“I won’t give you a reason to shoot me.”

Her mouth opened and she didn’t hide her outrage. He chuckled.

“I love you, Kat.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I love you too. Now f**k me. Lose control.”

“That’s going to happen a lot. No more restraint.”

“Good.”

He let go of the past. Kat was his future. He started to move on top of her, being gentle. Her moans were music to his ears. He loved the way her hands glided across his skin, her nails raking down his spine. Her ni**les hardened, rubbing against his chest. He braced one arm and lifted up just enough to reach between them, found her cl*t and rubbed. Her pu**y clamped tighter around his shaft and he clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to come. He waited for her. Kat’s vaginal walls clenched and squeezed his shaft, milking him. He drove deep inside her, roaring out as he emptied his seed.

He rolled over onto his back, taking Kat with him so she lay on top of him. They were both panting and spent. He smiled, kept his eyes closed and didn’t stare up at the ceiling. He was focused on the female in his arms. Life was good.

Kat brushed a kiss next to his nipple. “Do you want to hit something?”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

“What if I do get pregnant? Are you going to freak?”

“Probably, but only because I’m not certain what kind of father I’d make.”

“A good one. I know that.”

“I trust you, Kat.”

He meant it.

Epilogue

Fury opened the front door and grinned. “It’s about time.”

Darkness gripped Kat’s arm, steering her inside the home. He glanced around the living room. Pictures adorned the walls and the smell of food tempted his appetite. It was a very domestic scene. Salvation sat in the middle of a pile of multicolored plastic toys. The boy waved.

“Hi!” Kat pulled away from Darkness and approached the boy. She just dropped down to her knees beside the mess and picked up a block. “What are you going to build?”

Fury closed the door and stepped next to him. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Ellie is in the kitchen. She’s worried about overcooking her pot roast so it is too dry. I told her it would be fine. You will like her food.”

Darkness stared into the male’s eyes and kept the same low tone. “Can she cook?”

“Better than we can.” Amusement lightened his features. “She teaches the females. She’s just nervous because you’ve finally agreed to have dinner with us. She knows it matters a lot to me.” He looked at Kat. “Does your female cook?”

“We often eat at the bar.”

His brother laughed. “Understood. Get comfortable.”

Darkness crossed the room and took a seat on the couch. Kat was playing with Salvation, using blocks to form some sort of structure. He enjoyed seeing her interact with a Species young. She still considered the boy a baby at the age of three but she’d learn if he wanted to show off his physical prowess by playing rough with her. He wouldn’t allow it to happen. She could get hurt.

Fury sat in a chair a few feet away. “You look happy.”

“He is.” Kat turned her head. “When he isn’t trying to pretend otherwise. You know how he can get.”

“I do.” Fury relaxed in the chair. “How are you adjusting to Homeland, Kat?”

“I’m loving it. I start teaching classes next week.”

“I didn’t want her working Security,” Darkness confided.

“He’s afraid I’ll blow shit up.” She winced, glancing at Salvation. “Sorry. Stuff. Shit is a bad word.”

“He’s heard way worse.” Ellie walked out of the kitchen. “Don’t worry about it. My son could probably teach you some you’ve never heard before. We don’t sweat a few occasional slips. It’s when people start combining them that we draw the line.” She pointed at Salvation. “Don’t give her an example.”

Salvation giggled. “Darn.”

Ellie winked at him and moved behind Fury’s chair. She bent, coming up with a gift bag. “We have a present for you both.”

Darkness tried to hide his surprise. “Is a gift exchange expected?”

“No.” Fury pulled Ellie onto his lap. “My mate just wanted to do something to show how happy we are for both of you.”

Kat climbed to her feet and took a seat next to Darkness on the couch. “That’s so sweet.”

“It’s nothing major but it’s becoming a kind of tradition around here.” Ellie leaned forward and passed the bag to Darkness. “Careful. It’s breakable.”

Darkness handed it to Kat. “You reach inside.” He was afraid he might damage the gift if it were fragile. He watched her face, liking the joy she expressed.

Kat opened the bag and removed a glass frame. Darkness leaned in, pressing his body against her smaller one. He enjoyed touching Kat and found any reason to do it. It wasn’t a photo inside the frame but a copy of their signed mate papers. Kat turned her face and lifted her chin. Tears glimmered in her eyes.

“Look.” She held it as if it were precious. “How cool is this?” She shifted her attention to Ellie and Fury. “Thank you!”

“We keep ours over our bed.” Fury pointedly stared at Darkness. “Just glue it to the wall. We learned the hard way that it can fall down if the headboard bangs too much.”