She decided to be honest. “I don’t know what to do or say to my parents about Merry. I mean, it’s not like we’ve been close like sisters who grew up together, but she was still my sister. I feel like I should be—sadder or something. Not about to be with you like this.”
Ridge wrapped his arms around her, surrounding her in his warmth. “Everyone processes things differently. I can’t say how I would feel in your shoes, but I can say I thought your sister was a selfish bitch who was prepared to kill you for her own gain. I saw how she treated you before and during her wedding and was appalled. If that was any indication to how she’d been to you, then I’d say she wasn’t a good person.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks at the loss of her family. “My mom and d-dad are going to hate me now. They’ll blame me and then leave me. I’ll have nobody,” she cried hating the weakness.
Ridge wrapped his arms around her, kissing away the wetness on her cheeks. “First, you will never be alone. You have me and the Crew, and the crazy that is Zelda and the others in Assjacket. Second, you are not to blame for the fact your sister had to be put down. She was a psychotic bitch who tried to kill you. Third, if you want me to speak with your family, I will.”
The idea of Ridge handling her parents in a similar fashion as he’d dealt with Carlton, made knots form in her stomach. They’d been nothing but good to her since she’d escaped.
“Katjie, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. However, I will not allow anyone to hurt you, verbally, physically, or mentally. If your parents do any of those things, I will have them removed from your life. They will still live, just not anywhere near you or us. You’re mine to love, mine to protect, mine to grow old with and create beautiful witchy leopard babies with.”
The breath she’d began to exhale stilled. Tiny little bundles with his coloring and her eyes appeared in her mind’s eye. Oh, Goddess be, she could see them as if they were right there. “I want that with you.”
“Then it will be. You only need to say the word. Until you’re ready, I’ll ensure we, you, are protected. I don’t want to do or say anything to hurt you or us.”
The steel-hard length of his erection prodded her stomach. “Hmm, well, I think you are set for failure, my love. That thing is surely gonna hurt.” She tried to make light of it, when in reality it was nothing but the truth.
Ridge’s hands trailed from her shoulders to her hips and down to cup her ass, lifting her up. “Wrap your legs around me, love.”
She did as he instructed. Instinct told her she could trust this man, this leopard with her very life and that of their future children.
“Good, Katjie. Now, you just relax and let me take care of you. I promise to always ensure your pleasure. If ever you’re scared, you say the word, and we’ll work through it. I’ll always follow your lead; you’re my better half, and I’ll follow you down just to make sure I can lift you back up.” He closed his mouth over hers, silencing anything she would’ve said.
Noelle had no words; other than good Goddess he was perfect.
The cool sheets met her back, a contrast to her excessively hot body. Ridge kissed her, his tongue slipping between her lips like a master, tasting like mint from her magical cleansing. Noelle kept her arms wrapped around his shoulders, scraping her nails along his smooth flesh. She tilted her head to the side so Ridge could go deeper. He moaned and did just as she’d silently wanted, and she, Goddess she loved it.
How could he be so sweet and soft with her, yet hard and unyielding with everyone else. He was everything and more than she’d ever hoped for.
She sighed as he pulled away, biting her lip, her gaze roaming the flesh looming over her. Goodness, he loomed so damn good. She wanted to feel pressing on her again. Arching her back to entice him to come back down, the action had her breasts brushing his chest. He grunted, the sound of his leopard, and then he was kissing her again, desperately. She kissed him back every bit as hard, her body on fire, her nipples feeling like hard little points each time he moved his chest against hers.
Ridge reached behind her, pulling her arms off him, panting. His panther eyes were wild before they slammed closed. “Wait, Katjie,” he panted.
Noelle froze. “What did I do wrong?”
His eyes were still tightly closed, his breathing rapid, Ridge licked his lips then he opened those bright-blue eyes. “I want to mate you, mark you, make you mine forever. You ready for all that, Noelle?”
“Will it hurt?” She’d been through so much pain, Noelle was pretty sure she could handle whatever he did to her, except leaving. That was one thing she couldn’t go through.
Ridge blinked, a frown making his brows form a V. “I’d never hurt you intentionally and will do everything I can to make sure you are so out of your mind with pleasure the pain will be fleeting.”
Noelle shook her head. “Ridge, I want you and think I can stand anything you do except...except watching you be with another or leave me.”
Goddess, she hoped he didn’t hop off of her and decide she was too clingy, now.
“I would never betray you like that. We mate with one female. We have sex a lot, but once we find the one who is ours, that’s it. My leopard and I will never find another we want to be with. Once we claim you, you will be it for us.” He shook his head hard.
She loved hearing him
