“I love you,” I said.
He reared back slightly. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.”
“I’ve never been in love before, and who’s to say what I feel for you isn’t love. You’re everything to me, Wilder, and if that isn’t love, what is? So I do mean it.” I couldn’t imagine living without Wilder, couldn’t bear the thought of not waking up next to him. “I never want to be parted from you. You’re mine, baby, body, mind and soul. There’s not an inch of you that doesn’t belong to me.”
His smile was wide and bright. “Say it again.”
“Which bit?” I said with a grin.
He slapped my chest playfully. “I love you.”
I pressed my lips against his in a kiss that soon turned filthy. “I love you, baby.”
Wilder nipped at my bottom lip hard enough to slice my skin. “I love you too, kitten.”
Then he lunged forwards and slanted his mouth over mine. I swiped my hands up the length of his spine, settling one on the back of his neck, and the other between his shoulder blades. He thrust his tongue deep into my mouth and I let him take control. He explored my mouth, licking his way along my tongue all the way to the back of my teeth. It was a dirty kiss. All tongue and teeth, wet and sharp.
“You do know this is my kitchen.”
We froze at the intrusion, Wilder’s mouth hovering above mine, his breath ghosting across my lips.
I looked over Wilder’s shoulder and found Benji sat at the table, his chin in his hand and a smug little smirk on his face. “Isn’t it Damyr’s kitchen?”
“Meh, semantics,” he said, waving away my question.
Wilder turned around in my lap and settled against my chest.
“Jesus, fuck!” Benji blurted. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Huh?” Wilder said, and I found it adorable he’d forgotten about the bruise on his face.
I bit along Wilder’s jawline. “I think he’s admiring the bruise on your face.”
“Oh,” Wilder said with a nervous laugh.
“And the tattoo,” Benji said, pointing at Wilder’s throat. “What the hell has that idiot done to you?”
“Careful now, little bird,” I said, my voice low and threatening.
“Nothing I didn’t want or ask for,” Wilder said as he straightened his spine.
Benji’s gaze stuttered as he looked between us, taking in the possessive way my hands clasped Wilder’s hips and whatever he could make out in those violet eyes I loved so much.
He eventually held his hands up placatingly and sat back in his chair. “Whatever floats your boat. At least let me get you some arnica cream for your face, Wilder. That bruise looks sore.”
“Might be worth investing in some to keep at our apartment,” I said. I should probably get some ready to go suture kits as well. Just in case.
Wilder looked back at me over his shoulder, a supercilious curve to his brow. “Our apartment? I didn’t think I’d agreed to move in with you yet.”
I grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “You said you love me. You have no choice now.”
“Byron,” he groaned, but there was no real resistance in his tone. He was going to move in with me. Besides, I’d already arranged to have all his things moved from his house to my apartment. Sure, it’d be tidy once Damyr’s men had finished sorting through the wreckage, it would also be empty.
“This all looks very cosy,” Damyr said as he strolled in to join us. He kissed the top of Benji’s head and sat in the seat next to him. He slid a manilla envelope over to Wilder. “This just arrived for you.”
Wilder flinched as he looked at it.
“What is it?” I asked as I took in the letter.