“No,” he agreed, grinning, “but it does scream princess.”
I groaned, letting my eyes fall shut as I buried my head against his chest. “I’m the farthest thing from a princess.”
He laughed as he walked towards the waiting car. “On that, we can agree.”
Someone opened the passenger door and he settled me into the seat, stepping back and staring at me with unflinching intensity. “You are no princess, Skye Markham.” He leaned into the car and kissed my forehead. “You are my queen.”
I hid a smile as he closed the door and headed for the driver’s side. The butterflies in my stomach were still rioting as he climbed inside and started the car.
Clearly I wasn’t the only sleepy one, I realized as we waited for our friends to appear so we could drive home together.
Rhodes stopped halfway to the car to carry Larkin the rest of the way when her tired feet stumbled. Ryder was propped up between Tate and Dante, his head lolling sleepily on the latter’s shoulder. Katy was the only one who seemed remotely awake, but even she looked tired.
Tate got into the backseat, awkwardly catching Ryder as Dante passed him to her before climbing into the back bench with them. Rhodes wound up in the middle seat between Katy and Larkin, who each promptly turned his shoulders into pillows.
Yeah. We were all drained.
“Wait,” I said, dropping my hand on Remy’s arm as he started to turn the steering wheel.
I lowered the window and leaned out, watching worriedly as Dimitri carried an unconscious Lulu towards a different car.
“Is she okay?” I called, my throat sort of scratchy from all the crying earlier.
Dimitri gave me a tense nod. “She will be. She’s going to need to rest for a few days.”
I bit my lip, wondering if this was my fault. It had been my idea.
“Skye, don’t,” Dimitri said, shaking his head. “She would’ve done it with or without you. It’s who she is.”
I exhaled, still not happy with it. “But she’ll be okay?”
He nodded as Alexei came up on his other side.
Alexei nodded to me with a smile. “Printsessa.”
“Queen,” Remy murmured under his breath. I could hear the affection in his tone.
My lips curved into a grin as my fingers twined around his. “We’ll regroup tomorrow and figure out our next move. If you need anything—”
“—we’ll call,” Dimitri promised. “See you tomorrow.”
I rolled up the window and looked over at Remy. “Take me home, please.”
With a wink, Remy turned the wheel and drove us back towards the Alpha house. At some point I drifted off again to the quiet sounds of Remy, Rhodes, and Dante talking. Occasionally Katy would add in something, her dulcet tone blending into a hypnotic cocktail with their deeper tones until I was sliding in and out of sleep.
I missed our arrival back home, only waking up when the passenger door was opened and the cool night air snuck in to caress my body.
“I’m up,” I mumbled, starting to kick my feet out.
Remy laughed and picked me up again like my weight was nothing for him to bear. His breath ruffled my hair as he situated me in his arms. “Whatever you say, baby.”
“I can walk,” I added, even as I found the perfect spot to lay my head on his shoulder.
“I can see that,” he agreed, walking up the front steps.
I could hear Rhodes laughing behind us as the front door opened.
“Is she okay?” Sam or Dax whispered.
“Tired,” Remy answered.
“I can talk.” Except that sounded kind of slurred.
The twins laughed. “Need anything?”
“No, we’re good,” Remy told them. His voice raised slightly to address everyone. “We’ll meet down here after we’ve all slept to discuss our next steps.”
“Actually, Michael asked if you could call him when you got in. He needed to talk to you.” That sounded like Sam. Or Dax.
Crap, I was tired.
“Shit, my phone died on the plane,” Remy cursed. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. It sounded like good news.” Okay, that was totally Dax.
“That’d be nice for a change,” Remy muttered. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
I managed to waggle my fingers as he carried us upstairs and into his room, kicking the door shut before he deposited me on the bed.
I looked around as he turned on the light in the bathroom, casting a dim glow over the room. “I don’t have any clothes here.”
The corner of his mouth hooked up as he went to the dresser and pulled out a t-shirt. He tossed it onto the bed next to me.
I picked it up and practically smashed my face into it, inhaling deeply. “You smell good.”
His half-smile turned into a full-blown grin. “You smell good, too.”
I picked at the edge of my shirt with a sniff. “I smell like dirt and dust. I smell like Long Mesa.”
He came back to stand in front of me. I had to drop my head back to look up into his eyes.
“You smell like you,” he said gently, tapping the tip of my nose.
I scrunched it in response. “I need a shower.”
“Are you sure you can stand upright long enough to shower?” He laughed even as he pulled me to my feet.
“Ha ha,” I deadpanned, walking away from him. I was dead on my feet, but I was craving more than sleep as I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it into the corner. I glanced back over my bare shoulder, hiding a smile when I saw his gaze narrow.
“You’re probably right. Maybe you should join me. You know. For safety reasons.”
The glint in his eye was undeniable. “I probably should. Wouldn’t want you to slip or something.”
I reached behind my back and unhooked my bra. “Absolutely not. Apparently, I’m royalty.”
His head fell back with a groan, his throat working as he laughed. “Yeah. Apparently you are.”
