Staying down, my gaze turned serious, and I held out a hand. She surrendered hers, and I linked our fingers together. “Seriously, though. Life with me wouldn’t always be easy. I’m going to have skeletons and ghosts rattling around inside me for the rest of my life. I’m not in the army anymore, but I still have the capability to kill. That part of me isn’t something to take lightly.”
Sabrina lay beside me, both of us on our sides, staring into each other’s face. “I want you. Us. As long as I have that, everything else is just details.”
My chest squeezed with emotion. Fuck, I wanted her. This. I was still afraid I was doing the wrong thing here, that in the end, I might destroy her. Staring at her now, though, looking into her golden, sincere eyes after hearing her confess her love, not being with her didn’t seem like the right thing either.
We can endure. I would make sure of it.
“I guess we’re official, then.” I decided, and despite my worries, a sense of peace I hadn’t known since I was a kid washed over me.
A beautiful smile transformed Sabrina’s face, drawing me forward for a kiss. Just as I was about to claim it, she pulled away abruptly. “No take backs.”
Inside my chest, I felt the warmth of a summer sun. Gently, I brushed back the hair from her face. “Definitely, no take backs.”
She lifted her hand between us, holding out her pinky like a challenge. “Promise?”
I gazed at her small finger dubiously. “Really?”
Her nod was swift and decisive. “Pinky promises are iron clad.”
Chuckling, I lifted my finger and hooked it around hers. “Well, in that case, I promise.”
It was hella adorable how satisfied a stupid pinky promise seemed to make her. Fighting back a giant smile, I asked, “We straight now?”
“Straight.” She agreed.
Our pinkies were still hooked, so I pulled her into me. “Good, now come over here and give me some sugar.”
She moved closer, and I captured her lips, not pulling back for a long, long time.
Sabrina
My yawns were yawning. I didn’t even know that was possible, but here we were.
I didn’t know how long we’d been awake, but it had to be close to twenty-four hours by now, didn’t it?
When Alex stepped into the bedroom, I groaned, rolled, and pulled a pillow over my head. I could hear his chuckle even through the stuffing covering my head, and I considered kicking him. I didn’t, though, because my legs were tired, too.
My entire body was tired. And sore.
“C’mon, up,” Alex ordered.
I lifted the pillow to yell, “You’re not the boss of me!” then promptly pulled it back over my face.
The mattress dipped with his weight, and my stupid body stirred in response. I was a sick, sick woman. Even as exhausted and sore as I was, I still got turned on because he sat on the bed beside me. Just the way my body automatically tilted toward him because his weight was that much greater than mine was enough for me.
The pillow over my head was tossed aside. “I brought you some coffee, kitten.”
I cracked one eye open and gazed up at him. Sweet mercy, he was intoxicating to look at. The warm tone of his skin against the pale blue of his eyes was striking. And his skin was supple and pore-free. Every woman’s dream, but of course, this kind of gift had been bestowed on a man who wouldn’t even appreciate such a thing.
“Did you put creamer in it?” I croaked.
His full lips drew into a smile, and amusement sparked in his gaze. “Went all the way outside and milked a cow for it. Just for you.”
I threw a pillow at him and sat up. “Ha. Ha,” I muttered, thinking of the day I first got here.
Just thinking about it made my stomach drop and this hollow, almost anxious feeling grope me.
Alex sensed the change in me instantly, without me even saying a word. “What’s wrong?”
“I miss Daniel,” I confessed.
He cupped the side of my head with his palm. “I know, baby. He’ll be back as soon as he can.”
I nodded and reached for the coffee. The warm, sweet liquid slipped down my throat with ease, and I sighed appreciatively. “Thank you.”
“Anything for my girl.”
Oh, I liked that. “Say it again.” I beckoned.
“You’re my girl.”
Invitation sparked in my eyes as I watched him over the rim of the mug. “Come back to bed.”
His nostrils flared, but he shook his head. “Uh-uh. Stop tempting me, you vixen.”
