“First, I need your vow. You cannot hurt her—”

“Don’t insult me again. I would never hurt her. She is to me what Katarina is to you.”

In this, Baden believed him. The man was utterly besotted.

Baden rattled off the address. Galen jumped into the air a second later—and never landed. His wings took him into the clouds.

Biscuit and Gravy came barreling around a corner, running straight for Baden. They plowed into him, and if he’d been a weaker man, he would have fallen. A laughing Katarina raced after them.

“They didn’t want to leave you unprotected,” she said as he caught her in his arms.

“They like me now?”

“Not even a little. But they love me.”

“As do I.” As the pups chased their tails and sprinted circles around him, Destruction rubbed against his skull, desperate to get his hands on her. “As does the beast.”

She traced her fingertips over his temples. “Does he need me?”

“We both do.” Baden bent and pushed his shoulder into Katarina’s middle, hoisting her up on his shoulder. “And we’re going to have you. Perhaps make you scream.”

She laughed all the way to their bedroom, earning winks and good-natured jabs from his friends, but by the time he threw her atop the mattress, she was panting.

“I usually keep my training sessions short and sweet,” she said, “but with my sweet Baduction...I think I’ll devote several hours.”

“Oh, no, krásavica. You’re going to devote eternity. Nothing else is acceptable.”