Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

Next Morning

Stella woke up nestled in Ronald's arms. The instant their eyes met, she could see the exhaustion etched into his face.

"Did you have trouble sleeping last night?" she asked softly.

Ronald slid his hand behind her head and pressed his lips onto hers-hard. In that moment, it was like he wanted to devour her whole.

Stella let out a muffled protest, "Mmm-"

His kiss was fierce, almost desperate, as though nothing would satisfy him but to pull her closer, to have her completely.

It wasn't until ten minutes later that he finally let her go. Stella, a little breathless, pressed her small hand to his chest and stared up at his stormy blue eyes.

Ronald reached out and gently covered her gaze with his warm palm.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

"How am I supposed to look at you, then?" she shot back playfully.

"Any way you look at me, all I can think is how much I want to eat you up," Ronald replied, a wicked grin tugging at his lips.

Stella's eyes widened. "You're impossible!"

Ronald was clearly struggling these days; if he'd known this would be so hard, he'd have avoided the whole getting-pregnant situation for a while longer. Life was just too torturous right now.

of baby stuff yesterday," Stella said, her voice growing tender as she mentioned

downstairs. Stella had just picked up her bowl of oatmeal when her

"Hello?"

Jaxon's voice

sister for years, and now she was gone. Even after all the terrible things she'd done-even after Ursula had nearly destroyed

cold, "Is that why you called? To make sure I'm

biting, thick

by her reaction. Stella pressed on, "You're not seriously looking for comfort

you. She was the only one with her

but what good was that if they couldn't hold it together? Lola took what she could, packed up her kid, and went to live her own life. Smartest move

her words, his voice

the Larkin family

wasn't the

Jaxon decided

realize your real

hit a nerve. Stella's temper flared instantly, and she was about et Jaxon have it when Ronald calmly took the

ber

hand.

you doing? I wasn't finished yelling

chuckled softly. "Easy, babe. You

soothing her, then