A little bit of hurt flared in me at the quick denial. I turned toward the drink, away from him.
“Hey, now,” he murmured, reaching for my chin to pull me back to face him.
The second his fingers grazed my busted chin, I flinched. He made a sound and dropped his hand immediately. “See. This is exactly why I’m not crawling back into this bed with you. You’re hurt and sore enough already. Going at you again will just make you more exhausted.”
He was right. My body was sore from the wreck, and now it was sore in other places, too. Places that hadn’t been used in quite a while. But just because he was right didn’t mean I was going to admit it.
“Don’t look at me like that.” He scolded.
“Like what?” I asked innocently.
He made a rude noise. “C’mon. Get your cute ass outta bed. We’re going to Liam’s.”
“You go. I’m going to sleep.” I set the coffee on the bedside table and burrowed back into the covers.
Next thing I knew, the covers were gone and the cold air was assaulting my bare body.
“Ahh!” I screeched, reaching for the blankets.
“No, you don’t,” Alex said, picking me up off the bed. “You know you can’t go to sleep. It hasn’t been twelve hours.”
“We already fell asleep,” I pointed out. “You’re the one who said it didn’t even matter,” I muttered.
“Just another reason I can’t get back in that bed of sin with you until we can fall asleep.”
I blinked. “Bed of sin?”
A slow smile spread over the lower half of his face. “You sure as hell felt sinful to me.”
Gliding my hand up his bare bicep, I made a small purring sound.
“Naughty kitten,” he drawled, carrying me away from the bed to gently place me on my feet. “But I won’t be distracted. Liam’s waiting. I need to talk to him. And we need to get out of this house before your wicked ways seduce me.”
“You act like you’re a saint and I’m trying to corrupt you,” I muttered.
Alex’s hand curled around my hip, sliding beneath the open flannel to curve around my bare ass and flirt with my crack. “Oh no, baby. I’m already good and corrupted. Later, I plan to show you just how much.”
Swaying into him, I lifted my face so he could lick into my mouth. I moaned and surrendered to the kiss.
“Get dressed,” he said, finally pulling away.
“Can I wear your shirt?” I bargained.
His eyebrow arched quite beautifully over his eye. “You even have to ask?”
I giggled and started forward to get a pair of leggings I could pull on beneath his flannel. His hand bunched in the fabric at my back and towed me back before I could get far.
“Kitten,” he murmured.
I looked up.
Tenderly, he kissed me on the forehead.
The action made my heart drop, and even though I thought all of me already loved him, a piece I didn’t even know was inside me fell hard. I stood there dazed and sort of dumbfounded until he patted me on the ass and smiled. “You can go now.”
My feet seemed glued to the floor, though, and I ended up standing there watching him saunter away, the muscles in his back rippling as he went across the room to get some clothes.
Alex
We were holding hands when we walked into the house. Liam looked up from the island where he was sitting with coffee in front of him and Shaw in his lap.
He
said nothing at first, instead glancing down to our clasped fingers. When his eyes lifted, there was a stupid knowing smirk on his face. “‘Bout damn time,” he quipped.
“What?” Bellamy asked from beside the sink, turning to see. Her eyes zeroed in on the exact same thing, almost as if the fact we were holding hands was some kind of miracle.
She smiled and hurried across the room to throw her arms around the both of us. “Finally!”
Sabrina blushed. “Have we been that obvious.”
Liam laughed.
Bellamy gave him a stern look before turning back to Brina. “We’re happy for you.”
I leaned down and whispered beside her ear, “That’s Bellamy’s way of saying we were so obvious it exhausted her.”
Bellamy smacked me in the stomach, and I pretended like it hurt, but not enough to make me pull my fingers from Sabrina’s.
“How are you guys feeling?” Bellamy went across the kitchen again.
“Like we got hit by a truck,” Brina muttered.
“Speak for yourself, woman.” I denied but rotated to face only her. Her face was pretty battered. The cuts from all the broken glass looked angry and agitated. The purple smudges beneath her eyes created a hollow, gaunt look, and the bandage on her cheek covering the stitches made me want to punch something.
