In the years since Broderick and his brothers were driven out of Sabine Valley, the Raider faction has become the weakest of the three. No matter how brilliant Eli Walsh is at leadership, he never reclaimed what the Paine family had previously accomplished. Eight years is a long time. It means Abel and the others are an unknown quantity. The fact they were able to infiltrate the city long enough to stage that show at Lammas means they’re a threat in a big way.
I’m the Amazon heir. It’s my job to step between my people and whatever threats arise. If that means I need to crawl into bed and ride Broderick’s cock until he passes out to ensure we have a year of peace, then I’ll do it. I would do it anyways, because I want to. But a year? It’s a long time to gather information on the Paine brothers while they can’t move against us. I’d be a fool to let that opportunity go by unexploited.
I am no fool.
I start for the bathroom door. “Give me two seconds to shower the blood off, husband.”
“Don’t call me that.”
I don’t bother to hide my smile as I glance over my shoulder, and his flinch in response is more than reward enough. “How on earth did you survive this long with skin that thin?”
Broderick opens his mouth, seems to reconsider whatever he was about to say, and huffs out a breath. “I don’t have thin skin.”
“All evidence points to the contrary.” I step into the bathroom and almost laugh. It’s just as spartan as the bedroom itself; it’s entirely white tile with only a sink, toilet, and showerhead. It’s also positioned in such a way that if I leave the door open, anyone in the bedroom will be able to see the entire bathroom. Good for security and ensuring a captive doesn’t get into trouble. Bad for Broderick’s blood pressure.
I turn on the shower and pull off my clothing slowly. I can feel his eyes on me. I know what I look like. Beauty is just another weapon in my arsenal, and Broderick might hate me, but he’s affected. Maybe he hates me because he’s affected. Even knowing him all of one evening is enough to make me suspect that’s the truth.
When I’m naked, I step beneath the spray and tilt my head back. The earlier fight in the arena wasn’t a particularly long or brutal one, but my knuckles sting and my thigh is a little sore where that bitch got in a few good kicks. Juniper of the Mystics isn’t heir, and every time I deal with her, I have cause to be grateful for that fact. She’s a blunt instrument waiting for a hand to wield her. She’s got a temper, and she’s remarkably easy to bait. If I’d been fighting her older sister, Fallon, the fight wouldn’t have been nearly as simple.
I slick my hair back. Fallon is a Bride, too. I wonder how she’s taking the consummation. That woman has ice in her veins, and she’s as feral as a wolf when it comes to… Well, literally anything. Poor little Gabriel Paine. He’s bitten off more than he can chew, too.
I feel Broderick standing in the doorway before he speaks. “That’s enough. Let’s get this over with.” His voice has gone hoarse.
I turn slowly to face him and open my eyes. Gods, the way he looks at me. Like he wants to fight and fuck and then run as far and fast from me as he can. He’s got a shit poker face; another fact I file away. Those blue eyes are practically an inferno as his gaze follows the path of the water down my body, tracing over my lips, my breasts, my stomach, my pussy, my legs.
“See something you like?”
He shakes his head slowly, but he can’t seem to raise his gaze from my breasts. The sheer intensity on his face has goose bumps rising over my skin. I don’t know what changed in the last few minutes, but any hesitation is gone. He flicks his fingers at me. “Get over here.”
I wring out my hair slowly, letting the tension between us become thicker and thicker. It feels like the moment before a storm breaks, the air thick and heavy with promised violence. I lick my lips. “Make me.”
“Monroe.”
Gods, the way he says my name. A warning I have no intention of heeding. When’s the last time I danced on the edge of true danger? I can’t remember. No matter how brutal life can be in Sabine Valley, I’m at the top of the hierarchy. Aside from clashes with the other factions from time to time, no one fucks with me. No one even dares to try.
I suddenly very much want Broderick to do more than try.
I flick my hair over my shoulder. “Make me,” I repeat. His eyes flare in response, but he doesn’t move. That’s okay. I have more than enough ammunition to provoke him at this point. Still, Broderick seems to have an honorable streak—to his eventual detriment—so I throw him the smallest of bones. “Play with me, Broderick Paine. If you want to be the conquering warlord, you can’t just ride in on your big brother’s coattails and let him do all the work. You want the Amazon heir?” I motion to my body, my nipples going tight when he follows the movement. “Earn it.”
He tenses, obviously fighting himself. “I have no desire to hurt you by accident.”
He really is too easy. I laugh. “Please. As if you could.” I weave my wet hair into a quick braid to
