Surrender To Me

WE WERE over an hour late for dinner. Bianca only gave me a knowing smile when we walked in before pulling me into a fierce hug.

“I’m so glad to see you looking and feeling better.” “I do,” I replied with a smile.

“Now, show me this rock my brother got you.”

I showed her my ring finger, tilting it side to side so the light would catch the blue fire of the stone.

“Damn, Bane, you must love this woman.”

He wrapped an arm around my waist, dropping a kiss on my shoulder. “More than my own life,” he told his sister.

His words made me glow with love. “It’s more than I wanted,” I told Bianca. “But Bane has a stubborn streak a mile wide.”

She chuckled. “Don’t I know it? And don’t even bother to try and deter him from buying you things.” She gestured to her house. “See? I mentioned I loved this house once, and he goes and buys it for me.” She shook her head and turned around. “Come into the kitchen. Dinner will take a little while to heat back up.”

I grimaced. “I’m sorry we were late. We-”

“I was screwing my fiancee like she deserves to be,” Bane cut in. I shot him a glare, and he grinned.

I looked at Bianca helplessly, but she only laughed. “I remember when James and I were like that, always wanting to get naked and fuck.”

“Please,” Bane said, a little pained. “I do not need to know about you and James fucking.”

“And why not?” James said, walking into the kitchen with Valentine in his arms. “If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have our gorgeous girl here.” Passing her to Bane, he added, “Hold her for a bit. She’s missed you.”

Bane became putty in Valentine’s presence, his complete focus on her.

“Congratulations,” James said softly.

I spun to face him, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. “Thank you.”

“Would you like some wine?”

“I’d love some.” I looked back at Bane to find him deep in a game of peekaboo with his niece. I trailed after James, smiling when he handed me a glass of red wine. “I never got to say thank you, James.”

He paused with his bottle of beer almost at his mouth. “Thank you?”

“For saving me that day… from the warehouse.”

He took a sip of his drink, and ten plathen the bottle down. “I was just doing my job, Wren.”

Shaking my head, I tried to keep the tears at bay, but it was a battle I had no hope of winning. They came, making him step closer and rest a hand on my forearm.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, glancing at Bane to see if he’d noticed. He’d become overprotective since I’d been discharged from the hospital, and if he saw me crying again, he was liable to lose his shit at his brother-in-law. “I can’t help but feel so guilty. Three of your colleagues died in that explosion.”

James looked over his shoulder at his wife, who was stirring a pot of sauce. When his eyes returned to me, he said, “Hey, don’t feel guilty for that. They were just doing their job. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to miss every single one of them, but they knew what they were doing. Every time we go out on a job, we know what we’re risking.”

I wanted to believe what he was saying but discovered I’d been having these real lows where guilt would crash over me. Bane usually made love to me until the feeling passed, but being with James now brought it all home.

Bianca would’ve been a widow if things had been different.

Valentine would’ve lost her father.

I wouldn’t be here if things had been different.

I felt the weight and familiarity of Bane’s arm around my waist, his scent swirling in the air. “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes serious.

I nodded. “Yes, just having a low moment.”

“You might want to think about getting some therapy,” James said. “Some of the guys at work… some that were on that job, are seeing the departmental shrink, and they’ve all been much happier lately.”

It wasn’t a terrible idea at all. “Okay. I’ll look into it.” Shaking myself, I tried to move past the crushing weight I felt in my chest and focused on what was happening now. “And how is Miss Valentine?” I asked, stroking the little girl’s cheeks. Her mouth flexed into a small smile.

“Why don’t you hold her?” Bane suggested, already positioning her so I could take her. I wasn’t comfortable with kids, with babies even less so. I was always worried I’d drop them. Bane nodded in encouragement when I stared at him with wide eyes.

“Okay.” As I accepted the small bundle, I stared down at her face, waiting for the tears. She stared up at me with her calm midnight-blue eyes, and I wondered what the fuss was all about.

“You look good with a baby,” Bianca commented, and I jerked my head up to stare at her.

“No, I don’t think so,” I replied too quickly. My gaze flickered to Bane who was staring at me, watching me with an intensity that made my breath catch.

Clearing my throat, I handed Valentine back to him. Leaning in, he whispered into my ear, “I can’t fucking wait to see your belly swelling with my baby.”

I shivered, taking another sip of my wine. Babies were never supposed to be in my future. It wasn’t what I wanted, and I think that all stemmed from my childhood. I was terrified of leaving them alone out in the world. Hawk and I had to fight for every scrap, and that was something I never wanted a child of mine to endure. As I looked at Bane, I realized any children we did have wouldn’t ever be left wanting. Bane had more than enough money to last him a half-dozen lifetimes, and if anything were to happen to us, Bianca and James would be there, of that I was sure.

“So, have you made any wedding plans yet?” Bianca asked me while moving back into the kitchen. She pulled open the oven and brought out a tray of lasagna. The scent of oregano and garlic filled the air.

“No. None yet.”

She gave me a warm smile. “You weren’t one of those girls who dreamed of their perfect wedding either?”

“God, no. I was focused on surviving.”

“I’ll help you if you like. I may not have planned it out when I was a kid, but I sure got into the wedding spirit after James proposed.”

Taking another sip from my wine, I nodded. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

When Valentine began to fuss, James went and took her to bed, leaving Bane and me sitting together in the family room while Bianca prepared some salads. He pulled me down onto his lap, resting one hand on my thigh and the other around my waist.

“Did you want to have children?”

“I hadn’t thought about it too much,” I replied. “What about you?”

“I didn’t until I just saw you with Valentine. You have no idea how much of a turn-on it was to see you holding her.” Picking up my hand, he placed it on his cock. I ran my fingers along his hard length, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in his head. His fingers tightened on my thigh before sweeping higher.

He stared at me when he felt my bare pussy. “You little minx,” he whispered roughly, biting down on my earlobe.

Sucking in a gasp, I wiggled in his lap. “You said you wanted access to me tonight.”

His knuckle brushed against my pussy, making me bite my lip. Sensations sparked across my skin, but I had to remind myself to stay quiet. Another languid sweep of his hand parted my folds, his finger circling my clit.

“I want you to come,” he said, his eyes dark and demanding. “I want to feel you on my fingers.” He pushed the digits into my slick heat, and I bit his shoulder to keep the groan in. He pumped his fingers, each time hitting that tight bundle of nerves that would send me over the edge in pleasure.

Quickly, I looked over my shoulder to find Bianca had left the kitchen.

“She’s gone to help James,” Bane said, sucking on my neck. “Come on my fingers, Little Bird.”

He crooked his finger inside me, shoving me into bliss. I came apart around his hand, staring in wonder at the man who controlled my body with little more than a touch and filthy words. He slammed his mouth to mine, possessing me with his kiss.

“Good girl, Little Bird.”

He continued to kiss me until I was begging for him to make me come again. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I broke the kiss and pressed my forehead to his.

“I love you, Bane.”

“I love you, too, baby.”

“And I can’t wait to be your wife. I’ve had enough heartache in my life to know that you make me happy.”

He kissed my eyelids, and I knew he was recalling the time when they’d been swollen shut. He’d told me he’d missed seeing my eyes, staring at me, and never wanted me to suffer like that again. I couldn’t have agreed more.

“I can’t wait to have a family with you either.”

“Me, too,” I whispered. Because I knew I’d found my home. After drifting for so long, I’d finally gotten to a place I wanted to be.

And that was with Bane by my side.