by Dahlia Rose
“Oh you didn’t get enough?” Kofi had no right to be so happy. He hadn’t landed a hit, and it was only because his man took Sam by surprise that Sam had gone down.
Tondi watched the men descend on Sam. Her hit had almost broken her hand. Even if she caused damage to these bastards, there was no way she and Sam could take them all. From the expression on Kofi’s face, he knew that and relished the kill. Her heart hammered in her throat, but she stood beside Sam and raised her fists again.
“Tondi,” Sam and Kofi both said at the same time, a warning in their tone.
Tondi looked at Sam. “Please.”
He sighed and nodded, and she turned to face their enemy. Kofi stepped ahead of his men and drew back a huge, meaty fist. Leaves rained down from the trees all around them. Dark shapes in the shadows thumped on the ground. Everyone froze. Tondi squinted into the darkness then gaped as men and women strode into the clearing—beautiful people. They came in all heights and shapes, although all were fit, and all were blond. She guessed in the light of day, brilliant blue eyes would shine from their faces. None wore clothing, but Tondi found it interesting that snowy white feathers covered the more personal parts of their anatomy.
The group that must have consisted of at least fifty people moved silently into position, surrounding Tondi and company, led by an older woman as lovely as all the rest. Tondi had no doubt that these were Sam’s people, but what she didn’t know was whether they had come to witness his defeat or to help him.
“Why are you here?” Sam demanded.
“They’re yours?” Kofi asked, appearing less confident.
“We cannot allow you to kill him.” The woman gazed in total serenity at Kofi then Sam, and finally at Tondi. Sam reached out to her and thrust her behind his back. She moved to see around his arm. The woman’s brow rose, and Tondi thought she saw comprehension in the woman’s gaze. She’d figured out Tondi’s importance to Sam. Would she and her people turn around and leave again?
Kofi postured. “So what, you’re going to slaughter us?”
The woman blinked at him. “That was your intent a moment ago.”
“Don’t mistake me for a lightweight, lady,” Kofi said. “I can take down five to ten of yours by myself, and so can my men.”
The woman angled her head. “Please try.”
“Hold it!” Sam thrust aside the blond men who had stepped up to Kofi and his people. He glared at the woman. “This is my fight. It’s for my mate.”
Gasps went up among the owl shifters. The woman raised her hand, and they all went silent. “You’re right. Our laws state—”
“I don’t give a damn about your laws,” Sam interrupted. “I said it’s my fight. Period.”
Tondi dug her nails into her palms. She wanted to beg Sam to let them help. At least it would guarantee he wouldn’t be hurt, but she knew it would be at the expense of his pride. Damn men and their egos.
“Very well.” The woman gave the order for the owl shifters to back up. Then she peered hard at Kofi. Kofi sighed and ordered his men to do so as well. In the end, Tondi stood at the edge of the clearing with Fane at her side. Sam faced Kofi alone in the center of the crowd. A fair fight was all she could ask for and hope Sam would be okay.
The first blow landed Sam on the ground with a bloody nose. Tondi started forward, but Fane grabbed her arm. He shook his head when she looked up at him. “Trust him, Tondi. He’ll protect you.”
She ground her teeth. “I told him I would take care of it.”
Fane grinned. “Who do you think will win the argument between you two?”
She blew out a breath and gave in. Sam might be sweet and loving, but he was stubborn. He’d win with a power struggle between the two of them, and hopefully he would win the fight between him and Kofi as well.
The two men went at each other nonstop. Kofi’s first hit on Sam might have landed hard, but Sam seemed to catch on to Kofi’s fighting style. He countered every swing and kick Kofi sent his way and pounded Kofi’s head with a mighty fist and roundhouse kicks. Kofi crashed down to his knees several times. He cracked his back on a tree and even tumbled into the brush before leaping out at Sam in rage. Kofi used his size to try to crush Sam, but to his credit, Sam never retreated once. Even when he took blows, he bounced back and gave as much damage or more than he took.
