by Aurelia Skye
A few started to return fire, but Tucker’s voice cut across as he yelled, “Don’t shoot the women.”
Finally, our men seemed to have gotten on board with the idea and realized what we were doing, because they were no longer trying to shove past us to form a protective barrier. Instead, they were moving down the hall double-time, while we all ran backward. The soldiers followed us, but they couldn’t get a good shot without risking hurting me or Alyssa.
We had no such restraint and kept shooting our guns as we ran. I don’t know how many we took out, but I saw bodies fall, and I didn’t care to keep track. I didn’t think these deaths would haunt me the way the previous six had. It was different when I was defending someone besides just myself.
“Now what?” asked Alyssa as we neared the exit. We would soon be in the open again, and they’d have a good chance of hitting the men we cared about.
I shrugged, uncertain how to proceed.
“Run like hell,” said Chris.
His plan sounded as good as anything, so when we all burst out of the entrance, two at a time, we scattered and ran for the trucks. The soldiers were only a few steps behind us, and bullets ricocheted, but I heard no cries of pain. I ended up in a truck with Avi, Han, and Chris, with Shane behind the wheel. It was a tight fit, and I was sitting mostly on Avi and Chris’s laps.
A quick glance at the truck beside us revealed Lian, Alyssa, and Jamar had a little more room to spread out. Lian was behind the wheel, and I worried about him. Anyone not driving could duck below the dash and get some protection from the bullets flying toward us, but the drivers were at greater risk.
Shane drove like a madman, and I was certain Lian kept pace, though I couldn’t look up from where Chris and Avi had shoved me into the floorboard as the soldiers spread out in front of us. We were out of the parking lot a few moments later, and I was certain we were being chased.
Avi was on the radio with Collier, discussing exit strategies. From what I could hear where I was tucked in relative safety, it sounded like the Blue and Yellow teams were nearby, and they were going to rendezvous with us in a few intersections. We had to keep the militia people from following us and learning the location of the armory, so we might still have to fight our way out again.
Chris’s radio crackled, and I heard him answer as Avi was still speaking to Collier. Lian’s excited voice came over the radio, but there was an edge of franticness to it. “Look in the back. Jamar said he stored a rocket launcher in your truck this morning.”
Avi had broken off, and I glanced up as much as I could, trying to read his expression. “I didn’t authorize that, but I’m damn glad you thought of it, Jamar. Collier, hold on. We might have a different plan.”
Despite Chris’s resistance, I slithered out of the floorboard area when Avi abandoned his seat to hop over the back and disappear into the confines of the truck. I climbed on the seat with my knees pressing against the back, peering through the partition to see what Avi was doing.
I sucked in a breath through my teeth when I saw him positioning a large weapon on his shoulder. There was something that looked like a rocket attached to it, and I could only assume it was a rocket launcher. I bit back an instinctive cry of protest when he leaned forward to open one of the doors. I was afraid he’d fly out, but he steadied himself with his foot against the other door as he lined up a shot.
I couldn’t see completely around him, but could see enough to know there were at least six vehicles following behind us. Perhaps if he could take out the lead vehicle, it would cause enough chaos and confusion for us to escape without them knowing where we were headed.
I held my breath as he lined up the shot, making it all look easy, though I was certain it wasn’t. Considering he’d been a police officer before, without formal military training, I wondered where he had learned how to handle a rocket launcher seemingly with ease. Now wasn’t the time to ask though.
As he depressed some button somewhere that made the rocket shoot from the launcher, I exhaled sharply, suddenly aware my chest was hurting from holding my breath. The rocket struck the lead vehicle on the left, causing an instant explosion. The truck veered off the road, unfortunately not hitting the truck to its right, but managing to block a good portion of the road with the debris scattered around anyway.
I cried out when Shane increased our speed even more, and Avi pitched forward. I was convinced for a moment that he would fall out of the truck, but all he did was drop the rocket launcher. He clung to a cargo strap as Shane navigated the corner so sharply that it felt like the truck would tip up onto two wheels. Lian had already driven ahead of us, I guess, because I didn’t see him behind, and it was a narrow street we had approached. We were going the wrong way, but it didn’t matter that the street was one-way, since we were the only traffic these days.
Avi seem to be taking a beating in the back, and I turned to look at Shane. “You have to slow down and let him get back in the cab.”
He looked grim when he glanced at me before looking back at the road. “No time. We have to make sure we get away while have the chance. Avi knows that, and he’ll hold on.”
