Maybe that isn’t what some people would call a date, but we’re different. And I used to be ashamed of being different, but for some reason, with you, I’m proud to be what I am. Because you’re like me and I don’t have to apologize.”

“Mmmm,” he murmured low, looking proud. “Date number three. The fight. You saw me at my worst. You didn’t run like I was afraid you would.”

“I’m not a runner. Never was.” She rolled her hips against his, and he groaned and dug his fingers into her waist. He rocked, meeting her movement. Sexy. Monster.

“I’ll make a promise to you, okay?” she whispered.

Torren leaned up and kissed her, sucked her lip and released her. “Okay. Promises.”

“I’ll come to every fight. I’ll have your back. I’ll handle the money. I know people. I have connections through the club. I can set up fights when you need them. I’ll print my own HavoK T-shirt, for me. Pink logo on a black shirt, and I’ll wear it proudly. I’ll advertise for your fights and make sure they’re as organized as they can be. I’ll keep what happened tonight from happening again. I’ll make fair fights. I’ll be your teammate and make sure you never do this alone. Because I see you, Torren. I hate that you have to do this. I hate the scent of your blood. Hate that the floorboards downstairs are stained because of your pain. But what good will it do if I ask you to stop? I understand now that I’ve seen you fight. You telling me is one thing, but seeing it is different. To hold your ground and stay off that gorilla throne you have to do this, don’t you? You have to fight to keep HavoK stable. To keep sane, so you can continue the work you do protecting Vyr from the world, and the world from Vyr.”

Torren swallowed hard and murmured, “I think you see me very well.”

“Okay. Then I accept you, Torren. All of it. I accept the gritty parts and the soft parts. I accept the protective parts, the loyal parts, and I accept the things you have to do as a man to stay steady. You’re perfect to me.” Her eyes burned because his chest was heaving and he looked so emotional. “I. Accept. You. I’m not running. I’m here. I’m right here.”

Torren was shaking now. He ripped his gaze away from hers and then back. “My turn. When you dance, I’ll be your bodyguard. You have bills to pay, you got in a hole, you have your dad’s medical stuff to take care of, and I’m not asking you to quit what you’re doing just to make me comfortable. You aren’t telling me to quit fighting, so I accept you back. I’ll be quiet. I’ll talk to Carl about hiring me as security, and if he doesn’t, I’ll still show up every night and make sure you’re safe. Make sure you always feel safe. Make sure no one touches you. I’ll collect your money after you dance because you shouldn’t be on your knees doing that. You’re a fucking queen, Candace. If I ever see your crown slipping, I’ll always straighten it back.” Torren swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple dipping into his thick, tattooed neck. “You’re perfect to me.” He kissed her gently, then eased back by an inch and whispered. “I. Accept. You.”

Chills rippled up her body, and inside she went as warm as magma. It was a strange sensation, but the best feeling she’d ever had.

She didn’t have to be ashamed. She didn’t have to be anyone other than herself with this man. They were both flawed, but lucky for them, both of their demons played well together. And that’s what finding a mate was, right? It was being able to be real with a person. It was giving two middle fingers to that instinct to hide. It was stepping into the light, flaws and all, and staring that man in the eyes and daring him to leave, knowing he wouldn’t. She wasn’t too much for him, and he wasn’t too much for her.

She’d never felt such a sense of belonging than she did right here, in this moment.

He pulled her close, their bare chests creating warmth between them. He slid his hand up her spine to the back of her neck and gripped it, hugged her tight.

With a happy purr, she nuzzled her face to the uninjured side of his neck. And on a whim, she nipped him. Just a hint of teeth, and then she released his throat. My big silverback. My man.

Torren yanked her back, and then his lips crashed onto hers. His hips went graceful, rolling his hard dick against her. She was already wet and prepped for him, so three more pumps, and she was done with playing. Candace lifted slightly, gripped his thick shaft, and slid over him slowly, watching his focus on her intensify as she did.

“Fuuuuck,” Torren rumbled, one hand hard on her hip, guiding her, and one hand gripping the back of her hair.

When he bucked and went deep on the next stroke, Candace was already gone. She took all of him so that he hit her clit just right. The sharp pain was back in her chest, but just for a moment, and then it was that warm sensation. Ecstasy. She rocked faster, kept him deep, teased him as his muscles twitched. He pulled her closer, and he moved against her, hips meeting hers time after time.

He felt so fucking good inside of her. Perfect. Like everything. He really was her match.

Needy sounds escaped her throat every time he bumped that right spot. Torren was being gentle. Oh, she was smashed against him, but he was pure power and could crush her. He was staying in control, being just rough enough to keep it fun.

“Oh, God, Oh, God, Candace!” he gritted out.

And then suddenly, she was flipped to her back on the couch, and Torren was even deeper, thrusting so hard, so fast, ramming her upward until her head was at the arm rest. Holy shit, he was beautiful. Muscles rippling above her, abs flexing against her stomach as he stroked into her. Big rutting beast of a man losing control over her. Faster, faster, deeper, and the sounds in his throat said he was close with her.

He grabbed her hand and slammed it on the armrest above her head, pinning her in a submissive position, but she liked it. She snarled and arched her back as her body exploded around him. Torren yelled out as his dick throbbed hard inside of her, matching her release. It was so intense she closed her eyes and gripped his hand as hard as she could.

And then there was his rough beard against her neck. One second of that, and then there was pain, a sharp, driving ache at the curve where her neck met her shoulder. It was quick and shocking, and her orgasm pulsed harder when she realized what he’d done.

Claiming mark. Holy. Shit. Torren had just claimed her. He’d marked her so the whole world knew she belonged to HavoK. That she belonged to the new Kong. He’d just picked a mate, and this scar was a subtle fuck-you to any gorilla who tried to make him the head of a family group.

He’d picked her instead.

She wanted to cry out his name, just cry and scream in relief, hug him for years, and then have sex again right away, and…and…and…

Torren cupped her head again and lifted her quick, pressed her face against his throat, begging in silence while his dick still pulsed inside of her, filling her with warmth.

She made the mark quick. He’d bled enough today and she didn’t want to shred him, but her tiger wouldn’t let it be a light mark either. She tore his skin right at a blank space in his tattoos so everyone could see it. She made it deep and rough so it would hopefully heal red and angry-looking, so the people who kept coming after him for the throne could see he didn’t belong to the gorillas. He belonged to a rogue tiger who would always have his back, stalking anyone who messed with him. Her claws were his, just like his fists belonged to her. Her teeth were his too, and right now they were the weapon that would tell the world he wasn’t up for grabs.

She released his skin and licked the blood off him because the tiger inside of her required that. She needed to clean him, so she did. Over and over until their orgasms had faded to nothing. Until he relaxed into her animalistic affection. Until he was petting his fingertips down her ribs in comforting strokes. Until his skin fused together and stopped bleeding completely.

And then he finished his part of the promise. Easing back, he cupped her cheek and searched her eyes as he murmured, “I’m not running. I’m here.” He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose…her lips. “I’m right here.”