Page 74 of Surrender

I can’t help but laugh at that. “No therapy,” I promise, only to pause and smirk at him. “Well. Is what we do in bed therapy? Sex therapy? Because you can’t shoot this therapist. You’d miss my cock too much.”

“I think they’d revoke your license for sleeping with your patient,” Fox answers, and his lips quirk into a beautiful smile. “Also, your cock is nice, but I’m sure I can find others to fill my hole. Bigger ones, too.”

I turn us over so I’m pinning him down. I kiss him hard on the lips. “There’s no replacement for me and this dick, and if you try to find one, I guess I’ll be the one doing the shooting. You understand, Fox? I keep telling you, and I’ll keep telling you until you finally fucking listen: you’re mine.”

Fox wraps his arms around my shoulders and smiles. “Sure. But I might need to see a few dead bodies. To know you’re serious. Hmm… maybe I should go fuck Briar…”

I grab him by the throat and squeeze. “Briar knows better than to fuck you, you little brat. They know I’d kill them. And I really don’t feel like replacing Silvano in the organization, so don’t get any ideas about him, either.”

Fox tilts his head back and moans, not at all put out by my hand on his throat. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Daddy. I don’t think you’re up for a round two yet.”

“I can think of other things to do besides fucking you—and if you keep being a brat, they won’t be nearly as much fun as getting flogged,” I tell him.

“What’re you gonna do, make me cry all over again?” Fox taunts, sticking his tongue out at me. I pinch his side, and Fox laughs, leaning up to nip at my shoulder.

“Just wait,” I tell him. “I can be very, very creative when I need to be, and you won’t enjoy it if I have to get mean.” I smirk at him. “It won’t be painful at all, either.”

Fox pouts at me. “Boo. It’s no fun if it doesn’t hurt.” As if to highlight his point, he rakes his nails down my back.

“That’s why it’d be a punishment,” I say dryly. I grab his wrist and force it down onto the bed. Just for good measure, I grab the other as well, forcing him down and kissing him deep. “Now hush. I was almost asleep.”

“You didn’t even wipe me down. What kind of a Daddy are you?” Fox complains, but his tone is light and as soon as I lie down, he’s snuggling up against me, curling some of my chest hairs around his fingers. “It goes both ways, you know. If you… if you betray me, in any way. You saw how good of a shot I am.”

“Just promise me you’ll talk to me before you shoot. I don’t want any of that miscommunication bullshit. Unless my lips are wrapped around someone’s cock or I’m buried in their ass, don’t get any ideas,” I warn him.

“Fine, fine, I won’t shoot Briar.” Fox kisses my chest. “Better figure out what our matching tattoos will be. That way if anybody even looks at you, I can point to the label and tell them you belong to me.”

I laugh, but I’m starting to drift to sleep. “Mhm. Matching tattoos. And you’ll get piercings wherever I tell you to.” I yawn.

“Sounds good,” Fox mumbles. “You’d better tug on the piercings too. Maybe with little chains…”

I nod along with it, smiling.

Yes, I’ll mark him up and make sure everybody—especially Fox—knows who he belongs to.

EPILOGUE

FOX

I have my rifle aimed at the target, who is standing far too close to Cristiano for my comfort. He’s some bigshot cartel contact who screwed us over on payment last time but doesn’t realize we found out about his deceit.

“Just get out of the way, Daddy,” I mumble. I know he can hear me, but Cristiano keeps talking amiably with the cartel guy.

The warehouse location makes me a bit twitchy too. I keep expecting another explosion to hit me, even though we did a very thorough sweep before we set up here.

I want to reach up to my neck and rub at the metal of my collar, but I’m still a professional. The moment I take my finger off the trigger, I’m sure the target will move.

Cristiano finally takes a step back, a smile still on his lips that I know his target believes is genuine—and hell, knowing Cristiano, it might well be. He makes a subtle hand signal next to his side, letting me know I’m good to shoot, and makes as though to stroll away from the target before he has the chance to move as well.

I pull the trigger, and just as the target gives his smarmy grin, the bullet goes right through his forehead.

The blood splatters everywhere. I don’t slow down, though, realigning my rifle and taking out one of the target’s cronies before he has a chance to retaliate.

I move on to shoot the third guy, only he’s already dead on the floor.

I redirect my scope toward Cristiano, and I see he’s got his gun out.

“Good work,” Cristiano says. “That’s all of them.” He shakes his head. “All of this because they wouldn’t pay their fucking bill.” He nudges the closest body to him with his foot. “They had the money, too. Silvano’s tech guy said we aren’t the only ones they’ve tried to screw lately.”

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