“Call Michael,” I said, “then come join me.” It took me longer to shower anyways with as long as my hair was.
“Deal,” he agreed, moving to plug in his cell phone so he could call his dad’s beta.
I finished stripping, not bothering to shut the door. I heard Remy’s voice as I turned on the shower and stepped into the warm spray, letting the water rain down and wash the day away. I glanced down, watching the water swirl through the drain. It was clear, but I could feel the past shedding and washing away.
I’d finished with my hair when Remy joined me, his hands sliding around my hips and pulling me back.
I grinned, grinding my ass back into his erection as his mouth kissed the side of my neck up to my jaw.
“Was it good news?” I asked, my breath catching on the sharp spike of pleasure that rocketed through me when his thumb brushed across my nipple.
“Yeah,” he answered, moving to the other side of my throat. His hips thrust lightly against me making his intent clear.
“And?”
“Word’s gotten out about the bonding wave,” he said, the hand not teasing my breast slipping between my thighs. He slowly pumped a finger into me.
I squeezed my eyes shut against the onslaught of sensations as I clenched around his finger. It wasn’t enough.
Reading my mind, he eased a second finger into me, taking the time to grind the heel of his hand against my clit.
I groaned and slapped a hand against the wall in an attempt to keep my balance.
“More packs want to join us.” He nibbled around the claiming mark, as he tucked a third finger into my body, stretching me until I whimpered. My hips rocked against his, silently begging for more.
“That’s—” I gasped sharply, arching as he pinched my nipple. “That’s great.”
“It is,” he agreed, his low voice practically purring as he played my body to perfection.
The orgasm crashed over me slowly, like a rising tide that dragged me out to sea. I moaned, the sound echoing off the ti
le of the shower.
Remy spun me around, lifting me so my back was pressed against the tiles as he drove into me in a single thrust. My soft moans turned into a guttural cry as he pressed me against the wall, finding a steady pace that lit up all the right places.
A second later his mouth crashed against mine, his tongue thrusting in rhythm with his dick as he worked me up again. The next wave was higher and the crash harder as I fell apart again, clenching around him until he came with a satisfied grunt.
He slowly slipped from my body, the slide of him against me sending ripples of aftershocks through my system. I was barely aware of my feet touching the floor, and Remy only let me go when he knew I was steady-ish.
Quietly, he finished washing my body, being infinitely gentle. Even through my exhaustion, I felt my body react to his touch as he cleaned me up. It took him less than two minutes to wash his hair and body and then pull us out of the shower in a cloud of steam.
Wrapped in a fluffy towel, he perched me on the edge of the counter and dried himself off. I leaned back against the mirror, enjoying the show. He had a body that would make a sculptor drool. His muscles flexed and moved as he ran the towel over his body, finally knotting it low on his hips.
To hell with the sculptor; I was the one drooling.
He grabbed another towel and started working it through my hair. By the time he started running a comb through my tangled strands, I was well on my way to the land of dreams.
I loved showering with him.
“Me, too,” he said with a grin, pecking my lips quickly.
I laughed. “I don’t think I meant to say that out loud.”
He braced his hands on either side of my legs on the counter so we were eye level. “So, you didn’t mean to tell me that a sculptor would love to use me as a model?”
I groaned and covered my eyes. “Clearly my brain and mouth have communication issues when I’m tired.”
He grabbed the shirt next to me and worked it over my head. “Then I guess we better get you to bed.”
I watched him for a moment. “Have I mentioned how much I love you?”
“Not in the last hour,” he admitted, pressing his lips together. He pushed off the counter and grabbed a pair of shorts.
“I’m slacking.”
“You’ve had a long day,” he answered with a chuckle, but his expression sobered quickly after. “How are you dealing with all of this?”
“I’m good,” I said slowly, meaning it. “It was a rough day, but we got through it. And I guess I can finally stop looking over my shoulder.”
“Good. I’m glad. All I want is for you to be safe.” He tossed our dirty towels into the hamper.
“All I want is for us to be safe,” I corrected. “You, me, and our pack. I think when this is all over, we should do what Katy suggested. Let’s plan on building our own house and more space for the pack. I want our family around us.”
“Yeah?” He helped me slide off the counter, but kept me trapped between it and his body.
I sniffed, inhaling his scent like a junkie looking for a fix. “Yeah. Seeing Bria today … I felt her baby kick. And I want that.”
His brows shot up.
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Not now. But one day. I like planning for a future with you in it. I want … kids and for our kids to be surrounded by people they love. I want all of that. But I only want that with you.”
Remy rested his forehead against mine and exhaled. “We’ll have that future, babe.”
“I know,” I answered. “But today feels like the first day I can actually believe that, you know?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I get that.”
I sighed dramatically, waving my hand with a flourish. “Now take me to bed.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Whatever my queen wants.”
47
Remy
Rolling over, I automatically reached for Skye, missing the warmth of her pressed against me. I frowned when all I met were cool sheets. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand and realized it was almost noon.
I had definitely overslept, and my mate was nowhere to be found.
