“I don’t think he wants to hurt her,” Katya said calmly. “Do you?”
Gabriel, dragged out by Honor and who was still holding onto his arm, was scowling at the door too. “Katya, I respect you, you know that. But I don’t think you know what the fuck you’re talking about. Eva is vulnerable and—”
“Actually,” Katya cut across him coolly, “Eva is stronger than Zac. Stronger than either of you two as well. I know a soldier when I see one, Gabriel. Eva King is a soldier and she’s more than a match for Zac.”
Honor said nothing, but Katya saw the other woman smile then roll her eyes in Gabriel’s direction.
Alex was shaking his head. “No. That bastard needs—”
Calmly Katya reached into her jacket and pulled out her Springfield. “Take a step toward that door and I’ll shoot you myself.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
“Fuck’s sake,” Gabriel said with some disgust. “We’re just looking out for Eva, okay?”
Honor slid an arm around Gabriel’s waist. “Katya’s right, Gabe. Eva can look out for herself. In fact…” She smiled. “I’ll lay money on the fact that Zac is on his knees right at this very moment.”
“A thousand bucks and you have a bet,” Alex said instantly, then raised an eyebrow at Katya. “Though maybe Zac’ll have her on her knees. I’ve heard some things about him that’ll—”
“Right. That does it,” Gabriel interrupted. “Half an hour, then we’re going in.”
From behind the door, came the sound of a gasp. It didn’t sound like pain.
Satisfied, Katya stared at the two men and raised a brow. “Are you sure about that?”
Gabriel glanced at Alex. “Maybe we could leave it a bit longer.”
“An hour,” Alex agreed. “At least.” He paused, then frowned. “They’d better not be getting any wine on my fucking rug.”
* * *
She reached up and pulled him down onto the couch with her, opening her mouth beneath his, kissing him hot and demanding. This time there were no punishments or consequences or orders. Only the frantic need to get rid of the barriers between them, warm skin against warm skin, mouth to mouth, hands reaching, touching, caressing.
There was a minor frustration when both of them realized neither one of them had any protection, but then Zac remembered where they were and that Alex, always the gracious host, usually had a stash of condoms somewhere. Finding some in the drawer in one of the side tables, he brought it back to the couch and let her roll it on him.
Then he lay back and lifted her, sliding her down onto him, sheathing himself in the slick, wet heat of her body.
Fuck, she felt so good. The rightness of it made him want to be still, savor the feeling of connection with her.
Her fingers moved over his chest and he let them, craving the touch. Then they paused over the angel he’d had tattooed over his heart, the one he’d gotten the night he’d first met her.
“An angel,” she said softly, tracing the outline of the figure.
He reached up and covered her hand, pressing her palm against the tattoo, feeling the heat of it brand him.
She met his gaze, her eyes as bright as stars. “Is … that me?”
“Yes.”
“I have a sword.”
He smiled. “How else are you supposed to protect me?”
“Zac…”
He reached up, slid his hand through her hair, cupping the back of her head, drawing her head down for a kiss. “Not now,” he murmured against her mouth. “Tell me you love me again. I want to hear it.”
“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”
“Show me.”
And this time when the dragon began to rise, he let it.
Because this time the dragon was love.
EPILOGUE
Violet Fitzgerald hated the subway, but she took it precisely because she knew how much it annoyed both her parents. They seemed to think that a Fitzgerald should be above riding in such common things as buses and subway cars. Even taxis were, to some extent, verboten.
Which meant Violet took great pleasure in riding only the subway. In New York’s traffic, it was silly not to anyway.
Across the subway car from her, a man sat slumped against the windows. He looked drunk and was muttering under his breath. Several people had already given him a wide berth, and Violet was debating the merits of changing carriages at the next stop.
There were too many weirdoes; that was the problem.
The subway rattled around a corner and the lights flickered, the darkness on the outside pressing in.
Not long now.
The train began to slow and Violet got to her feet, moving to the doors, her heart thumping, impatient to get off.