The villa accepted the Linnam won with the calm resignation of a household that had long ago stopped questioning why Jake kept bringing people ho.
Sova appeared before Jake could explain the situation, assessed Matilda and Margeret with the rapid expert attention of soone who had been running large households long enough to recognize people in shock, and began directing staff toward guest quarters with the brisk efficiency that made Jake deeply grateful she existed.
"Rest," Jake told Matilda.
"Both of you. Nothing happens to you here."
Matilda looked at him with the gratitude of a mother who had almost lost everything. She was thankful that Jake had co and helped them. At first, when she asked for help, she was skeptical, but she thought beggars can’t be choosers. When no one ca forward to help them, it was him who thought about it and now saving them from the vile man.
Matilda’s trust in Jake had increased and she was sure that he would protect them in the near future too and her daughter was now safe.
"Thank you," she said, and the words carried more weight than their two syllables suggested.
He watched them follow Sova up the stairs before turning to find Raani waiting with the patient attention of soone who had been composing a speech during the walk back from the Linnam residence.
She had been holding herself together, her expression barely under control. Jake had recklessly picked a fight with Kunther, and if anything had gone wrong today, she didn’t even want to think about it.
"Sit," she said, gesturing at the nearest chair.
"I’m fine." Jolthar could tell that she was angry.
"Your cheekbone is the color of a bruised plum and you’re breathing carefully enough that at least one rib is making its opinions known," Raani said.
"Sit."
Jake sat, seeing the anger raising in her voice.
She examined his face with careful hands, the Dragon Maiden’s field assessnt training evident in how she pressed specific points to determine depth of damage rather than just surface injury. Her expression remained professional throughout, which required visible effort when she reached the cheekbone.
"Scale Armor absorbed the worst of it," Jake said.
"The worst," Raani agreed.
"Not all."
She stepped back.
"My body heals faster than the others, all thanks to my bloodline. The swelling should reduce significantly by evening. But you need to not be hit in the sa places again before it finishes, which ans you need to stay in the villa today and let it complete."
"Agreed," Jake said, which surprised her enough that she blinked.
"You’re agreeing?"
"It’s tactical. Kunther knows what I can do now. He’ll plan accordingly. Going back out today while I’m running reduced would be poor decision-making."
Jake touched his cheekbone carefully and regretted it imdiately. "Also, my face hurts and I’d like it to stop."
"A remarkably honest assessnt," Raani said.
She settled into the chair across from him with the focused energy of soone transitioning from dical assessnt to strategic briefing.
"What you did today was completely reckless. I know that you wanted to save those won, but you need to think about your status and act accordingly. And also, you are greatly underestimating your siblings."
Jake narrowed his gaze as he leaned back in his chair, waiting.
"Kunther," she said as she sighed heavily.
"He won’t let this go. You understand that."
"He told himself."
"He wasn’t making conversation," Raani said.
"Kunther’s obsessiveness has been demonstrated quite a lot of tis in this city. When he fixes on sothing he doesn’t release the fixation - he reorganizes his approach and tries again with better preparation. You’ve beaten him once and taken what he ca for. That makes you the obstacle between him and the thing he wants, and obstacles are what Kunther specializes in removing."
"How has nobody dealt with him before now?" Jake asked.
"He’s Class I with strong clan backing and enough political connections that confronting him directly has consequences most people prefer to avoid."
"There is sothing else you should know about your siblings. None of them stand alone. Behind every contender is a network of clans, rchants, and lesser houses willing to stake their future on a promising candidate," she said.
"Think of it as an investnt. They offer money, resources, influence, and loyalty. In return, they receive protection and favor. More importantly, they’re betting that the sibling they support will eventually beco the next Patriarch of House Raikarndel."
"In Roakan, power attracts power. That is how the ga is played."
Then she stayed silent, staring at him.
"You’re the first person in a position to actually oppose him who’s also personally motivated to do it rather than just professionally inconvenienced by him."
"The competition," Jake said.
"Among other reasons," Raani said with her brows raised.
Raani looked at him with that careful expression she wore when saying things that had personal content she was managing.
"You need to watch yourself; I will do my best to always be by your side. He’ll co at you differently next ti and he has resources you haven’t seen yet."
"I’ll be careful," Jake said.
He ant it in the way he ant most things that required effort from him - genuinely, with the full intention of following through, and with the existing knowledge that circumstances would probably complicate the following through considerably.
Jake got up and moved behind Raani and he said, "I know you are worried about and I know you are trying very hard to protect . So don’t worry about and I will be careful. Its not that easy to kill ."
He placed his two hands on either side of her shoulders, making her looking back at him.
Jake looked down on her.
His fingers began to move, slow and deliberate.
He rubbed his hands along the tops of her shoulders, thumbs pressing into the tight knots at the base of her neck.
Raani’s body stiffened at first - a warrior’s instinct - but as his strong fingers worked the tension with firm, circular pressure, a reluctant sigh escaped her lips.
Jake leaned closer, his chest nearly brushing her back, his breath warm against her ear.
"Don’t worry, Raani," he murmured, his voice taking on a darker, more seductive edge.
"I am just trying to make you relax. You have so much tension built up in your body."
He continued the massage, his hands sliding slowly down from her shoulders along the line of her collarbones.
The military tunic was buttoned high, but his fingers found the top fastenings and worked them loose with practiced ease. One by one the buttons gave way beneath his touch until the fabric parted enough for his hands to slip inside.
Raani drew in a sharp breath as his palms cupped the firm, full weight of her breasts over the thin undershirt she wore beneath. He could feel her large breasts, soft as pillows. It would require his two hands to hold one of her breasts. He managed to find her nipples and his thumbs brushed across her nipples, circling slowly, and a visible tremor ran through her entire body.
Raani’s golden eyes fluttered half-closed.
A soft, helpless sound escaped her - part sigh, part moan. Her disciplined posture lted further as Jake’s hands continued their slow, deliberate exploration.
He massaged the soft, mature curves of her breasts with gentle yet possessive pressure, feeling them grow heavier and warr beneath his touch. Her nipples tightened into stiff peaks against his palms, and another shiver passed through her.
The Dragon Maiden who had sworn to protect him was trembling now, not from fear, but from the sudden, overwhelming pleasure of being touched so intimately by the man she was sworn to guard.
Jake’s mouth found the side of her neck.
He pressed a slow, open-mouthed kiss there, then dragged his tongue along the sensitive skin in a long, wet lick.
Raani gasped, her head tilting instinctively to give him better access. Her hands gripped the arms of the chair, knuckles whitening. The military tunic hung open now, and Jake’s hands moved freely beneath it, squeezing and caressing her breasts with growing hunger. He could feel her heartbeat hamring beneath his palms and could hear the soft, shaky breaths she tried - and failed - to control.
"You’re so tense," he whispered against her neck, his voice thick with perverted satisfaction.
"Let take care of you, Raani. A woman like you... a true beauty... deserves to be worshipped."
MILFs like you are the real treasures of this world.
He licked her neck again, slower this ti, tasting the faint salt of her skin and the subtle scent of the oil she used. His teeth grazed lightly over her pulse point as his hands continued their relentless attention to her breasts - thumbs flicking her nipples, palms kneading the full, mature flesh.
Raani’s body trembled harder now.
A low, throaty moan escaped her, and her hips shifted restlessly in the chair.
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