“Wow,” Fane muttered, “I don’t think I could have taken that. I’m pretty sure I heard bones break, and they’re still at it.”
Tondi winced when she heard the same, her heart aching every time Sam took a hit. “They both probably have cracked ribs, maybe even some broken fingers. We heal pretty fast, but I think mostly, they’re ignoring the pain.”
Fane’s eyes widened. “Incredible. I would have thought they’d turn into their animal forms to fight.”
For the first time since the fight began, Tondi smiled. “Think about it. You’ve seen Sam in owl form. He’s huge. Kofi might be big in human form, but he’s like me. We’re jaegers, only about twenty-three inches in length at the biggest. Sam would stomp him in animal form, and Kofi knows it.”
“Damn.” Fane chuckled. “I would like to see that.”
A cry went up in the crowd, and Tondi turned from Fane to focus on her lover. Sam crouched with a knee in Kofi’s chest and hands around his throat. Kofi flopped for strength to unseat his opponent, but Sam drew back a fist, and with sharp precision and force, cracked Kofi in the jaw. Kofi lost consciousness, and his men advanced on Sam. Sam’s people stepped forward as well, and Tondi ran over to Sam.
“He won fair and square,” Tondi shouted at the men. “Back off.”
One of the men worked his jaw in frustration and bent to tap two fingers on the side of Kofi’s face. Kofi stirred, groaning, and then opened his eyes. His men gathered around him to help him stand. Tondi tried to step in front of Sam, but he captured her around the waist and drew her back to his side.
“Are you okay, Sam?” She tried to examine his hand, but he pulled away, his gaze focused on Kofi and his men. Tondi sensed the tension in him. He remained coiled, ready to fight on if need be. She had no intention of standing on the sidelines if Kofi decided he would ignore the loss and attack Sam with his men.
“We can probably take them, Kofi,” one of his men said in a low tone, as if everyone besides Fane couldn’t hear him.
“Are you stupid?” Kofi growled and shook the guy’s hold away. “It’s over. I lost.”
Tondi never expected to hear such sorrow from Kofi. He almost convinced her he had cared about her, and she wasn’t just another conquest or a stepping-stone to get closer to her father.
Kofi walked over to Sam, but his stance wasn’t threatening. Tondi felt Sam relax a little at her side.
“You better take care of her, or you’ll answer to me.”
Sam raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and Kofi swung away without even a glance in Tondi’s direction. He and his men pushed through the crowd of owl shifters and soon left the clearing. Sam hitched his shoulders and winced in pain. “Let’s go.”
“Aren’t you going to talk to…um…” she began.
Sam’s gaze raked over the older woman as he turned away. He held Tondi’s hand to tug her in the direction he had left the car, and Fane followed. Tondi looked back at the shifters. They drifted out of the clearing, and she picked up the flap of wings in the air overhead. Not even a thanks from Sam. He would not forgive them. Maybe not ever, so Tondi gave them her silent appreciation and hoped they understood.
Chapter Nine
Tondi handed Sam a beer and watched as he took a sip and set the bottle on the nightstand. He started unbuttoning his shirt, and she sat down beside him to help. He covered her hands to stop her movements.
“I’m fine, Tondi.”
“I know, but…” She bit her lip when his shoulders and chest came into view. A dark purple bruise spread across the expanse of his left shoulder down onto his chest. She gasped. “You’re not fine. Maybe you should—”
“It’s mending.”
He allowed her to ease the shirt off, and she tossed it to a chair before turning back to him. “We had a doctor, a shifter, who worked with us. I wish I could call him, but I doubt he would come since he answers to my father.”
“Don’t worry.”
“You say that, but it’s my fault you were tossed around like a sock puppet.”
Sam chuckled, and she couldn’t hold back her smile.
“This sock puppet won the fight, didn’t he?” he said, and stroked her cheek. “Now he understands.”
“That I’m yours?”
His blue eyes flashed. “Yes, you are.”
She tilted her head, teasing him, and emotion swelled in her chest. “I’ll make it up to you as soon as you’re better.”
