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Amelie was finishing with a female customer when Sulen arrived at the garden center. The woman smiled up at him, missed a step with a squeak and tripped on her way out the door. It was understandable. Sulen made quite the figure rolling in with his long steady strides, stern features and no nonsense demeanor.
His customary ankle length coat was absent, giving an unobstructed view of his broad chest straining another black tee shirt. He hadn’t forgone the weapons though and the holster at his hip displayed the familiar laser blaster, two knives on his left thigh and across his belt was a row of silver spinning stars.
Amelie didn’t blame the woman for being distracted to the point of clumsiness. It was evident he controlled his body with an economy of motions. Snug leather pants highlighted the length of his legs and cupped his groin area in a manner that could only be called mouth watering.
Intense power bottled and locked tight but fully capable of being unleashed at full potency in a moment’s notice described his appearance to a T.
To Amelie’s delight, Sulen didn’t appear to notice the customer and kept his attention solely on her. She glanced at her comp and security vid to note he’d once more managed to enter without triggering the door sensor or the cameras. Maybe it was time to contact the company to have them check the system.
Sulen stopped at her desk, tugged her around to the side and wrapped his arms about her waist. A nervous laugh slipped free as Amelie caught his forearms to maintain her balance. “Sulen, what are you doing?”
His expression was remote, but his eyes were not. The green orbs were darker than usual. He slid one hand to the back of her head and held Amelie in place for a kiss that burned from the moment his mouth touched hers.
The unrelenting dreams of the night before roared to life. At last, the arousal and desire brewing in her core had a target. Amelie groaned deep in her throat and drove her tongue between his parted lips. Sulen’s taste was heady and shot swirls of lust to her lower half.
She wrapped one leg around his hip, grinding in an effort to get as close as possible to him. Their clothes prevented her from getting any true friction but the press of his thick erection against her side left her breathless and she broke the kiss on a gasp.
No longer stern, his features were flushed and reflected the same need she struggled with. The corner of Sulen’s mouth curled up, his eyes bright and twinkling. “I wasn’t expecting to be greeted like that.”
Twinges of embarrassment had Amelie dropping her leg on a half-chuckle. “I don’t know what came over me.”
He squeezed her before letting her go. “I enjoyed it.”
“Same.” She laughed again. Amelie was blown away by how strong her feelings were for Sulen. Even now, her heart still slammed in her chest in excitement. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Did you have any trouble with Fleur?”
Her daughter had been going to the learning academy for over a year now and loved seeing her friends and the teachers daily but there were the occasional off days where she decided to launch a mutiny and wouldn’t cross the door to enter without a lot of cajoling from Amelie.
“It went fine. She agreed to let go of my shirt and go in if I promised to tell you she wanted curlies for dinner.”
Amelie snorted and they wore matching smiles at Fleur’s negotiating skills. “I can do that.”
Expression shifting, Sulen said, “I did manage a very nice conversation with Madame Tessa and stressed the importance of Fleur being safe under their care. Since I’ll be away I assured her I’d be upset if something happened to her while I’m gone.”
Amelie could only imagine how that went. Better yet, she preferred not to speculate. His comment did remind her that he was leaving and she’d pushed the thought to the back of her mind all day to avoid facing how upset the thought actually left her.
“When do you have to leave?” It was already late afternoon and she’d be closing the store soon.
“Not until late. I’ll be on the last shuttle out. Before I left, I wanted you to meet some people I know.”
Disappointment returned at his words. Amelie wanted to beg him not to leave but they were both too mature for such behavior. Not when she knew how much was required to run her own business. Her brows furrowed. His presence on this colony when Scarlett had treated him was for injuries sustained doing his job. She had no clue what he did but the idea of Sulen being in danger twisted her in knots. “What is your work?”
“He hasn’t told you? Sulen, how shocking. Your supposed bond mate should at least know what you do, among other things.”
The masculine voice was dark and iced over in a layer of frost. Amelie turned and saw two strangers walking toward them through the front entrance. A man in all black with dark-hair and swirling silver eyes along with a petite woman who didn’t reach his shoulders. Her hair was brown and her matching eyes were narrowed on the man accompanying her as she glared at him but he didn’t glance down to acknowledge her look.
“How does everyone come in here without the sensors going off?!” Amelie asked in genuine confusion. “Do I need to comm my security company and complain?”
“Sulen probably keeps a disrupter in his pocket like Garik does,” the woman answered once they were near. She elbowed the man at her side fiercely. “I’m Saedra and this is my bond mate, Garik.”
Amelie gave them both a stilted smile, unsure how she was supposed to react to their presence or the strange man’s emphasis when he called her Sulen’s supposed bond mate.
“Garik, enough. I didn’t ask you here to question Amelie.” Sulen’s arms bumped Amelie as he stepped a bit in front of her, blocking the man’s view of her.
“You asked me to watch a woman I’ve never heard you mention before. A woman who has been living on this Gerelin specific colony registered as your bond mate.”
