I fit the thigh holster to my leg over my borrowed jeans. It’s no longer hidden like it was under the dress, but subtlety hardly seems like it’s the goal anymore.
Victoria and I show the guys the ideas we came up with for where to enter the cemetery and how to arrange ourselves for the meeting with Luca. We also make contingency plans and map out where the biggest mausoleums are—anything that will provide the most cover.
After that, everyone splits up to either rest or shower.
And then, before I know it, the shadows are deepening and the light coming through the windows is turning golden with the approaching sunset.
We’re out of time.
And I’m not fucking ready.
The sun sinks even farther, and when it’s close to dark outside, Victoria peers out the window and gives a satisfied nod. She turns to look at the rest of us, who’ve all gathered in the living room.
“Let’s load out.”
My heart immediately picks up in my chest, a wash of adrenaline flooding me. My stomach tightens, clenching hard around the fast food Theo and Ryland ducked out to pick up earlier.
I know I needed to eat, but in this moment I kind of wish I hadn’t, because I might be about to barf it all back up.
Theo reaches down to me, taking my hand and helping me to my feet. But instead of leading me toward the door to the garage, he pulls me into his embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around me.
Then he drops his head and kisses me.
It’s soft, but there’s an urgency behind it that makes my toes curl. I feel every single emotion that’s crashing around in my chest reflected in Theo’s kiss, as if he’s trying to stamp this moment in time, make a marker we can always return to. As if he’s trying to preserve our love for eternity.
The kiss deepens and builds, and I don’t give even half a shit if Dominic and Victoria are staring.
I know my other men are.
I can feel their gazes burning into us, feel the need that rises in them as they watch us and the hungry patience as they wait for me to come to them.
And I do.
Of course I do.
When Theo and I finally break apart, he kisses me softly on the nose and then releases me. My legs feel a little jelly-like as I turn toward Ryland. He steps forward to meet me, slipping one arm around my back while his other brushes a small strand of hair away from my face. I borrowed a hair tie from Victoria and pulled my dark locks back into a messy ponytail after they dried.
After securing the stray piece of hair behind my ear, Ryland trails his fingers gently over the curve of my cheek, his touch so reverent it makes me shiver. Then he grasps my chin between his thumb and forefinger, using that hold to tilt my head up before he claims my lips in a hot kiss.
I fucking love when he kisses me like this.
When I can feel the urgency in him.
The violent desire.
I don’t just let it wash over me. I rise up to meet it, going up onto my tiptoes as I sweep my tongue against his, looping my arm around his neck to anchor myself to him as the storm rages inside us both.
His fingers dig into my back, his large palms moving over me roughly, pulling me even closer.
It doesn’t end softly, just like it didn’t begin softly. Instead, we tear our lips apart, both breathing heavily. For a second, his grip on me tightens even more, making it impossible to breathe. Then he releases me and steps back, a look of hard determination crossing his face.
I know that look. That determination.
I feel it inside myself too.
Marcus is there before I even have to look for him, the heat of his body warming my back as he steps up behind me. He turns me in his arms, not even bothering to pull me away from Ryland. I end up practically sandwiched between them as Marcus gazes down at me.
Brown and blue.