Sam stood up and undid his pants. She locked her gaze on the front of his boxers and then shook her head. He was in no condition to have sex. He needed his rest, and she would make sure he got it. She stood as well and started for the bathroom. “Let me run you a hot bath. I brought some crystals over that I think will ease out the kinks.”
Sam caught her wrist and jerked her back to him. She fell against his chest and frowned that he’d made her hurt him.
“Look what you did. Sam, let go.”
“You’re going to make it up to me now.”
His cock twitched against her lower belly, and she bit off a moan. “You’re in no condition for sex. Your shoulder…”
“Is better. The broken bones are mostly healed.”
She pulled away, studying him. “We heal fast, but not that fast. I don’t believe you.”
“Would you believe I need to make love to you to get better?”
“Heck no.”
Sam spun her around and spooned her ass. She tried breaking free of his hold and failed. He nuzzled her neck, kissed it, and ran his tongue along the column, sending chills racing up and down her spine.
His breath warmed her skin just before he spoke, and his hand slid between her legs, cupping her mound through her jeans. “Would you believe I’m not taking no for an answer?”
Tondi covered his hand and squeezed even as she commanded herself to pull his hand away and get some space between them. She was being selfish. Sam was in pain because he’d fought to get her free. “I can’t resist you. I want to be strong.”
“Be strong with me.”
“Sam.”
He sighed and let her go. She scooted across the room.
“I’ll run the water.”
After Sam had soaked awhile, he insisted she join him, and she climbed into his oversized tub. The jets of water from the sides soothed her body even though she wasn’t sore. Sitting at the opposite end from Sam, she watched him, and he rubbed his legs against hers as he rested with his eyes closed. She might have gotten him to back off for now, but something told her it wouldn’t be all night.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He peered through slitted eyes at her. “Why?”
“It was like you freed me. I know Kofi will respect that he lost the fight, and he’ll leave me alone. So I wanted to say thanks.”
He crooked a finger at her. “Come here.”
“Sam.”
“I’m a lot better. Look.” He pointed to his shoulder, and she was surprised to see the bruise had faded. By morning, she doubted any sign of it would remain.
“Wow, you do heal faster than we do.”
He winked and raised an eyebrow. She shifted to her knees and crawled toward him. When she stopped in front of him, he raised one of her hands from the tub floor to lie on his cock. The shaft was rock solid beneath the water’s surface. Tondi’s pussy pulsed with a need to be filled. When Sam indicated she should climb aboard, she abandoned the protests.
“Never tell me thank you again,” Sam said, firmness in his tone and bearing. “I did what I’m supposed to do.”
“But I’m grateful.”
He tapped her ass with his fingertips, not even a sting to the spanking. She accepted his words and leaned on his chest. Sam raised her hips and brought her down on his cock. The velvety tool parted her folds and eased inside. She murmured his name and struggled for breath.
“Lean back. Let me hold you,” he instructed, and she followed his direction.
Sam’s strength even fresh from a fight blew her mind. He balanced her while she leaned away from him and ground against his cock. He groaned in pleasure and touched her clit. She spasmed on his lap.
“Play with it,” he ordered.
She reached between her legs and massaged her clit. Sam watched, so she used one hand on her clit and the other to tease a nipple. His eyes widened, but he never took them off her. She rode faster and faster. Their bodies slapping together sent water over the edge of the tub, but Sam didn’t care and neither did she. An orgasm tightened the muscles in her core, making her scream, but Sam wouldn’t allow her to stop riding his cock. He raised one of her legs so it hung over the side of the tub, increased his grip on her hip, and arched deep and hard. He pushed up to her, filled her pussy to capacity, and drew back only to come forging into her heat again and again. An aftershock rocked her, and then Sam thrust in and held still. Hot come flooded her pussy, and she collapsed on his chest.
A moment later, Sam swore and jerked out of her. She realized their mistake in an instant and sat up straight. “Oh crap.”
He frowned, and she wondered if he blamed her. Talk about complicating a man’s life the second she met him.
