Part 12 (1/2)

”Admit you need me, and I'll stop.”

Nikki resisted, and he used both hands for his attack. Finally, she said breathlessly, ”All right, all right. You're the best partner for this mission, okay? Now stop tickling me!”

Ceasing his actions, Rafe gave her a quick, gentle kiss. ”Right, then with that settled, I suppose we should reach out to your b.a.s.t.a.r.d boss.”

”Hey, my b.a.s.t.a.r.d boss is about to become your brother-in-law. Maybe I'll mention to Jane how you and he need some male bonding time.”

”Don't even tease me about that.”

Nikki giggled, and he couldn't help but smile at the sound. Sometimes he needed reminding that Nikki was still a young dragonwoman; she needed more than war and conflict in her life.

And Rafe wanted to be the one to give it to her.

Before he could think too much on that thought, Nikki's voice filled the room. ”Regardless of what you think, we need to tell Kai. The sooner we do, the sooner we can convince him and Bram to let us go to Ireland.”

”Agreed. But I really think you need a shower.”

She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. ”Are you saying I stink?”

Nuzzling her neck, he murmured, ”Always thinking the worst of me, I see.” He nipped her neck and continued, ”I want you to take a shower with me, Nikki. That way I can soap up your body before rubbing you down. Maybe I'll even pay extra attention to the area between your legs.”

Her breath hitched and satisfaction coursed through his body.

Clearing her throat, Nikki answered, ”I suppose it would save water to shower together.” He growled, but amus.e.m.e.nt danced in her eyes. ”To truly save time, we should soap each other up.”

Nikki slipped away and ran up the stairs. Rafe raced after her. For that, he was going to make sure he washed between her legs very slowly, until she begged for more.

Chapter Ten.

An hour later, Nikki's mind kept wandering to her shower with Rafe. Taking time to enjoy all the lean, hard muscles of his body had been brilliant. It was hard to believe he was merely human.

Wait, that wasn't right. Rafe wasn't ”merely” anything.

The male in question's voice filled her ear. ”If you don't stop smiling, Kai and Jane will question you incessantly until you give up the details. And I don't know about you, but I don't want them in my b.l.o.o.d.y business.”

She smiled. ”It won't bother me, but I'd rather not have to break up a fight between you and Kai.”

”I'd win,” Rafe stated.

Shaking her head, she tugged him the last few feet to Kai's door and knocked. Jane opened the door with a grin. After looking at them, she motioned inside. ”Come, come. The sooner you tell us what's so important, the sooner I can badger you for details.” Jane looked at Nikki. ”I hope Rafe hasn't been acting like an a.r.s.e.”

Nikki beat Rafe to the punch. ”No, although his a.r.s.e is quite nice.”

Rafe pushed gently against her back. ”Stop nattering on about my a.r.s.e with my sister.”

Raising her brows, Nikki met Rafe's gaze. ”But it's so much fun.”

Rafe glared, and Jane laughed before saying, ”Good to see you two teasing instead of always fighting.”

What Jane didn't say aloud was conveyed with her eyes: You two seem to be getting along, but how well?

Nikki's dragon spoke up. Just tell her he is ours. Life will be simpler.

Whoa, dragon. Slow down. Rafe and I are getting along, but I still barely know him.

Then hurry up and talk to Kai. Going on a mission with Rafe will give us time to get to know him. Then you can b.l.o.o.d.y agree with me about claiming him as our mate.

At the word ”mate” Nikki blinked. If it were up to you, we'd be mated already. But I need time, dragon. You know what happened with our mother. I won't risk it.

Just don't take too long or someone else might steal him away.

Before she could think of how to reply to that, Kai's voice boomed down the hall. ”Hurry up. I have plenty to do and can't wait around all day.”

Grabbing Rafe's hand, Nikki tugged him down the hallway. Since she'd been to Kai's home office a million times before, she turned into the correct room. Kai sat at his desk, a computer in front of him. Since he rarely sat down to do anything, Nikki was glad he stood up. The last thing she needed was to be nervous or display any weakness. Kai would never let her leave then.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Kai's eyes darted to their hands and then back to Nikki's gaze. ”Tell me what's so important I had to interrupt my day off with my mate.”

Jane walked to Kai's side and leaned against him. ”Don't be grumpy. She's carrying your niece or nephew, remember.”

Nikki really wished Sid would've told everyone of her original plans. Even if she was currently more open to the idea of keeping her baby than before, every time someone mentioned it, it would be that much harder to tell them she was giving it up.

If we do, her dragon stated. I want to keep her.

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, her beast was siding with Rafe now about both keeping the baby and the gender.

Ignoring her dragon, Nikki stood tall as she said to Kai, ”Rafe received some important intel.”

She looked to Rafe and he continued, ”Simon Bourne is looking to attack and take down Clan Glenlough.”

”The Irish clan?” Kai asked.

Rafe nodded as he retrieved a flash drive from his pocket. ”I have a man undercover and through sheer luck, he was able to stash a listening device on one of those invited to the meeting. I have the recording for you here.” He held out the drive and Kai took it. ”It seems the alliance between Stonefire and Lochguard has been noticed. Bourne is thinking twice about our clans and switching his focus to ones perceived as easier targets.”

”So,” Nikki jumped in, ”he wants to attack Glenlough. As far as we know, they don't have any alliances with the other two clans in Ireland. That makes them a much easier target.”

Kai looked at Nikki to Rafe and back again. ”And? You're still keeping something from me.”

Rafe answered, ”Bram's brother, Bennett, is currently staying with Glenlough because of his mate's mother. Through him, we can reach out to Killian. Nikki and I want to be the ones to lead this operation.”

Kai raised his brows. ”What about Simon Bourne? That's the entire reason you're allowed to stay here, Hartley.”

”Not true,” Rafe answered. ”My orders are to make Bourne a priority, but also to help take down the dragon hunters in general. This falls under that purview. It may even persuade the DDA and army to give me more time to capture Bourne.”

Kai's gaze moved to Nikki. ”Are you even fit to do this?”

Squaring her shoulders, Nikki raised her chin. ”By the time everything is in place and we leave, both Rafe and I will be rested and ready for duty.”