“Garik!” The reprimand was from the woman and this time, she moved away from Garik and got in his face. Her diminutive height was more noticeable as she stood toe to toe with him and tipped her head back to maintain eye contact. “We’re here for your friend, not so you can badger this innocent woman because you have trust issues.”
Trust issues? And anger too apparently. Amelie shook her head. “I have no idea what’s going on.”
Sulen growled. “It doesn’t matter because obviously I was wrong and this isn’t going to work out.”
“She’s been living here as your mate, Sulen!” The man snapped, easily stepping around the woman to stare at Amelie. “You also allegedly have a child in case you didn’t know about that nice surprise yet. A daughter by the name of Fleur Czen. Congratulations by the way.”
In the face of his cold anger, Amelie lost her courage and tried to step back carefully. Something about this man warned her to be very cautious in how she moved around him. Sulen grabbed her hand, halting her retreat and entwined their fingers.
“You’re close to crossing a line, Garik. When you called me years ago to say you needed my help, I gave it no questions,” Sulen snarled.
“As if you had a choice. You owed me! I collect on favors.”
The air was getting colder by the minute and the atmosphere between the two men was growing explosive.
Amelie raised her voice. “Stop! I have no idea who you two are or what’s going on but this is getting out of hand. This conversation should probably be conducted in private.”
Her comment drew the silver gaze back in her direction and the hair on Amelie’s arms rose. Her pulse leaped and she let out a squeak.
“You’re scaring her. Both of you,” the woman said, coming forward.
The man raised an arm to block her but she shoved it aside to extend her hand to Amelie. “My name’s Saedra and I’m really, really sorry that my mate is behaving like this. I’d say I’m ashamed but I know trusting people is new to him and Sulen’s his first and only friend. He’s not quite used to having one yet. With time I think he’ll get better.”
As improbable as it seemed, her explanation caused Amelie to laugh. Saedra joined in as they clasped hands. Beside her, Sulen asked, “I’m your friend?”
“No,” Garik huffed and pulled the woman away until her back hit his chest. He curved his arms about her waist. “Saedra makes things up to convince people I’m nice.”
“You are nice,” she exclaimed, looking up over her shoulder.
“I am not, sesi,” he countered, his gaze full of pity that she thought this.
Amelie was willing to agree with his assessment. Nothing about him seemed nice. Sulen caressed her fingers in his. The touch went a long way in settling her discomfort.
“In answer to your question, friend, yes I know Amelie has been living here with her daughter under my name. It’s why I asked you to come. She has an ex who refuses to accept she doesn’t want him in her life any longer.”
Garik met Amelie’s gaze. “He’s threatening her? Do you want me to take care of him for you? Is that why you wanted me here?”
Saedra turned around and smacked her hand on the taut chest. “No! No one’s taking care of anyone, Garik. You’re done with that life. We’re having a baby.”
“You’re pregnant? By him?” Amelie interrupted, totally stunned that this sweet woman was in a relationship with this dead eyed killer and willing to procreate with him. “What am I talking about? I’m closing the store early. You all are welcome to come back to my house. I have the feeling this is more than a casual conversation.”
***
Garik was lucky Sulen cared enough for Saedra not to make her single again. His fellow assassin’s attitude toward Amelie was unexpected but not surprising. There weren’t many Garik gave his trust to but that hadn’t stopped Sulen from wanting to break every one of Garik’s fingers when hurt flashed in Amelie’s eyes from the things he’d said about her.
“Can I get anyone something to drink?” Amelie asked from her kitchen.
They’d made their way quietly to her house thanks to her reminder they were in public discussing matters best heard in private. Saedra sat on Garik’s lap where he’d pulled her when Amelie told them to get comfortable. Sulen preferred to remain standing, his back to the wall by her door.
“I’ll have a juice. Any kind, if you have some,” Saedra called out in a pleasant tone.
“No, you will not,” Garik countered, his gaze unwavering as he watched every move Amelie made.
Sulen understood the need for care. If it was anyone other than Amelie, he would have been the same way.
“I. Will,” Saedra gritted out.
Which was how she ended up with a glass of juice and sipped contentedly. She even refused to let Garik taste it for poison first.
Amelie took a seat in a chair across from the sofa. “Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?”
“That would be me.” Sulen straightened from his relaxed pose against the wall. “I asked Garik to come here to watch over you while I’m gone because I don’t trust Roan.”
Amelie folded her legs beneath her hips. “Why Garik?”
He knew he’d eventually have to explain this part. “Because he and I have—”
“Used to have,” Saedra piped up from her seat.
“Used to have,” Sulen corrected with a wink at her, “the same job.”
Amelie’s brows went up. “What job is that?”
“Assassin,” Saedra merrily answered, finished her glass and snuggled deeper into Garik’s lap with a shiver of delight.
Garik tipped her chin up and kissed it. “There is a reason we operate in secret, petti coincin. Not everyone needs to know who the members of the Guild are.”