“I’ll take care of it.”
She climbed off his lap and moved to the opposite side of the tub, hugging her belly as if a baby already grew there. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t mean kill my child!”
Offense radiated off him, and she recalled his past. Of course he wouldn’t. He stood up and stepped over the side of the tub, grabbed a towel, and held it for her. She joined him and let him cocoon her in the warm, fuzzy folds. Sam dried himself, and the two of them soon settled in his bed. At first, she lay on her side all stiff and nervous, but Sam wouldn’t have any of that. He reached across to drag her to him and tucked her into his side. She buried her face in his neck. His delicious scent soothed her.
After some time in silence, he turned to the bedside table, opened the drawer, and retrieved a condom. He snapped it into place and rolled atop her. Tondi welcomed him by spreading her legs, and let him sink into her pussy. She moaned as they came together slow and easy. Sam’s big chest flattened her breasts, and he reached beneath her legs to raise them high.
Their lovemaking was soft and quiet. They took their time exploring each other’s bodies. Tondi worried about Sam’s health, but loved every touch and taste. He leaned up enough to suck her nipples, but not so much that he slipped out of her. She arched her back, wanting more and more. If they could stay this way forever and Sam could make her come endlessly, she wouldn’t complain for a second.
Her lover brought her to multiple orgasms over the next couple of hours and came a second time himself. Afterward, he disposed of the used condom. When he had turned off all the lights, he lay beside her, but she made out his handsome face in the darkness as he studied hers.
“I love you, Tondi.”
She gasped. “Sam, it’s—”
He laid a finger over her lips. “If you have my baby, I’ll be happy. I’ll try to be the best father I can be.”
“You’d make an excellent daddy.”
His hand moved to her belly. “Not yet. I want you to learn to trust me.”
“I trust you,” she protested.
He said nothing, and she knew why. Her dad had tried to run her life, and she had escaped. If she were where she needed to be mentally and emotionally, she might have stayed and told him where to go—him and Kofi. She realized as much as she cared about Sam, she feared leaning on him. Only time would change that view. Hopefully, they hadn’t made a baby yet. She wasn’t the only one with the need to grow and heal. Sam held a strong grudge against his people.
In his words about being a good father, she’d heard defiance, too, a strike out against the owl shifters. She and Sam would learn about each other and love each other. They would grow and heal, and when the time was right, she would have his children. Knowing that such an exciting and wonderful future awaited, she couldn’t help but be excited.
“I love you too, Sam.”
* * * *
Tondi climbed out of bed yawning and feeling a little lonely. Sam had left earlier for the restaurant and let her sleep in. She’d told him he needed to rest, but as usual, the man didn’t listen. Well, she would go down there to make sure he wasn’t overdoing it. From the state of his injuries after a night of lovemaking, she didn’t doubt he was fine, but a woman couldn’t turn off her emotions with logic.
She grinned as she thought about Sam and stepped into the shower. After she was dressed, she headed to the restaurant in Sam’s SUV. He had told her he would get Fane to pick him up. With thoughts of Fane, she recalled Zuria. How was she taking the news of Sam being a shifter and Fane knowing about it? Tondi got her answer when she strode into the coffee shop side of Fane and Sam’s business to discover Fane standing behind the counter with a cup in his hand and staring at nothing. Misery radiated off him, and he didn’t even crack a smile when one of the female patrons flirted with him.
An arm came around Tondi’s waist from behind, and she settled against Sam’s chest. “Is he going to be okay? Maybe you should talk to him, Sam.”
Sam gave her a squeeze and moved to help a customer. She rolled her eyes at his back and sighed. Then she crossed to Fane. At least he acknowledged her with a nod. She moved around the counter to grab his arm and drag him to the back.
“Hey!” Dixie Ann’s annoyance marred her overly made up face. Tondi offered her a smile and nothing more, but took Fane into the kitchen. When they were alone, she faced him, hands on her hips.
“So how long are you going to mope, Fane? Go get your woman.”