The courtyard was quiet now. Only the low crackle of dying flames remained, the night air heavy with smoke and sweat. My body trembled, spent, but Lou’s arms never loosened around me.
He held me close against his chest, still inside me, his forehead resting against mine as if he could fuse us together. His breathing slowed, the gold in his eyes dimming back to warm amber.
“You scare the hell out of me, Sugar,” he murmured, voice rough with exhaustion. His claws traced lightly over my back, no pressure now—just soothing circles. “One minute you’re blazing like a comet, the next I’m holding you like you’ll vanish if I blink.”
I smiled weakly, pressing my palm to his chest where Tan’s steady thrum beat beneath his ribs. “You’re not rid of me that easy.”
His lips brushed my temple. “Damn r
