I know because we’ve done this dance before and we’ve all stepped up when needed. Right now, my brothers know I need my woman in my arms.
When I open the door to my room, Graycie is huddled back against the headboard, her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs like making herself smaller will make the rest of the world disappear.
Her eyes are haunted when they meet mine.
“He will never hurt you again,” my voice is firm.
Graycie slumps down in the bed and I shed my clothes as I step toward her. When I’m close enough, I grip her ankle and pull gently until she’s laid out for me. Right where I want her. The motion has the shirt she’s wearing, my shirt, riding up over her hips.
I crawl over her, the beast inside of me ruled by bloodlust and need. He beats his chest in victory as I slide inside of her with one vicious thrust. Her limbs wrap around me and she clings to me.
As I fuck her, slow and hard, needing to brand her and reaffirm my claim, I whisper words of praise along with promises of forever.
“Never again, Graycie-girl,” my voice is husky. “You’re mine and I protect what’s mine.”
Tears fill her eyes and when they fall, she doesn’t bother wiping them away. And I don’t look away. I take her in and commit every breath, every heartbeat, to memory.
After we come together, we’re both panting as joy bursts free from my woman.
“I’m free,” she breathes out, her hands still holding me to her with a grip that tells me she’s never planning on letting go.
“Yeah, Angel,” I rumble, “time to fly.”
As I roll us, not nearly done with her yet, I can’t wait to see how high she soars.
CHAPTER 26
GRAYCIE
As I open the back door of Bunz Out, it feels like I can finally breathe. Really breathe. Because I have nothing to be scared of anymore. Turner made sure of it.
I don’t know the details, and I don’t want to. What I do know is that I don’t have to look over my shoulder in fear because Sylvester could be behind me waiting to pounce. He’s gone.
Not only can he not hurt me, but he can’t hurt anyone else either.
“People go missing every day,” I whisper the words with a shrug.
Just as I put my stuff down and grab an apron, Lara walks around the corner from the hallway with the storage room and her office. The scream that comes out of her could wake the dead.
“Fuck, Lara,” I shout and the sound she’s making cuts off abruptly.
Her eyes are big and round as she looks at me with her hand pressed against her chest like it’ll do anything to save her if her heart is about to explode. And she’s certainly looking at me like it’s going to.
“What the actual fuck, Graycie?” She hisses the question while glaring at me. “You can’t just be here.”
She looks around the kitchen like she’s expecting the boogeyman to jump out of the smallest shadow. But it won’t.
I’m free.
I don’t have to worry anymore.
“Things are handled,” I tell her simply, hoping it’s enough, “and I’m safe which means I’m here to work.” I do a little bow and pout slightly when she doesn’t start clapping.
She really should be clapping.
Instead, her mouth opens and closes a few times before she looks up at the ceiling like she’s searching for where she left her patience. She looks exhausted and my heart sinks.
I take a small step closer to her and soften my voice, “I’m really sorry I put you in the lurch. I know it wasn’t easy to keep everything going because I couldn’t be here. If you want to fire me and find someone else, I really do understand.”