Why do I even care?

She sighed, the answer already clear. Dominik was the only family she had left and family—for good or for ill—was bonded. Always and forever.

“Katarina.”

Baden’s growly voice jolted her, a cascade of shivers warming her. Trembling, she turned to face the object of her fascination—the only person capable of distracting her from her troubles simply by saying her name.

As usual, the beautiful man stole her breath. He’d showered. His hair was damp, the strands a darker red, almost brown. He wore a black shirt and camo pants that were tucked into combat boots. His gloves were firmly in place.

“You were sad. Why?”

“I worried about my brother.”

“You will stop...please. He caused you pain. He shouldn’t have the privilege of being part of your life.”

Well. Baden was learning to request rather than demand. In his own way, yes, but progress was progress. And oh, the way he complimented her...she would never tire of it.

As he looked her over, taking in her scantily clad body, his chiseled features drew taut with tension. A tension so fierce it thickened the air around him, sizzling with electric energy.

“I like the robe,” he said. “Now take it off.”

Oh. Wow. Okay. If she’d been wearing panties, they would have become soaked in an instant. Apparently there were times she liked his commands. Still she replied, “Ask nicely.” Consistency was a key to successful training.

“Will you please take it off?”

She smiled at him, proud of him. “I will, yes. For my massage.”

Baden wanted her, clearly intended to have her, but he planned for it to happen without skin-to-skin contact. Absolutely unacceptable. Reach for the stars first, and if you must, settle for the flowers second.

“Massage?” he asked, intrigued.

“A desperately needed massage. I’m sore from recent...vigorous pursuits.” Her trembling only increased as she picked up the phone. The intercom system allowed her to connect to any room in the house but nowhere outside. Struck her as odd, but she wasn’t going to sweat it. She stamped the proper code for the servants’ quarters and when greeted, asked to speak with Fox’s masseuse.

When he came onto the line, she said, “I’m ready.”

Baden crossed his arms over his chest. Arms she hoped to have wrapped around her very soon. “A massage. From a woman.”

She laughed as if enchanted. “Don’t be ridiculous.” With a tilt of her chin, she motioned to the chair she’d pushed to the side of the portable table, a location that would grant him an unobstructed view of the proceedings. “Sit.”

His arms lowered, one of his hands resting on the hilt of a dagger. “A male?”

“Yes. I like deep tissue, and as you so enjoy pointing out, men are oh, so much stronger.” She fluttered her eyelashes for good measure.

“Not always,” he grated. “Women can be—”

“But don’t worry, naivka,” she interjected. “I’m going to let you watch.” And you have no idea what you’re in for.

“I’ll do it. I’ll massage you.” His hard tone dared her to challenge him. “I’m stronger than any human.”

She pouted at him while trying not to giggle like a schoolgirl. “Touch pains you, and tonight I only want to pleasure you.”

His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply. “I’m wearing gloves. I won’t be pained.”

Oh, how very eager he sounded now. “Okay, let me rephrase. I want flesh on my flesh. It’s warmer...deliciouser.”

A muscle jumped underneath his eye. “Deliciouser is not a word.”

“Please excuse my poor English. Excitement has muddled my poor little girl brain.” She sashayed to him and led him to the chair. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to sit...”

He didn’t. She pushed, and he fell into place, glaring at her. “I don’t like this.”

That’s crystal clear, darling. “Is the beast demanding a fresh kill?”

“Yes! And he’s very determined.”

“Well. Whatever you do,” she said, leaning down to press her lips against his ear. “Do no harm to the human. I repeat, do no harm to the human.”

He gripped the arms of the chair. “I can’t make any promises.”

She straightened, saying with a firm tone, “You’ll make this particular promise, or I won’t let you watch.”

Oh, oh. He reeeally didn’t like that. Red glinted in his eyes and when next he spoke, he spoke with two voices, both layered with fury and...possession? “You think you can force me to leave, sweet Rina?”

“No.” Proceed carefully. They were entering dangerous territory. “But I can certainly move to another room.”

“And I can follow. No door will keep me from you. No wall, either. To reach the one I want, I’ll remove any barrier, tolerate no obstacles.”

Scary hot words, scary hot man. “Well, I can deny you access to my playland.” To be sure he understood her meaning, she ran her hands down the curves of her body. “And there’s nothing you’ll be able to do about that.”

A moment passed in tense silence.

Finally, he offered a stiff nod and said, “I won’t kill the human.”

Almost too easy. She swallowed a laugh. “You won’t hurt him, either.”

He ran his tongue over his teeth. “I won’t hurt him.”

“And you’ll talk to Fox, help her out. I kinda like her.” When the woman wasn’t dipping a toe in the pool of paranoia, that is.

“Yes,” he said with bite. “I’ll help her.”

Such a good boy, and good boys deserved a reward. Katarina took his gloved hand and cupped it over her breast; her nipple throbbed for his attention. He moaned, palming his massive erection with his other hand.

“See what you do to me, Rina.”

“If only you could feel what you do to me, warrior...”

Another moan as he kneaded her.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Baden stiffened, and she twittered with glee. She released him—every feminine part of her screamed for every masculine part of him—to skip to the door. Let the games begin.

Seeing the masseuse for the first time stunned her. He was fully human, like her, and young, probably in his mid-twenties, with straight brown hair pulled back in a man-bun and dark eyes framed by long lashes. He displayed no telltale vulnerabilities, his physique matching the voice she’d heard over the phone: strong. Obviously he worked out. Not that a lifetime in a gym would make him an even match for, say, a male like Baden.