"I know. You city people sure are used to being lazy and getting up when the day has just passed you by. But we have a few things to straighten out before you get to sleep."

Uh-oh. "What kind of things?"

"First, never leave me alone with your sister again. She scares me, which isn't easy."

"What happened between you and-"

She hit the button on the air horn and he slammed back against the wall, his entire body shaking with rage. He'd bet hard money she got that damn thing from Timothy.

"Was I finished speaking?" she asked cheerfully. "Nope, sure wasn't. Now where was I before I was so rudely interrupted? Oh, yes. Your sister is insane, and you're not allowed to desert me if she's around."

"Fine," he spit out. He might actually wear his teeth down into nubs at this rate. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. I want three pups, which you'll clearly have to teach how to fight because a wolf with a mane...not a pretty idea. And our children's misery will be all your fault."

"Ronnie-" He quickly held his hands up when she pointed that stupid air horn at him again.

"Did I look done talkin'?"

He stared up at the ceiling, praying God would give him strength. "No."

"Also, every once in a while, I may take off for places unknown. I will leave a note and call you regularly. I will return, but I have to feel I can leave whenever I want or I will go insane like your sister. And if I go insane I'll make sure to take you with me." She raised an eyebrow and again he held up his hands, letting her know the floor was still hers. "You will let me drive your car...all of them."

"Now wait one goddamn minute-" He slammed into the wall again, his hands over his ears. "Stop doing that!"

"Stop," she replied calmly, "interrupting me." She cleared her throat and continued. "You will no longer be a Breeding Male unless you're breeding with me. You marked me, now you're stuck with me. I don't share cock, underwear, or toys. It's that simple. Any female lions come sniffing around you, no one will find their remains for a very long time. You, of course, will not go sniffing around anyone else because you already know how mean I can be. Now, last, and this is most important. There will always be Oreos in the cupboard, and you will share, Brendon Shaw. With me and definitely with our children. You'll eat first only if the rest of us aren't in the room. Okay. Are we all clear?"

Brendon nodded and she smiled. "Good."

He held his hand out. "Can I have that?"

"This?" She held up the air horn. "Sure." With no effort, she snapped the cheap plastic part off the can and tossed the can to him. "You didn't think I'd give you the thing whole, did you?"

"Doesn't matter. I was only going to snap it in half anyway." He tossed the can aside and stepped toward her. "Now you're gonna say it."

"Say what?"

"You know what." He kept moving forward, and she started to stumble back. "You said it in front of your brothers, you can damn well say it to me."

"Oh. That." She rushed out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into his living room. "I was just saying that so my brothers wouldn't hurt you." She stood on one side of a large couch. "I'd feel real bad if they did that."

His eyes narrowed. "Ronnie Lee..."

"Brendon Shaw..."

He faked right and she darted left; he had her in his arms before she even got around the couch.

"Put me down!"

"Say it."

"No."

He flipped her over and held her by her feet. "Say it, Ronnie Lee."

Laughing, she squealed and slapped at his legs. "No! I won't say it. Now put me down."

"Fine. Don't say it." He took hold of her ankle in one hand and slapped her ass with his free hand.

"You bastard!"

"Stop whining. You know you love it." He slapped her again. Again she squealed.

"Stop!"

"Say it, Ronnie Lee. Say the words."

"Pull me up first."

"No. Say it."

"Fine, you bastard. I love you. Happy now?"

Ronnie squealed again as Shaw flipped her back over. But before she could tell him what an asshole he was, he kissed her with so much passion, so much love, she felt her insides melt. He shoved her into one of the club chairs, yanked off her shorts, and buried his face between her spread thighs.

She cried out from the pleasure of it. Not only the pleasure he gave, but from the joy her words brought him. She didn't realize how much it would mean to him. Or how much it would mean to her to make him so happy.

Digging her fingers into his hair, she whispered, "I love you, Shaw. I love you."

Big gold eyes stared up at her from her lap. "Say it again," he demanded. "Say it again."

Typical lion...just a glutton.

"I love you."

Suddenly his arms were around her and his mouth crushed hers. She let his passion flow from him right into her. Let him show her how much this all meant any way he wanted to.