Amelie’s gaze darted to him. Shock reflected there. Sulen knew it wasn’t what the average individual did. Before he could reassure her, his attention was caught by Saedra.
In the past, she would have been hesitant to speak up but Saedra had grown so much in the years Sulen had known her. She displayed that now by speaking up further. “Amelie’s not anyone, she’s Sulen’s bond mate, and as his friend, you need to knock it off with the death stares.”
“We’re not friends,” Sulen grumbled at the same time as Garik.
Saedra and Amelie both laughed and that was when they all relaxed. Sulen picked up Amelie and sat her on his lap so he could sit on the chair. And touch her if he was honest.
With the attention on him, Sulen explained everything that had been going on, answering Garik’s questions in between. Most of it Garik already knew it seemed from the in-depth report he’d compiled on Amelie in his effort to rush to Sulen’s unnecessary rescue.
In the end, the answer was simple. Garik gripped Sulen’s arm on his way out with Saedra. “I’ll watch over her, Sulen. You can trust I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Once they were alone and seated together again, Amelie twisted on his lap. The shock of earlier had dimmed to curiosity and concern. “Assassin? You actually belong to the Assassins Guild?”
“Mmm.” It was hard to listen to her when she squirmed on his growing erection like this. There were other things Sulen preferred to talk about right now. He nibbled his way across her collarbone and up the column of her neck.
“Sulen!” Amelie’s hands landed on his shoulders but she didn’t push him away.
He continued his kisses, the taste of her taunting him to take more. Stroking his hands over her torso, Sulen didn’t stop until he reached the fullness of her breasts. Amelie leaned into his touch, thrusting her nipples right against his palms through the material of her shirt. Sulen groaned.
It was pleasure and the biggest tease. He needed to see what he touched. Turning her to straddle his lap, her knees on each side of his hips, Sulen jerked Amelie’s shirt up and over. She worked with him, clearing her head through the opening and tossing it to the floor behind her.
She arched on his lap, her bottom half undulating over his erection. Sulen groped her breasts like an inexperienced youth with his first woman. Warm and heavy in his palms with pert pink nipples that begged for attention. He leaned forward and tongued one with a fleeting lick.
Amelie gasped, her hands going to the back of his head to hold him steady. Sulen switched to the other for a similar quick lick.
“Sulen, stop teasing!” Amelie rocked up and down, pressing his head forward.
Face smashed into her cleavage, Sulen smiled against the soft flesh and took the tip of one nipple in his mouth for a determined suck. A full body shiver worked its way from the top of Amelie’s shoulders to the quiver in her thighs.
Bracing his hands on her back to support her weight, Sulen lavished attention on Amelie until she was crying out for more and moaning his name.
As she writhed in his arms, he dragged his mouth away from temptation and was confronted with the two scars on her neck. He fingered the diagonal slashes. “I want my marks here.”
Breath still panting, she asked, “You want to bond with me? For real?”
“Yes. Every time I see these, my jealousy rises. If it’s too soon, I’ll understand but I want you, Amelie. I want you and Fleur.”
“Sulen,” Amelie gasped. “I want the same.”
“Good. Because you’re mine, Amelie. You may have started this relationship under a deception but I plan to keep you forever.”
She kissed him all over his face, laughter mixed with her tears. When she settled and sat back, he regretfully informed her, “I have to leave.”
“And I have to pick up Fleur.” Her look turned shy. “Do you want to bond now or wait until you return?”
“Why don’t you decide? I’ll do whatever you want.” And Sulen knew he meant that in more ways than one.
“Now,” she answered in a rush.
Sulen drew her in close, whispered calming words to her and pulled Amelie in close. He nuzzled her neck and whispered, “Brace.”
She stiffened and started to jerk back but Sulen bit and latched on, directly over the scars. Canines designed for this, lengthened in his mouth as he pumped the hormone fast and hard. Her pained cry pierced his heart but it was unavoidable.
He soothed her as best he could. Above him, Amelie continued to whine, but he cupped her thighs and notched his shaft at the apex of her thighs. Slowly as the pain receded, she began to rock on his lap.
They were both in a frenzy fueled by the bond reinvigorating. Sulen tugged her pants down and stroked between her folds.
Soon she was gasping and holding him tight, tipping her head back and giving him better access. The sounds she made and the way she moved drove his desire higher. Sulen just managed to reach down and loosen his pants.
His shaft was thick and full. A few strokes and he lined the tip against her opening until he slid through her wetness with ease. Amelie’s inner muscles clamped down on him, tearing a groan from deep in his throat.
Grinding her on his lap, he worked to give her the orgasm her body demanded. Amelie arched on a screaming wail and her release slammed into her. The bond already present popped and sizzled, igniting his nerve endings and pushing him toward his own orgasm.
He froze below her as he shot his release into her for several moments. Shuddering, he pulled away and smoothed his hand up the slim line of her bareback. “You’re mine now.”