Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
I wanted to be offended but I had to reluctantly admit he was probably right. Humans weren’t very strong compared with the other sentient species in the galaxy—especially the Brutes. I only had to look at Slade to know that was true. None of the Brutal males was under seven feet tall and all of them had some kind of special attribute or feature they’d gotten from breeding with other space-faring species.
“So the Four Families really have ships patrolling all around the galaxy just to keep the people who pay them safe?” I asked.
Slade offered me a grin.
“Well, I wouldn’t say that’s all the ships are doing—there’s a fair amount of smuggling and other activities the Imperium wouldn’t approve of going on too. But yes, we Brutes take our protection duties seriously. In fact, one of my best friends, Turx, is the captain of his Clan’s fastest ship—he’s always out on patrol.”
“I had no idea,” I said, shaking my head again. It certainly raised Slade in my estimation. I’d had the idea that he was extorting money from people, but if his Clan really was offering them real protection—including my own home world of L’Crist—then maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.
“Now you know,” Slade murmured. Rising from his chair, he came to me and swept me into his arms. “Come on, Princess—let’s get you in the bath and then to bed.”
“All right.” I laid my head on his chest and breathed in his warm, spicy scent. He had given me a lot to think about but for now, I just wanted to be near him and it seemed that Slade felt the same way about me.
39
AURORA
The next morning, for the first time since I had married Slade, I didn’t take the baby-stopper pill.
I thought about it…I even took one bright green pill out of the tray and held it in my hand. But ultimately, I put it back. Why? Well, honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure.
Part of it was that Slade had given me a whole new perspective the night before when he had explained that Clan Cruel wasn’t just extorting money—they really did protect my home world. And part of it was the fact that he was so protective and so thoughtful of me—not to mention determined to give me pleasure. But the biggest part was what had happened between us the night before.
After Slade’s conversation with his father, we had taken a bath together for the first time. Usually it was Slade bathing me, but he had decided to come into the bathtub with me after I begged him to, so I got to have a little fun.
Naked and unashamed, I had straddled my new husband and taken his long shaft in both soapy hands. Looking into his eyes, I had slowly stroked him off, right there in the tub. I kissed him as I worked his shaft and he panted and growled my name, gripping my ass in his big hands as he rocked his hips in time to my rhythm.
Then, just as he was shooting his golden seed, he groaned,
“Gods, Aurora—I fucking love you!”
To say his words shocked me would be an understatement. I almost forgot what I was doing and stopped in mid-stroke. It took me a minute to regain my composure and by the time I did, Slade was finished coming.
I thought he might have said the words in the heat of passion. I had heard other women at Court say men will say or promise anything during sex. But after we dried off and climbed into bed together and Slade pulled me close to his side, I plucked up the courage to ask about it.
“Slade…” I began, tracing a pattern with one finger on his broad chest. My head was resting on his shoulder and his long arm was around me.
“Mmm-hmm?” He sounded half asleep and I almost lost my courage. But then I made myself say,
“Did you mean it? What…what you said in the tub?”
“You mean when I shouted ‘I love you’?” he asked dryly.
He sounded more awake now and I tilted my head up to see that he was looking down at me, his golden eyes glowing in the dim room.
“Yes—that,” I said, nodding. I expected him to put me off or say that he had only been joking but the big Brute surprised me.
“Of course I meant it, baby.” Tilting his head down, he kissed my forehead. “You’re my Fated Mate,” he murmured. “How can I help loving you?”
“I…I don’t know what to say,” I said at last, feeling stunned.
“It’s okay, baby—you don’t have to say anything,” he rumbled. “I understand if you don’t feel the same way…though I hope you will sometime in the future.”
“We haven’t been together that long,” I pointed out. “Barely a week.”
“I’ve been in love with you for years,” Slade said simply. “You’re the only woman in the galaxy—hell, in the whole fucking universe—for me.”