"I love you," he panted against her lips. "I love you, Ronnie." He pulled her off the chair and spread her out on the floor. "I'll always love you."

She knew that. And for once the thought didn't scare her at all.

Chapter Seventeen.

R onnie never knew a cat's obsessive cleanliness could turn into such a pleasure.

Arms tight around his shoulders, legs tight around his waist, Ronnie let Shaw hammer into her. Again and again. She lost count of how many times she'd come just during this morning session, but she had a feeling this would be a regular thing. Not that she minded. A girl had to stay clean, didn't she?

Fangs gripped the skin on her throat and another orgasm started to flash through her. "I can't," she begged over the running shower. "Not again."

"You can. You will. Christ, Ronnie, you feel so good." She exploded at his words, at the sound of desperation in his voice. And this time she made sure to clench her pussy so hard, she dragged his cat ass right along with her.

He roared against her throat and the pair of them slid to the shower floor, water pouring down on them.

Ronnie finally opened her eyes and smiled at Shaw. He had that look again. The one that used to freak her out. The one were he stared at her with such love she didn't know quite what to do.

"I love you," he said again. He said it a lot. She didn't mind.

She leaned forward and kissed him. "I love you, too."

"Can you walk?"

She chuckled. "With a little help, sure."

"I have a surprise for you."

"What surprise?"

With great effort, Shaw stood and lifted her with him. He held onto her as he shut off the shower and stepped out into his way-too-big bathroom.

"Tell me."

"Sure you don't want to wait?"

"I'm sure. Tell me."

"No." He placed her on the bathroom counter and kissed her nose. "But I'll tell you some of it."

"Okay."

She watched him walk away to grab a towel, and she started wiggling, running out of patience. "Tell me," she whined.

"Okay. Okay." He began drying her off with the towel. "Tonight we do the New Year's Eve party thing. I have to go, being the host and all."

"Yeah. Yeah." No biggie. She already had a dress for it. She had shoes too, but Shaw made it clear he wanted her in her boots. He really loved those boots.

"Then tomorrow, on New Year's Day-"

"Hey, bruh."

Gritting his teeth and shielding Ronnie's body with his own, Shaw glared at his baby brother over his shoulder. "What?"

"I need to borrow a tux if I'm going tonight."

"Can't you buy one?"

"Do I look made of money to you? Hello? Cop's salary."

"Hello? Heir to a fortune. Go downstairs and tell Timothy to hook you up. And stop just walking into our apartment."

"Why? It's not like Ronnie has anything I haven't seen before." Mitch wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle.

"It's like you want me to kill you," Brendon seethed. She almost hated herself for enjoying his jealousy.

Mitch leaned over a bit to see her better. "Hey, sweetie, where's my jacket?"

"Sissy Mae has it."

Mitch frowned. "Why?"

"Because she said, 'Ooh. Nice jacket. I'm taking it.'"

Now he looked pissed. "And you just gave it to her?"

"Alpha Female, remember? Besides, she'd snarled and snapped at me earlier. I wasn't about to go through that again. You want your jacket back, you're on your own, O King of the Jungle."

"Fine. Whatever." Mitch disappeared from the doorway and Ronnie started to tell Shaw to finish about the surprise when Mitch came charging back-all three Reed brothers on his ass.

"Come back here, you twenty-hour-sleeping bastard!"

Brendon shook his head. "I need to change that lock."

"Won't matter. Every wolf knows how to pick a lock, hoss."

"Great."

"Don't give me that look. You wanted me. You got me. That includes my Pack. Now tell me about my surprise." She wiggled again, and Shaw laughed.

"I can almost see your tail wagging."

"Ha ha."

"Okay. You and I are going on a trip tomorrow afternoon. Taking Dad's private jet, too."

"Cool. Wait." She frowned. "Did you check it against the list?"

Shaw sighed. "Don't worry. You can legally go where I'm taking you."

"Don't get that tone. I gave you that list so you wouldn't get disappointed when you try to go to Singapore or Madrid or-"

"Yes. I appreciate the helpful and long spreadsheet with all the many places you can't go."

"Well that statement was riff with sarcasm." She wiggled again. "Tell me where we're going!"