I swallow hard as I straddle him. Then Kenji hands me the needle already threaded.
“This is more daunting with you staring at me,” I tell Kai, staring into his eyes.
“You’re doing amazing, babe. I’ll close my eyes if you want.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay.”
I feel his hands on my hips, rubbing up and down the sides of my thighs. It’s soothing.
Here he is with a bullet hole in him and he’s soothing me.
Steeling myself, I lean over, starting the stitch the way I watched Kenji. It takes several nerve-wracking minutes, but thankfully the front hole was smaller and took less time. When I finally finish the stitch, Kenji hands me back a wet cloth.
“Press it on each stitch to disinfect again then we can put gauze over it so he can take a shower.”
Nodding, I do as he asks, finally satisfied when it’s done and my man is all bandaged up.
“Thank you, princess,” Kai says quietly.
“Always. You protect me while I take care of you. It’s a partnership.”
He nods. “Partners for life, baby. I promise.”
“You two kids get cleaned up. I’m going to check the perimeter, then check in with our guys. I’ll be back later. And Cleo, make sure those bandages don’t get wet.”
After Kenji leaves, Kai leans his forehead on my chest.
“What do you need?” I ask him, running my hands through his hair.
“You.”
“You have me. How do I make you feel better?”
He pulls back, his eyes locked on mine. “Love me.”
“I do. I love you so much,” I promise him.
His lips turn up. “I love you too, princess. You consume me. All my thoughts center around you.”
“That sounds terrible. Like I’m a disease.”
“Not at all.” He leans forward, pressing his lips to mine. “You breathe life into me. You give me a reason to live. I’ve become as deadly as I have because I have always taken unnecessary risks for the thrill of it. I’m ruthless because I have no concept of mortality. Until you, that is. You make me want to live. You give me a reason to come home each night. You are now my reason for everything.”
“You sound obsessed,” I tease.
“I am utterly obsessed with you and have been since the moment I stepped out of the shadows in that hall all those months ago.”
“Why did you?” I ask him, curiosity getting the best of me.
“At first? I wanted to fuck with your family. I was surprised when you walked away alone. I had Kenji distract your guard so I could play with you. I expected you to scream. To cause a scene, but you surprised me.”
I smile at the memory. “I was scared out of my mind, but you also made my body feel things. I didn’t know how to process it. I think you short-circuited my brain.”
He chuckles. “When you kissed me, I knew one taste would never be enough. When you stepped in front of me to protect me from the head of the Westies? I was done for. It wasn’t until you confessed your virginity to me that my brain put a word to it.Mine.From that moment on, you became mine. Irrevocably.”
“Is that when you became mine as well?”
His smile is sweet. “I was yours the moment I laid my eyes on you at that fundraiser. Walking around talking to all those men looking like a fucking angel. I never stood a chance against you, princess.”
