Her nose filled with his scent that lingered on the pillows, she huddled under the covers to finally rest, her mind reaching for him.
When she emerged from sleep, her body felt so heavy she thought she’d never move again. A thick fog filled her mind, and it took time to figure out where she was and what had happened. When Malco came to mind, she jerked, trying to get from under the cover, and when an arm tightened around her, her heart stopped, and she screamed.
“Easy, Frida, it’s me.”
The low growl quickly registered as Malco. This time, she didn’t fight to get away but turned toward him.
He lay above the covers, partly pinning her down. From what she could see, he’d showered, but cuts and bruises marred his face. He favored his good side, the dressing stark white against his olive skin. He looked both exhausted and sleepy, but his eyes were clear, shining like polished onyxes on her.
“You’re here. How are you? And Alex?” Her fingers touched his face, detailing the damage.
“Alex is still at the hospital. He’s better, but they want to run a few more tests, do a scan to check there’s no other damage. They wanted me to stay overnight, but as soon as I knew you were here, I needed to be with you.”
“Why didn’t you wake me when you arrived home?”
This time, it was his hand that touched her cheek and followed a strand of her dark hair down her neck. “You were asleep, and you needed rest, so did I. You’ve been under for more than twelve hours.”
The shock of his words had her wide awake. “What? I set my phone to wake me hours ago.”
“And I turned it off. Mason told me the amount of work you accomplished, including that press conference and the endless string of meetings. You’ve barely eaten. I contacted Chief Randall, and he agreed to leave you alone until you take care of yourself a little. If an emergency arises, he has my number.”
Frida leaned against the headboard. “I’m fitter than you at the moment. How could you take over my case like that?” She was only half-mad at him, but from the flare of heat in his eyes, Malco was fully annoyed.
When he crawled up to confront her, there wasn’t any sign of weakness or pain in him.
“I’ll do what I believe is right to take care of you, especially when you ignore your own basic needs.”
“And am I allowed the same worry?”
She cupped his whiskered cheek. His skin was hot, and her eyes wandered over his body. He was only wearing black boxer briefs and had removed his prosthetic leg, which warmed her heart. There weren’t any barriers between them. They could disagree and even be angry at each other, but she didn’t fear him.
Tears filled her eyes as she spoke, allowing herself to be vulnerable in front of him. “You were taken away in front of my eyes, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I wished I had a gun to kill Kasten, so you’d be safe. When he said I had to drop all the investigation to save you, I wanted to do it. With all my being, I wanted to save you, and I couldn’t.” Tears flowed down her face, but it was impossible to stop them. “When I decided that I had to continue, it felt like I was signing your death warrant. If you hadn’t escaped, if he had killed you, I…” Words failed her as the full impact of her fear for the man she loved hit her for the first time.
Malco, who’d listened to her intently, stopped the rest of her words by kissing her. He was still wounded and should be the one taking it easy, but Frida needed this contact like she needed her next breath. He pulled the covers off her, and she shivered, not only from the cool air but also from pure lust as his free hand cupped her breast.
His tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, and she yielded, her own hands scouring every inch of him, mindful of his wounds and bruises until she reached and squeezed his perfect ass.
Seeming to forget his own soreness, Malco knelt between her thighs but winced as the wound at his side pulled at him, breaking the kiss on a hiss.
“Maybe you should rest. We can wait, love.”
But he shook his head. “I want you more than I feel the pain.”
So did she, and knew it would be nearly impossible to convince him otherwise, so she shifted until she was on her knees, forcing him to lie under her. His expression lightened when he realized what she intended to do, and a smile slowly eased his features, making her smile in return.
“And all I want is for you not to feel pain, but pleasure. So, let me take the lead on this one.”
Now straddling him, her sex rubbed against him a few times as she gathered her courage. It was the first time she’d displayed herself like this to his gaze and had never felt so self-conscious in her life. What gave her confidence was how he licked his lips while his eyes roamed her body. His hands kneaded her thighs until she finally took his erection and guided him until she had him deep inside her. The feeling of fullness and friction was sublime, and a moan purred out of her before she realized it.
“Move, Frida. Move for me, make me see stars too.”
His rough command was undeniable, and even if she had the upper hand, it was impossible to deny him.
Pleasure rose sure and fast, and when he snuck his fingers between her legs and started a slow rub around her clit, making her head spin, she had to put her
