Page 116 of Bulletproof

“Pleasure,” Sam said, the deep, resonant voice sounding even better than normal.

“Detective,” Aaron said, but didn’t get up from his chair.

“Mr. Sutter,” Sam replied, releasing my hand to curl his arm around my shoulders and tuck me into his side.

They were staring at each other, and I knew that, even with Aaron not removing his sunglasses. After a moment, Aaron glanced away. And when my gaze flicked to Jaden, I saw the astonishment all over his face.

Sam intimidated the hell out of Aaron Sutter. And I understood because I had been watching people respond to the man for years. It was the strength—not just physical, but mental as well—that he displayed with such easy confidence.

Sam Kage lived really well in his own skin, and it was rare to find a man who truly did. When Sam wanted to make an impression, when he wanted something from you, he could aim all that charm, intellect, and warmth and focus it at once. And then it was overwhelming, and everyone did whatever the hell he wanted.

Dane was the exact same way. Both of them were devastating, the power just wielded differently. Sam was obvious about it, Dane more subtle.

“So”—Aaron cleared his throat—“would you like to join us for lunch?”

“No thanks,” Sam said, clutching me tight. “I have a lot to talk to Jory about, so if you’ll excuse us…”

“Of course,” Aaron muttered as Sam steered me toward the main house.

He bent and pressed a kiss to the side of my neck, which made me hiss in my breath and left no doubt in anyone’s mind what he wanted.

I didn’t give a damn.

On the way to the cottage, he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.

“Oh, you did miss me,” I teased him.

“Shut up,” he growled at me. “All those assholes, lookin’ at you like you’re food—fuck them.”

And I understood then why Sam had not just ducked around the side of the building with me and made a quick getaway. He purposely walked me up the stairs to see the others. He wanted them to see us together.

Sam had kissed me hard and long so my lips were red and swollen. He had bitten me and sucked my skin to leave marks. My detective was a very primal man, and so he had let everyone see that I was claimed, that I belonged to him.

“I wear a ring, you know,” I said, talking to him like the dialogue had been out loud and not just in my head.

“But they don’t care,” he replied, following my train of thought, as usual. “It doesn’t mean shit to them, so this way, they can see. I wonder if anyone wants to come and watch us.”

“I’m sure Jaden would like to do more than just watch you do anything.”

“Which one was Jaden?”

“The hotter, younger version of me.”

He stopped so fast that I almost stumbled, but he caught me and gently, tenderly, took my face in his hands. Looking up into his eyes, I saw how heavy-lidded they were.

“I wasn’t fishing.”

“I know. I can tell from how you said it,” he said, fingers sliding over my jaw, down my throat, as he bent and kissed my forehead, the bridge of my nose, and then my cheek.

His lips just barely touched me, but my stomach tightened, and my breath caught.

“I know you worry about getting older, about not being the prettiest guy in the room anymore.”

And I worried about aging, but not how he thought. I had never presumed I was the prettiest, just one of many. My only concern now was that Sam Kage thought I was hot.

“But there will never come a time when that will be the case,” he said, pressing soft kisses to the side of my neck.

I leaned my head back so he could reach more of my throat, letting my eyes close to savor the closeness.