Instead of touching her chin to tip it up, I bent at the waist and looked up beneath it. The road burns were raw and painful looking, and I wished I’d brought some of that cream the doc gave her.
“Maybe we should do this later,” I mentioned. I’d been in such a hurry to get out of the house before that, I really hadn’t taken the time to think about how the activity would affect her. Perhaps I should have just let her go back to sleep and sat over her to make sure nothing went wrong.
It was easy to forget that I had a unique ability to push past pain and injury. Practice and training honed that skill scarily well. Brina wasn’t like that, though, and after what happened last night, despite the way I rocked her world afterward, I knew she was probably barely holding on.
“I’m fine.” She assured me. “I just look like shit.”
The corners of my mouth pulled. Sweeping another lingering gaze over her face, I settled on her eyes and hoped she saw the sincerity in mine. “You could never.”
“You can rest here,” Bellamy offered, reminding me we had an audience. “Let’s go out to the living room.”
I gave Brina a questioning gaze, and she nodded once.
“Would you like some tea, Sabrina? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”
Brina looked away from me to where Bellamy was pouring hot water into a mug. I smiled, seeing her making that damn ginger tea she had to live on when she was pregnant with Shaw. For a while, it was all she could keep down.
“No, thank you.”
Shaw waved to me from Liam’s lap and smiled.
“Little man,” I greeted, going forward to take him out of Liam’s arms. “How’s my favorite nephew?”
He made a sound and reached for the sunglasses I’d tucked into the neck of my shirt.
“You better take those.” Bellamy warned. “You remember what happened the last time you let him play with your glasses.”
I shrugged. “I’ll just get another pair.”
Shaw grinned up at me, clutching the glasses. Brina shifted, and his attention went to her. She smiled and leaned in to touch his belly and greet him.
He swayed toward her, holding out his arms. Brina seemed surprised, but she took him and tucked him close to her chest. “What have you got there?” she asked.
He held up the glasses, which were already covered in slobber.
“You want to put them on?” she asked, using her one free hand to take them and open the sides. A quick glance at me asked for help, so I moved in to help her put the glasses on the baby.
“Don’t you look so cool!” Brina crooned. “So much better than your Uncle Alex.”
I grunted in disagreement.
Shaw laughed and reached up to pull the glasses off his face and toss them toward the floor. Moving fast, I caught them before they could hit. Straightening, my chest brushed against Brina’s arm, and I found myself gut punched by the sight right before me.
Standing so close.
Gazing at the baby in her arms.
My heart clutched, watching her, my mind filled with thoughts of what it would be like to have her standing there beside me with our child in her arms. For long moments, all I could do was stare, my dry tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.
A heavy hand slapped me on the back, snapping me out of whatever trance I was in. “C’mon. Let’s go sit.” Liam urged.
“Dadadadada.” Shaw rattled on and held out his arms.
“You miss me already?” Liam asked, reaching for his son. “I miss you, too, buddy.”
All of us traipsed into the living room. Bellamy set the mug she was clutching on the coffee table and began lowering onto the floor on a blanket that was spread out and littered with toys.
Liam made a rough sound, reached down with his free arm, and wrapped it around his wife. “Go sit on the couch. Rest,” he said, lifting her to her feet.
“I can play with—”
“I won’t have it.” Liam griped. “You’re green as a pickle.”
Bellamy blanched at the mention of a pickle.
Liam rolled his eyes. “See? Go sit, sweetheart. I can handle my son.”
Bellamy settled into the corner of the loveseat with a sigh. After sitting the baby on the floor, Liam draped a blanket over Bellamy, handed her the tea, and kissed her on the top of her head.
“Thank you,” she whispered quietly, lifting her eyes to where he towered over her.
“Anything for you, sweetheart,” he replied.
