28
Mercy
I slumped against the bench,my entire body aching from the workout I’d just put it through. My lungs were burning, so I could only imagine how Gideon felt. He sagged next to me, his breaths labored but starting to even out.
The van’s tires screeched as Rowan took a sharp turn, following the zigzag route we’d decided on to make it harder for any Storm people to give chase. As we swayed with its movements, Wylder crouched next to Gideon and cut through the ropes binding his wrists.
“You’re okay?” he asked, his voice gruff with obvious concern.
“Fine,” Gideon said, though he couldn’t stop himself from rasping a little more than usual. He took another gulp of air and managed a shaky smile. “Those fuckers had no idea who they were dealing with, did they?”
Kaige cracked his knuckles. “Hell, yeah. We painted that hotel red.”
I pushed myself up straighter, my pulse still thrumming away with adrenaline. “What about the Claws guys? Did they all make it out?”
Kaige nodded. “As soon as Wylder and Rowan burst out, we knew to take off. Their cars were even closer than the van, so they must have made it to them no problem. The whole time we were there, the pricks shooting from the windows didn’t manage to do more than clip one guy in the arm. He’ll survive.”
I should have felt relieved hearing that, but I was still keyed up. My body seemed to think the battle wasn’t over yet.
I turned to Gideon, checking him over to make sure he hadn’t taken any injuries worse than the bruise on his cheek. He had a little cut at the corner of his jaw too, and the ropes had rubbed the skin on his wrists raw. I frowned, inspecting them, and grabbed the first aid kit stashed under the bench.
“They’re no big deal,” Gideon insisted as I dabbed at the marks with an antiseptic wipe.
I elbowed him lightly. “It can’t hurt to be careful, tough guy.”
Gideon turned to Wylder. “I’m sorry. It was my fucking plan, and I—”
Wylder held up his hand before his best friend could go on, his gaze firm. “It was a great plan, and we got a ton of information out of it. Hopefully information we can use for more than just staging your rescue. You made it out, and you gave us an excuse to take down a whole lot more Storm men in the process. I’ll call that a win.”
The growl of the motor sputtered out. Rowan had parked outside the desolate strip mall where we’d decided we’d regroup, far from any of the Storm’s holdings and anywhere they’d think Claws or Nobles might go. He squeezed between the seats to join us. “We accomplished a lot today. We took out a big chunk of the Storm’s manpower in the Bend and showed we’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Gideon chuckled. “Whatever the hell you did to pull that off, it was pretty fucking spectacular.” He aimed a shy grin at me. “Especially your part.”
What felt most spectacular to me was having him here with us again, all in one piece, okay enough to even joke about what he’d been through. I squeezed his arm, a swell of urgent emotion rising up over me. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
I didn’t just want to tell him, though. The frenetic beat of my pulse urged me to show him just how happy I was to have him back. I cupped Gideon’s face in my hands and kissed him.
I’d meant it to be a short peck, but as soon as our lips touched, something in me unraveled. Gideon tilted his head to deepen the kiss, his hand rising to grip my shirt with a similar urgency. Our tongues tangled, our breaths rushing together, and just like that we were outright devouring each other as if we’d starve if we couldn’t absorb every possible bit of passion from the melding of our lips.
Gideon ran his fingers into my hair with enough force to loosen my ponytail. He pulled me even closer, tugging me to straddle him. I kissed him harder, knowing the other guys were watching us and finding that not a single part of me cared.
Gideon eased back just enough to press a trail of kisses down my neck, tilting my head to the side for better access. He didn’t seem to mind the audience either, at least not in this moment after the rush of our escape. He lowered his head to suck on the sensitive spot at the crook of my shoulder.
As I moaned, my eyes opened a fraction. Wylder, Kaige, and Rowan were standing over us, their eyes locked on us. A thrill shot up my spine. They were mine—all of them. And I was their woman.
I didn’t just want them watching—I wanted every one of their hands touching my body.
I gazed up at them with a lick of my lips in invitation, my eyelids fluttering when Gideon bit my skin lightly. A whimper slipped out of me.
Kaige broke from the ring around us first. He sank down beside us, caressing my leg from my knee up to my thigh. Gideon froze for just an instant before shifting slightly to the side to give Kaige better access to my body. A giddy warmth flowed through my body, not just desire but the delight at seeing them accept each other.
As Gideon nibbled his way along my shoulder, Kaige teased his fingers into my hair at the back of my scalp. He leaned in to kiss me on the lips. One of my hands ran down Gideon’s lean chest while the other slipped around the back of Kaige’s neck.
Gideon nipped the lobe of my ear, and I moaned against Kaige’s mouth. He pressed the advantage, dipping his hot tongue inside my mouth. Our tongues caught together in a frenzied dance, with each trying to gain control over the other. The stroking sensation made my pussy walls squeeze with a gush of arousal soaking my panties.
As Kaige’s kisses became even more eager, another set of hands skimmed over the side of my hips. They were confident, knowing just where to touch me. I peeked from the corner of my eyes and saw Rowan kneeling at my other side. His eyes reflected the same awe as I felt. A breathless giggle escaped me, the sound vibrating against Kaige’s mouth.
Rowan’s hands climbed up to my breasts and fondled them, tracing my curves, teasing my nipples. Bliss rushed through me from every direction. When Kaige dropped his head to test my other earlobe between his teeth, Rowan claimed my mouth. Gideon gave my hair a little tug and kissed his way down to the neckline of my shirt. The three of them seemed to find a rhythm as they played with my body.