Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 47822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
I think I drifted off. At some point Byte moved and I could hear water running in the bathroom. A warm cloth was stroked between my legs. I whimpered, but widened my legs, welcoming their touch.
Crush pressed a kiss to my shoulder, his arm tightening around me. “Shh, baby,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble against my back. “We’re here with you and we’re not going anywhere.”
I sighed, snuggling against Crush’s chest. I felt Byte’s weight dip the mattress again. He shifted close to me, pressing against my back and tangling his legs with mine. He rested his hand on my hip just above where Crush’s arm encircled me. They’d created a protective cocoon with their bodies, surrounding me completely, their warmth and scent enveloping me.
In that moment, cradled between these two powerful men who had chosen me, I felt something I hadn’t experienced in as long as I could remember. Perhaps ever.
I felt completely safe. Completely wanted.
I felt like I was home.
Chapter Twelve
Byte
We stayed at the little cabin for two more days before I called in our ride home. None of us had been particularly ready, but we were running out of clean clothes and I didn’t really relish the idea of handwashing anything. River called her job and resigned. She hated not giving notice, but since the schedule was late coming out -- so there were no shifts she was committed to -- and she usually gave her boss the days she could work and hadn’t since the schedule wasn’t ready yet, there really hadn’t been a point in giving two weeks.
Now, the jet touched down with a gentle bump, a stark contrast to the thundering in my chest as I glanced at River sandwiched between me and Crush in the plush leather seats. Yeah, El Diablo had been less than impressed when he’d figured out we’d commandeered his Gulf Stream, but he’d get over it.
Home. We were bringing River home to Grim Road, to our world. Our chosen family. Neither of us had ever brought a woman back to the compound before and from the tight set of Crush’s jaw, I knew he was just as keyed up as I was. Likely because we were bringing River back as a woman we were sharing. The guys in our group weren’t nearly as judgmental as they had been in the days before Lemon got there so I was pretty confident no one would hurt River’s feelings.
Less than a week, we’d left as two brothers on a mission to humor our grandmother. Now we were returning as a family with our woman at our side, bound together in ways I still tried to wrap my head around.
“You okay?” I asked River, watching her fingers nervously tap against her thigh.
She nodded, flashing me that smile that hit me like a physical force every damn time. “Just a little nervous.”
Crush reached over, covering her hand with his. “They’re going to love you. Or they’ll answer to us.”
El Diablo’s pilot had gotten us back to Florida in record time. The guy never asked questions, which made it worth hijacking his schedule occasionally. It wasn’t like El Diablo was going to kill us or anything. I mean, he could, but I didn’t think Lemon would let him. OK, so she would if there was a good enough reason, but not because we took his jet to go get our girl. Even if she wasn’t our girl at the time.
Knox, the road captain for Grim Road, met us at the airport in an SUV to take us back to the compound. “Welcome home.” Knox grinned and took my hand in a firm grip before doing the same to Crush. His gaze went to River, and he smiled. “Mission accomplished, looks like.” He offered his hand to her. “I’m Knox. My woman, Evelyn, is anxious to meet you.”
“She is?” River looked so shocked I had to smile.
“Yep. Said she’s looking forward to meeting the woman crazy enough to take on these two.”
River looked from me to Crush uncertainly. “Is the two of them being with me together going to be awkward for anyone?”
“Nobody gives a fuck,” Knox said, his mien hardening, his brows drawing together. “And if they do, you come tell me and I’ll tell them to fuck all the way off. After I kick their ass.”
“Wow.” She blinked and ducked her head. “That’s really violent.” We all laughed, and I caught River grinning despite how uncertain she’d looked only moments before.
Crush put his arm around her and leaned in to speak next to her ear. “No one’s going to make you uncomfortable. When you meet Lemon, you’ll understand why.”
The drive to the compound passed in comfortable silence. Knox didn’t chat, letting us have as much privacy as he could in the confines of the Explorer. River sat between us in the backseat. Her thigh was warm against mine; her scent like sunshine and something sweet I couldn’t name, filled my head with memories of her body arching beneath me just hours earlier.