I pushed myself up into a sitting position, scrubbing a hand over my face as I blinked away the last traces of sleep.
“Babe?” I glanced around, half-expecting her to be in the bathroom.
“Aw, missed you, too, honey,” Rhodes drawled from the open doorway.
I smirked. “Asshole.”
“And here I thought our love was stronger than that,” he mused, coming into my room and handing me the mug of coffee in his hand.
I took a sip, grimacing at the bitter liquid.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked, dropping into the chair by my bookshelf.
“Too long,” I answered, taking another drink.
“You’re not a superhero, Rem. You need sleep, too.” He frowned at me, looking a little concerned.
“Where’s Skye?” I set the coffee on the table.
He smiled slightly. “Downstairs with Larkin and Katy.”
“The twins?”
“School. Katy made them go. Dax was pretty pissed.”
I frowned. “That sounds about right.” It was easy to forget my little brothers weren’t so little anymore.
“Nikolai and Dimitri are on their way here. They just got confirmation that there’s three planes full of shifters coming to help. They want to know how you want to handle things. Plus, Michael and Dante have a list of packs that want to join sooner rather than later.” Rhodes ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “You’ve got a lot of decisions to make, Alpha.”
I exhaled hard. “You guys shouldn’t have let me sleep in.”
Rhodes snorted and stood up. “Take it up with your mate. She threatened all of us with bodily harm if we woke you up.”
That sounded about right. “How does she seem today?”
Rhodes sighed, thinning his lips for a second as he considered the question. “Better, honestly. I think what happened in Long Mesa was cathartic for her. That and whatever you guys did last night.”
“Excuse me?” I started to reach for my coffee and froze.
He chuckled as he headed for the door, lightly tapping the wall. “You guys definitely need your own place, man. Or better soundproofing.”
“I fucking hate you,” I grumbled, my chin dropping to my chest.
“Love you, too, babe,” he returned with a grin as he ducked out of my room.
A second later Skye appeared, her green eyes narrowed. “Did he wake you up? I swear to God, Rhodes is like a little kid sometimes.”
“Sure you actually want some of our own?” I teased, appreciating the way her jeans and t-shirt effortlessly molded to her curves. Her hair was tied back in a long braid that would look amazing wrapped around my fist.
With a grimace, I shifted in the bed, glad Rhodes hadn’t mentioned that my body wasn’t finished with whatever Skye and I had been doing last night.
She smiled as she sat down on the bed in front of me, and the image was so stunning that I forgot to breathe for a second.
“I think if we can handle Rhodes and Ryder under one roof, we could easily handle a dozen toddlers.” Her teeth lightly bit on her lower lip and I surged forward with need to kiss her, sucking her bottom lip between mine with a needy pull.
She ducked away with her eyes sparkling. “If my dad wasn’t on his way here …”
Yeah. Mentioning her father was the fastest way for my dick to deflate.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, well, apparently it’s for the best since everyone is awake, too.”
She tilted her head to the side. “What does that mean?”
“That the walls in our new house need more soundproofing than what we have here,” I replied with a laugh.
It took a second, but her cheeks instantly flushed pink when she realized what I meant.
“Oh, no.” She covered her face with a self-deprecating laugh mixed with a groan. “That’s … awkward.”
“Babe, it’s fine,” I assured her. “And if they heard anything, it’s because they took an hour off from doing exactly what we were doing.”
She gave me an exasperated look. “And if Sam and Dax heard?”
I winced. “Luckily their rooms are at the other end of the hall.”
Her head fell, but her shoulders shook with silent laughter. “I take it back. We’re so not ready to be parents.”
“We can still practice, though.” I grinned and pulled her forward until she was sprawled over my lap like a decadent buffet meant only for me.
“No, no, no,” she said firmly, somehow managing to slip away with a thunk onto the floor.
Oh, hell. Her on her knees next to the bed, looking up at me, with those big green eyes and pink lips parted, was not helping my growing situation.
She pointed a finger at me. “No. Get that look off your face, Remy Holt.”
“What look?” My tone sounded innocent enough, but we both knew my hands were seconds from shredding the sheets I was fisting to keep from grabbing her.
“I’m not having sex with you with my dad on the way and all of our friends downstairs,” she hissed, scrambling to her feet. She backed away from the bed like I still could lunge at any minute and pull her down.
Which wasn't too far off the mark of possible.
“Go take a shower. Alone,” she emphasized when I started to remind her we had showered together last night. “I’m going to … do something that’s not in the room.”
I shrugged. “As long as it’s something and not someone.”
Her jaw dropped. “Cold shower, Remy. Cold.”
“You know that’s actually a false statement, right?”
The little crease that formed between her pinched brows was adorable. “Huh?”
“Cold tightens things. Hardens things,” I added, grinning as her blush traveled down her throat. “Cold shower is the worst thing you can do when you’re turned on.”
She threw up her hands. “Fine. Take a hot shower. Burning hot.”
My eyes lit up. “Hot like when you’re—”
Legacy (Blackwater Pack Book 3) Page 40