“Someone explain to me what the fuck happened in my casino and why my Mandy is upset.”

At my words, Mandy stands up and glares at me. “Our contract is up. We’re finished. You can go.”

I start to speak, but Justin turns and looks at Stella. “Lucky, explain what happened.” She looks nervous and won’t make eye contact with me, so Justin tries again. “Lucky, tell us what you told Mandy.”

“Nothing, just the truth. That Charles bid on me at the auction, and that he was holding something over your heads and using it to take you both down.”

“What?” Aaron and Justin say at the same time.

I don’t give a fuck what she told them or what her reasoning was. I won’t have Mandy taken from me.

“It was just what you guys were telling me earlier.” Stella looks between the brothers, suddenly not so sure.

Justin raises his hands and takes a step towards her. “Lucky, that’s not how it happened, and that’s not what we told you. Baby, I’m going to try and be gentle when I say this, but you’re in a cloud of pregnancy emotions. You scare the shit out of us half the time”

Aaron goes over to Stella and raises his hands in defense too. “We had that all sorted out with Charles weeks ago. We were just telling you about how we knew him.” Stella blushes, looking embarrassed as they walk over to make sure she’s okay.

It’s then I have my opening, and I take three long strides toward Mandy. I grab her and throw her over my shoulder.

Immediately, all hell breaks loose.

Aaron and Justin are on me, and Mandy is screaming for me to put her down. Aaron pushes me towards the couch and I’m able to toss Mandy on it as I go to the ground with the two guys.

I elbow Justin in the face and roll over, taking a punch from Aaron. I sit up and knock him back, giving him my left hook. Suddenly, Justin is up and tackles me to the floor, but I knee him in the ribs and he goes down.

I stand up and watch the two guys groaning on the ground. I look over at Mandy. She’s fallen off the couch in the scuffle and is on the floor, looking at me with wide eyes.

“You’re coming with me.” I can feel the blood from my split lip running down my chin as I say this, and I’m sure I look menacing.

She just sits on the floor, not moving, but I can see the indecision on her face. She knows me well enough to know that I won’t stop until she’s back in my bed. After another second of hesitation, I go over and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder again.

When I turn around, the brothers have stood up and are standing in front of the elevator door.

I don’t have time for this bullshit so I get to the point. “Get out of my way.”

“You’re not taking her,” Aaron says, Justin nodding beside him.

“Get out of my way,” I growl again.

I start walking to the elevator, and I hear Stella behind me. “Charles!”

When I turn around, I see her standing there, holding her belly.

“Do you love her?”

“Yes.” My response is immediate and completely without hesitation. I feel Mandy stiffen under me, but this shouldn’t be a surprise to her. Everything I’ve done has been because I love her.

Stella nods her head and looks to the guys behind me. “Let him go.” When they start to protest, Stella interrupts, “He’s doing the same thing you two did for me. You did it because you love me. Let them go.”

I turn around, and after a second the guys move away from the elevator.

I walk toward it with Mandy still on my shoulder, only now she’s silent. Once I get in the elevator, I don’t put her down. Instead I smile and flip off Aaron and Justin as they stand there, not wanting to let us leave.

“Put me down, asshole.”

I reach up and smack her ass hard enough to make her squeak in pain.

“You ran from me.”

“You used me!”

Mandy tries to kick out and push off my shoulder, but I pull my hand back and give her three loud smacks on her ass again. This time she screams, but her body stops fighting against me.

“You’ll listen to every word I have to say, kitten.”

“I’m listening now.”

“No you’re not. You ran from me. You didn’t talk to me, you just ran.”

“Is it true?” I can hear the pleading in her voice.

“That I love you?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll tell you when you’re cuffed to our bed.”

She starts kicking again, and then the elevator doors open.

“Listen to me, kitten. I’m about to carry you out of this very nice casino over my shoulder. If you want me to spank you the whole way I will, and if you don’t calm down I’m going to do just that.”

“Put me down, I can walk.”

“That’s not happening. You ran from me, so you gave up the privilege of walking. Your choice now is a public spanking or to come quietly.”

I step out of the elevator and wait. It only takes a moment before I feel her deflate against me.

“Fine. I’ll come quietly.”

I carry her through the casino and out the front door, placing her in the car and locking the door. When I walk around to the driver side, I unlock it and get in, driving us back to the Snake Eyes.

The drive is silent, and I’m doing everything I can to keep from coming apart. I want to yell and scream and hold her to me to make sure she never leaves again.