He kisses me again and I tangle my fingers in the back of his hair, letting his arms take my weight as he holds me flush to him.
“If you’re done, Shakespeare, coffee is ready,” Maverick’s teasing tone breaks our moment before he laughs and I hear the door close.
“He is lucky I love him like a brother,” Lincoln grumbles into my neck before releasing me. “Come on, we should go in. I need to catch up with him about last night too. When did he come here?”
“About two in the morning. He grabbed a shower then crawled into bed with Finn and me. Where was he last night?”
“Come on,” he says, linking my fingers with his. “We’re going to cover it over breakfast anyway.”
I nod and let him lead me inside, grabbing my coffee mug from the patio table, finding Mav and East sitting at the counter while Finley is at the stove. “Oh God, that smells so good.”
I move over to Finn, putting my mug on the counter before kissing him between the shoulder blades as he flips the sausage on the griddle.
“Morning, beautiful.” His voice is still full of sleep, but he looks over his shoulder, smiling down at me. “I figured you’d be hungry after last night.”
His eyes twinkle with mischief and I love it. “I’m always hungry,” I tease, running my fingertips down his ribs. “But you already know that.”
He growls lowly and a shiver of excitement runs through me, making my toes curl. I’m glad he’s coming around to my touch, especially when I get to tease him. It’s fun prodding them all sometimes.
I kiss his back again before refilling my mug and sitting at the counter. The three of them are already muttering away about something sports related so I tune out and just enjoy this moment of peace. It feels like it’s been a hot minute since we were all together and there was nothing urgent hanging above us.
It feels like the first time we’ve all been together, and in once piece since before I was taken… before East was shot.
I shake off the thought, tuning back into the moment with my guys, and just enjoy the fact that we’re all here, alive and somewhat healthy.
Finley dishes up breakfast, kissing my cheek as he sets a plate in front of me before taking the seat next to mine. He looks over at Mav, who is teasing Lincoln about God only knows what, before speaking. “What happened last night?”
They all fall silent, and the light in Mav’s eyes dims a little. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you don’t typically crawl into bed with V after a job… so what went wrong?” Finn’s voice is soft, but firm at the same time. It’d be hard to miss how much he cares for Mav, even with the forceful tone.
He’s worried.
Should I be worried?
“Job went okay. That bit was fine,” he says, letting out a deep sigh. “It was after, when Harrison cornered me, and told me he wants to see V at the next meeting. That’s when shit went sideways.”
“He wants what?” I gulp, my appetite disappearing.
Lincoln frowns, but it’s East who speaks. “Why would he ask you rather than Lincoln?”
“Because he didn’t want to distract me from Georgia,” Lincoln says, his jaw clenched.
“What does this mean?” I ask, trying not to sound as on edge as I feel with my heart like a jackhammer against my ribs.
“It means,” Lincoln says slowly, “that they’ve decided to honor the contract.”
* * *
After a tense Saturday of worrying about what Maverick told us over breakfast, then spending yesterday doing some self-defense training with him and Finley in the cage—after Smithy let me know he’s taken my advice and is extending his trip—I’ve decided to try and not worry about it. What will be will be and all that.
It’s also like telling water not to be wet, but I’m trying.
Which is exactly why I’m sipping mocktails around my pool with Indi, trying to enjoy the first day of spring break as we soak up some of the early year sun.
“Do you guys have many plans for the week off?” Indi asks before taking a sip of her mango and passionfruit concoction.
“Nothing that I know of yet. To be honest, I’m looking forward to some down time.”