Dropping on the couch, I ignored the protesting of my stiff muscles and propped my legs up on the coffee table. Across from us, the fireplace was going, but there was some kind of barricade set up in front of it so Shaw couldn’t get too close.
Brina patted my leg so she could get by to sit beside me. “What’s the magic word?” I drawled, not budging an inch.
“I will kick you?” she replied sweetly.
“Nope.” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back even farther.
“Alexander Hamilton!” she insisted.
I sat forward, my feet hitting the rug. “Girl, don’t even play me like that.” Calling me by my middle name… making me sound like some old man. Hells no.
Her eyebrow arched, and a spark of life came into her tired eyes. “Hammy.”
I snatched her off her feet so fast she squealed when she fell into my lap.
“Ow!” she said, curling onto her side against me.
Alarm filled me. “Kitten? Shit, I’m sorry. I was too rough. What hurts? What did I hit?”
She kept her face in my chest so I couldn’t see her. Fuck, I probably made her cry. I went to grab her face to pull her back, but I was afraid I’d hurt her again.
A sound of frustration filled the room, and I stood abruptly, having no problem hauling her with me. “I’m taking her back to the doc.”
“I’ll drive,” Liam said, his voice concerned.
I felt her tremble against me, and I glanced down. Her shoulders were shaking… My eyes narrowed.
“Sabrina,” I commanded.
Her silent laughter turned audible.
“You little brat!” I roared. “You scared the shit outta me. I thought you were hurt.”
Still in a fit of giggles, she lifted her head. “Gotcha.”
“I oughtta paddle your ass.” I fumed.
She made a face. “That’s what you get for grabbing me like that.”
“She got you,” Bellamy sang, amused.
“That’s enough outta you, too!” I told her.
“Fucking women,” Liam said, returning to his seat on the floor.
“Watch your mouth around my son!” Bellamy scolded him.
Liam winced. “Don’t be like
Daddy, little man. Or else Mommy will get you.”
Shaw laughed and hit a button on some toy that played an annoying sound. Liam sighed. “I’m bringing this one to your house next time we’re over.”
“Where’s Charlie?” Sabrina asked, a smile on her face.
“Outside,” Bellamy answered. “Liam won’t let him in.”
All eyes went to Liam. He grumbled, “He’s fine.”
“I miss him.” Bellamy rested her head on the large arm of the loveseat.
Liam rolled his eyes. “He was so clumsy this morning he nearly knocked you on your ass. I ain’t having it. You’re already puking up your guts.”
“He didn’t mean it.” Bellamy defended.
“I know that, sweetheart,” Liam said, patient. “I’ll let him in later.”
“Poor Charlie,” she whined.
Liam rolled his eyes and looked at me. “Damn dog is bigger than her, and she’s pregnant.”
“I’m on your side,” I told him, and he looked smug.
Sabrina tried to crawl off my lap to the place beside me, but I tightened my arms. “You’re good where you are,” I told her quietly.
She didn’t try to get away after that, instead settling back into me with her sock-covered feet on the cushions beside us.
“You gonna tell me what the hell happened last night?” Liam asked, effectively changing the topic.
“He was parked on a side road. Didn’t see him until he was already plowing into the side of the Hummer,” I answered.
Bellamy made a distressed sound, so I glanced at her with a soft smile, letting her know it was okay.
“Then what?” Liam pressed.
“Then the ass—”
Bellamy cleared her throat and looked at her son. I sighed.
“Then the bad man yanked Sabrina out of the car and tried to haul her off.”
Liam sat up, forgetting the toy in his hand. Newfound alarm was written on his features. “He tried to kidnap her?”
I nodded, grim. Around Sabrina, I tightened my arms just a little. “It’s not just a hit. Not this time.”
“You mean they don’t want to kill her?” Bellamy asked, puzzled.
I glanced down into my lap. Brina looked up, and our eyes met. I saw the fear there, the fear she always tried to keep under wraps. She only let me see it for a second before burying her face back into my shirt.
Subzero (BearPaw Resort Book 4) Page 19