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I was pretty sure it already did.

His hand reached down, cupping my sex. “Mine.” His fingers barely moved, but he did something with the runes that had me gasping out his name, vision fuzzy as I came again.

His eyes were intense now, angry. “Say it.”

“Yours.”

I knew he was done when he whispered my name and began to suck on my breasts, all semblance of the ritual overtaken by stark, powerful intention.

He was naked, robe gone, straddling one of my thighs while pushing the other high over his shoulder. He’d stopped time again.

We needed to set up some ground rules for this little trick of his. Later.

He came into me like he was splitting me open, claiming me in one heavy thrust. It was too intense, the cool sensation of the runes and his huge, hot girth overwhelming, and I screamed. And came.

He was just getting started.

I awoke to near darkness. All that kept the room from being pitch black was the golden glow still emitting from me.

I was naked, lying on a warm chest with a familiar steady heartbeat.

His hand pulling out of my hair was the only proof I had that he’d been stroking it while I slept.

I sat up, straddling his stomach, my hands on his chest.

This hostility, this never ending standoff, had to end. And tonight I was feeling brave enough to try.

“Dom,” I said softly, stroking his cheek.

“What?” he said gruffly, his voice showing no hint of sleep, because clearly he hadn’t been sleeping.

“I’m waiting,” I paused.

“For what? I’m pretty sure I’ve given you all I’ve got for at least another hour.”

I was pretty sure he was selling himself short there, but I tried to stay on topic. “Not that. I’m waiting for the blowup.”

“Which blowup would that be?”

I sighed. I didn’t want to say his name, in case that set Dom off in and of itself. “Henri.”

“What about Henri?”

“You’re not going to kill him in a jealous rage?”

“I might kill him if he doesn’t learn some manners fast, but I’m not jealous of Henri.”

I studied him. His tone had been firm, convincing. “Really?” I asked.

“Henri is not a threat. What you had was a long time ago, and the spark is clearly gone from your end. You left him without looking back. I hate that anyone but me has ever touched you, but that’s never been the thing that sets me off.”

“You sound so reasonable for someone who’s been jealous of Christian on more than one occasion.”

“You don’t see it? The way you champion him? Of course I’m jealous of a man you keep close to you even when you push me away. Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot.”

I saw his point then with crystal clarity. When we were together, there was nothing and no one he’d choose to keep close over me. It had been worrisome, that devotion. I was not a suitable mate for someone higher up in the druid hierarchy, and someone with his power had to either rise or die in such a society. Messed up as it had been, I’d left him in part to help him rise. “Touché. If it’s any consolation I didn’t want to leave you. I’m still not sure how I found the will to do it. I thought it was what was necessary for both of us to survive.”

His voice was low and harsh, “Don’t you know I would’ve happily died for you?”