Page 62 of Till Death Do Us Part

“I keep you alive, safe, unharmed, no matter what. And you give me what I want, when I want it.”

“A submission clause…”

I caressed a finger under her jawline. “I need my payment, too, you know,” I said. “And your audition was excellent. You’ll submit to me whenever I want you for the duration of the contract.”

She swallowed, her breath quickening as she read through the contract.

“You’ll have a safe word, of course.” I let my hand drop to her collar, caressing the soft skin there. “But you’ll make every effort to satisfy me within the limits of your abilities.”

“I… I understand,” she breathed, and she picked up a pen. “You’re supporting me, my family… our group… I’ll do it.”

I laughed, low and murky, as warmth stirred in my abdomen. “You don’t have any self-preservation, do you, darling?”

“I trust you.” She said it just as a breath as she signed her name.

“You shouldn’t.”

Defiantly, she gave me the contract back. I took the pen and signed above her name.

“It’s done,” I said. “You belong to me now.”

She nodded, blushing deeply now. “Just… tell me what to do.”

She was going to kill me with that blushing obedience. I really needed to sleep tonight. But maybe I could take just one more turn with my new toy.

“Your vital signs are looking better today,” Jenna said, stepping away from the bench.

“How about that,” I said, jumping down onto the floor.

“You got some proper sleep?”

I chuckled. “Sure.”

“I see.” She turned back to her tablet. “Just be careful you don’t hurt her.”

“She can handle herself,” I said.

She set the tablet down, looking at me more seriously. The medical bay was small, but it was well-stocked, and it was Jenna’s kingdom, enough that she could get away with giving me a look like that. “You care for her, don’t you?”

I laughed. “We’re having sex. That’s all. Jenna, you know I don’t care for people.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I also know you don’t walk away from the Blackbirds for someone.”

I narrowed my eyes too, matching the energy, but we both turned at the sound of a knock. The door swung open, and Petra came in, her boots thumping on the floor with each step, and she nodded to Jenna.

“Sup, doc,” she said. Jenna smiled with concern.

“Petra, dear, don’t tell me—”

Petra took a swing at my face. I ducked back, grabbing her and throwing her with the momentum, and she went with it, leaping up onto the patient bench and throwing one of her bolas with a crack of the wrist. I put my hand out to catch it just as she came back down with an elbow drop I stepped away from, and then to the side to dodge a precise side kick that sent a blood-pressure monitor flying across the room.

“Petra!” Jenna scolded, hands on her hips, and Petra huffed, arms folded.

“Well, good to see you’re feeling better. Give me my bolas back.”

“You’ve got to aim lower with them if you don’t want me to just catch them.” I tossed them back, and she snorted.

“I was hoping you’d be distracted catching them. It usually works.”