Page 34 of Pound

We are his.

Any lingering doubt fled at the ferocity of his words.

“Yours.” She breathed as she sank into his chest. His scent washed over every nerve ending in her body, soothing them. She inhaled deep of the gunpowder and engine oil scent that was all Pound. In the wake of the panic crash, a silly thought flew into her mind.

“I don’t think I can get my car serviced again without sexy thoughts.”

“Excuse me.”

“Shit, that was supposed to be the voice in my head talking.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t. Any service you need, car or otherwise, I’m the only man doing it. You feel me.”

She nodded. “You have piña coladas. I have routine auto maintenance.”

After a few minutes, Meri remembered Anna.

“Did Trip get Anna? Is she safe?”

The warm body that was relaxed underneath her went rigid as cold steel. “Anna?” he asked in a choked voice.

“Anna. She’s the one who helped me. She was going to unlock my cell, but Tony found out and said she was being punished.”

Pound said nothing. Just sat there. Meri barely heard him breathe even. That feeling of dread she’d felt when Jake had shown up, and just now before Pound had told her Leone was dead, was back with a vengeance. Dread pooled in her belly.

“And how was another prisoner supposed to let you out?” His words felt cold and accusatory. He still held her, but it didn’t feel like he did.

“She was a prisoner, but not like me. Leone gave her liberties because she’s his sister, but she’s nothing—”

Her words were abruptly cut off by Pound placing her on her feet. He strode around the room, dressing as he came across the items he’d worn. He nudged her aside to grab something. Meri just stood there, dumbfounded. Not understanding what she’d done wrong.

Cut in hand, he had the door open before she found her voice.

“What the hell, Pound?” Yep, his abruptness didn’t warrant his given name.

Without turning, he ground out. “I said, call me Joe in the bedroom.”

“Yeah.” Meri was over it. He was being an ass after calling her his and making her feel cherished, but she didn’t have a clue as to why. “Well, you’re practically out the door, so I don’t think it applies.”

His response was a growl.

“What’s going on, Joe?” she asked in an exhausted tone. She really wanted to ask what she did wrong, but she’d be damned if he’d get her vulnerability with the distance he created.

“A dead man is fucking with me, and I need to know why.”

“That’s it? That’s what I get? After everything that passed between us tonight. Do I really mean anything to you or—”

She was cut off when he spun around to face her. Cut in one hand and the other wrapped around the post of the bed, caging her in. He kissed her with zero self-control. When he pulled back, there was a storm brewing in his eyes that should’ve scared the daylights out of her, but it didn’t. It damn near caused her to come. This was a part of him he mentioned, the part that was wild. The part he kept from everyone for fear of being written off as unstable.

Meri closed her eyes and relaxed into him. His hand slid from the bedpost to her neck with the slightest pressure. He wouldn’t hurt her beyond what would bring her pleasure, instinctively, she just knew that.

“You’re not anything to me, Meri. You’re everything, and I never want you to question that again, understand?” His voice was rough, and it stroked her as sure as his fingers had earlier. She nodded once. He licked from her cheek to her ear and whispered, “Good girl.”

When he pulled back, the storm in his eyes had changed slightly. Calm, but not. Like the eye of the hurricane, more was coming.

“I have shit to settle, and that’s all you need to know for now.” He released her throat and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead before dropping his to hers. “Once I have the answers, I’ll explain what I can, sweetheart. I’ll never keep things from you that I don’t need to, but you must trust me to know what and when. Can you do that?”

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Yes, Joe. Because if I’m your everything, you and the kids are mine too.” His lips felt reverent and tender. Much different from the frenzied kiss they just shared.

---