I reach between us and rub her clit in tight circles. “Come on my cock. Milk me. Show me how much you love being full of me.”
Her walls clamp down hard. She cries out my name as she comes, shaking under me. I keep pounding through it, chasing my own release. “That’s my girl. Taking it so good. Gonna fill you up now.”
I thrust deep one last time and let go, groaning as I spill inside her. The orgasm hits hard, pulsing through every muscle. I stay buried deep while we both catch our breath.
I kiss her slow and sweet, brushing damp hair off her forehead. “You okay?”
“More than okay,” she whispers, smiling up at me. “I feel safe. Really safe.”
I pull out carefully and tuck her against my chest. “Good. Because you are. Those men are done. The whole crew is on it. Tomorrow we finish this.”
She curls closer, one leg draped over mine. “I love you, Silas.”
I press a kiss to her hair. “I love you too, baby girl. More than you know.”
The cabin stays quiet except for the soft pop of the dying fire. Outside the wind whispers through the pines. Inside I hold the woman I would burn the world down to protect, and for the first time in days I let myself believe the worst is almost behind us.
We fall asleep tangled together, her heartbeat steady against mine, and I know I’ll keep her safe no matter what comes at first light.
CHAPTER 13
Hannah
I jolt awake to the thunder of boots on the porch and voices shouting orders outside. My heart slams against my ribs before I even open my eyes. The bed feels cold where Silas should be. I sit up fast and scan the room. He stands by the window, phone jammed to his ear, already in dark jeans, boots, and a black tactical vest that makes his shoulders look even broader. His free hand checks the magazine in his pistol with quick, practiced snaps.
“Rafe, confirm the coordinates,” he says, voice low and sharp. “Boyd, you got eyes on the second vehicle yet? Thorne, load the extra ammo. We roll in ten.”
Another truck rumbles to life outside, its engine growling deep enough to rattle the glass. I throw the quilt off and scramble out of bed. My legs shake as I yank on jeans and a thick sweater. I shove my feet into boots without bothering with socks. My pulse races so hard I hear it in my ears. This is it. The men from theairfield. They found them last night while I slept, and now the whole compound is moving like a machine.
I grab my jacket and hurry down the hall. The front door stands open. Cold mountain air rushes in, carrying the smell of pine and diesel. I step onto the porch and freeze at the scene below. Trucks line the gravel lot in front of the lodge. Headlights cut through the early dawn gray. Men move fast and silent. Boyd and Wyatt strap rifles into the back of one pickup. Chase checks a radio clipped to his belt. Harlan tosses packs into the bed of another truck. Rhett and Gavin study a map spread across a hood, pointing at roads I cannot see from here.
Thorne stands beside the biggest truck, tailgate down, loading long black cases I know hold more weapons. He calls out to Eli without looking up. “Medic kit in the front seat. Double the trauma bandages. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”
Silas follows me outside. He ends the call and turns. Our eyes lock. He pulls me against his chest before I can speak. His vest feels hard under my cheek, but his arms wrap around me warm and solid.
“We located them last night,” he says against my hair. “Plate traced to a rental cabin ten miles down the mountain near the old logging road. Two men, maybe more inside. We’re going down to end this. Right now.”
My stomach drops. “Silas, wait. You cannot just charge down there. What if they have more people? What if they’re armed like the crate?”
He cups my face and makes me look at him. His eyes are steady, but I see the fire behind them. “We’ve been planning this since the plate came in. Rafe coordinated overnight. Everyone hereknows their role. We hit them hard and quiet. They don’t get a chance to run or call for backup.”
I clutch his vest. “I’m scared. For you. For all of you.”
He kisses my forehead, quick and firm. “You stay here with the women. Gates locked. Harper, Emma, Fiona, and Kayley are inside with the kids. Eli stays back too in case anything comes up. You’re safe. We’ll be back before lunch. It’s all over soon. I promise.”
I want to argue. I want to beg him to wait for more men or something. But I see the set of his jaw. This is his mountain. These are his men. He will not stop until the threat is gone. So I nod instead and rise on my toes to kiss him hard. He kisses me back like he’s memorizing the feel of me.
“Be careful,” I whisper when we break apart.
“Always.” He squeezes my hand once more, then turns and climbs into the lead truck. Engines roar to life in a chorus. The convoy rolls out single file, tires crunching gravel, taillights disappearing into the trees. I stand on the porch until the last sound fades. The compound feels too quiet after that.
Harper appears in the lodge doorway with Poppi on her hip. “Come inside, Hannah. Coffee is on. We wait together.”
I follow her in. The other women sit around the big table with Aidan playing blocks on the floor. Emma pours me a mug. Fiona offers a plate of toast. Kayley gives me a small smile that does not reach her eyes. We all know what’s happening down the mountain. No one says much. The minutes stretch long and tight.
I sip the coffee but it tastes like nothing. My mind spins worst-case pictures. Silas in a shootout. One of the men getting hurt. The bad guys slipping away and circling back here. I check my phone every few seconds even though the signal up here is spotty. Nothing.
Then it buzzes in my hand. Unknown number. I swipe it open fast.