“Shot him in the dick first,” Shooter said casually, making me choke on my own saliva for a second.
“What?”
“Between the eyes, peaches? Too fast, too clean, too good for the fuck. Shot him in the dick, gave him about fifteen seconds to come to terms with never being able to use that particular organ ever again, then took him out.”
“You confuse me,” I admitted, shaking my head at myself.
“I got a little rage I can tap into now and again,” he shared, openly, easily, a trait I truly admired, “but that's rare. Mostly, it's just the devilishly handsome ladies man you have come to know and love.”
I smiled. “I think it's impossible not to love you a little bit, Shoot.”
“That's what all the ladies tell me,” he answered back and I could hear the smile in his voice.
“I bet they do,” I agreed. “By the balls one day, Shooter. Can't wait to see that.”
“Never gonna happen.”
“Famous last words,” I said back immediately. “Thanks, Shooter. You got me free of him finally. I can't say how...”
“Thank Cash,” he cut in, unwilling to accept my gratitude. “He called me in. I'm just a scope and a finger. He made the call. So go find him, jump him, give it to him nice and sweet. And... try not to think of me while you do it,” he teased.
“Oh, I don't know... that might be difficult.”
“I know, sweet pea, but you're going to have to try,” he laughed and disconnected.
I took a second, letting the reality settle into me, felt it wipe away the smoky air inside like a gust of fresh wind, before I turned to Janie who was watching me and making no attempt to act like she wasn't.
“One day,” she said, her words heavy, “when I'm ready... we need to have a talk. The girly kind... with feelings and shit. There's a lot you need to know. Not just about what happened to me way back then... but about what I have done since then, behind everyone's backs. For the greater good, I think, but still. Not good stuff. Not clean.”
“Babe... nothing in our lives is clean. It's dirty and bloody and we have to fight so hard for everything we get, but it's that fight that makes it worth it in the end.”
I heard it then. Not my phone, not the call I was promised, but boots outside. I was up and on my feet just as fast as Janie, reaching for a gun I didn't have. But just as I thought that, one was flying across the bed at me and Janie was already turned toward the door, arms raised. I wasted no time getting my safety off and following her lead, legs spread, arms steady.
The door burst open and I realized Janie didn't lock it again, taking that thought and its accompanying question and burying it to be asked at a later date. My finger slipped to the trigger as three men walked inside.
“You were supposed to fucking call!” I snapped before I even got the gun lowered, not bothering to look at Reign or Repo, and focusing solely on Cash.
“Things got hot. We didn't have time.”
“Oh, no? The whole ride back from wherever-the-fuck you were... you couldn't call?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head, looking almost amused as he made his way across the room toward me.
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I was trying to focus on the road and not die on my way back to you.”
Well then.
I guessed that was a rational reason.
“I'm still mad at you,” I grumbled, but I wasn't.
“I guess I'll have to live with that,” he smiled, pressing his front into my front, his hands sliding down my arms then wrapping around my ass before his mouth came down on mine. It wasn't a quick peck either. It was long and wet and deep and his tongue stroked mine until I was clinging to him, blissfully oblivious to the three other people in the room.
“Mind if we get this over with so I can go home and kiss my woman like that and Repo can... go and kiss his cars or whatever the fuck he does?” Reign asked, making me jump away from Cash, embarrassed it had gotten so hot and heavy in public.
Cash seemed to not be of the same mind as his head ducked down and started running his tongue down the side of my neck in a way that my legs nearly buckled.
“Get what over with?” I asked, ignoring the breathlessness in my tone.
“We found Wolf,” Reign said, looking at Janie, guessing or knowing the situation, giving her the news she needed. “He's... working through some shit,” he said, vaguely.
“Are any of us going to have to worry about an FBI raid?” I asked.
“Janie, wanna go see him?” Reign asked, his tone soft as he held an arm out to lead her outside, Repo following behind.
“That's not an answer!” I called at their retreating forms and Cash chuckled. “Come on, babe, we need to get you back. Mike is gonna be pissed he hasn't changed those dressings.”
“Stop trying to distract me,” I demanded as he led me outside and down the hill. Everyone else was nowhere in sight. “Where did they all go? Is Janie going to be alright with him? Is he off the handle? We need...”
“You need to be quiet, shut down the boss-lady shit, and let your man get you taken care of, yeah?”
I tried to remember I was mad at him. I really did. But really, all there was was relief. So I let him lead me to the car that was a sight more beat up than it was when I had last seen it, then drive me back to Hailstorm.Later, in the bed, my chest to his, my legs on either side of his hips, our lips pressing memories into each other, our bodies melting toward each other, for the first time in what felt like forever, he slowly slipped inside me. I took him to the hilt on a quiet moan, my head tilting back for a second, silently hoping it would always feel like it did right then- perfect, right, beautiful. His hands moved up to my face, cradling it gently.