I glared at him before turning my attention back to Avi. I was vaguely aware of Chris fastening a seat belt around me, though it went around my hiney instead of my lap, due to my position. I couldn’t look away from Avi, and I could barely breathe through the terror I was feeling. If he fell out, he would die. We were going so fast there was no way he’d survive such an impact, and I wasn’t even certain Shane would stop to check on him if he did roll from the truck.
I lost track of our route, but finally realized we were slowing, so it must have been safe to stop, at least long enough to let Avi get in the truck. I undid the seatbelt and scrambled over the back before Chris could stop me, moving toward Avi as he leaned out to grab the door. I hooked my hand in his waistband, pulling back with all my strength as he swung backward as well, closing the door with a thud before tumbling into the bed of the truck alongside me.
I didn’t care about our audience as I climbed on top of him, peppering his face with kisses. “Don’t you ever do anything so crazy and dangerous again. I can’t live without you.”
He hooked an arm around my waist, and his hands cupped the back of my head as he brought my mouth against his for a deep kiss before responding. “I’d do it all again to make sure you’re safe.”
I didn’t know whether the slap him or kiss him, so I settled for snuggling against him for a moment, reassured by the steady thump of his heart against my ear. I lifted my head, and when he brought a thumb up to swipe my cheeks, I was surprised to find I was crying. I hadn’t realized it. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t let anything happen to you. I know I said I don’t believe in it, but I was wrong. I love you, Natalie.”
My heart skipped a beat at the words, and it should have been too soon, but I had no qualms reciprocating. “I love you too, which is why I’m furious that you put yourself in danger like that.”
He kissed me again before he started to get up, and I walked beside him as the truck bounced along. I was thankful for the cargo straps that made it easier to get back to the cab, and I briefly wondered at my own fleet footedness as I had run to reach him in my panic.
I slipped over the seat first, settling on Chris’s lap so Avi would have room. When he was seated, I settled myself equally on both of them again. Glancing at Chris’s face, I saw conflicting emotions there and realized it might have hurt him to hear me tell Avi I loved him.
Lowering my voice, I leaned closer and pressed my lips to the spot just under his ear, giving him a light kiss before I whispered, “I love you too, you know?”
He stiffened for a moment before relaxing and shooting me his typical smug grin. “Of course you do, babe.” And he lowered his voice, his tender expression matched his tone when he whispered, “Love you too.”
Lying against the two of them was a strangely relaxing end t
o the adrenaline-pumped encounter we had just survived. I suddenly wanted both of them, and if it hadn’t been for Han and Shane in the truck, I would’ve indulged in my desire. I was certain it was a strong reaction to surviving that, of all of us being alive, and I wanted to celebrate the fact we had endured. At the same time, I wasn’t ready to embarrass Han or Shane, or myself, with the indulgence. Plus, it felt off anyway. I needed the reassurance of Lian and Finn there as well. I needed to celebrate being alive and remind myself why we continued to fight to live.
Chapter Ten
After Collier debriefed us, I made my way straight to my room. I was happy to have Chris and Avi trailing behind me, and Finn was already waiting at my door. It was good, but it wasn’t complete. I waved my keycard and had them enter, but stayed outside.
Seeing their looks of confusion, I said, “I’ll be right back. There’s one more person who needs to be here tonight. I need all of you.” I wasn’t certain how they would react, but after the day we’d had, I needed to feel connected to all of them.
I went to Lian’s door, taking a deep breath as I lifted my fist to knock on the metal. It opened a moment later, and I barely hid a groan of dismay when I recognized his father instead of him. Instead, I plastered on a polite smile. “Is Lian here?”
Liu shook his head, scowling at me. “He’s still out scavenging.”
I shook my head. “No, we’ve been back for a while. Do you know where else he might be?”
He made no effort to hide his disdain. “I wouldn’t help you find him if I knew.” With those words, the door closed in my face.
I shook my head and took a step back, trying to think where Lian might be. At that moment, he rounded the corner of the corridor, and his eyes widened when he saw me. I put on a smile, trying not to take his father’s rudeness too seriously. After all, he’d warned me. I moved closer to him, meeting him halfway.
“You all right?”
I nodded as I leaned against him. I waited to see if he would publicly embrace me, or if he was too conscious of his father’s proximity to do so. It was a relief when his arms came around me without hesitation. “I need you. I needed to see you and be reassured that you’re okay too.”
“I’m fine, but I’ll come to your room in a few minutes.”
I nodded, forcing myself to move back and take a couple of steps away. I paused to look over my shoulder as I reached out to touch his wrist. “It’s not just you and me tonight. I don’t know if anything will happen besides cuddling and reassurance, but I wanted you to know that before you show up and get surprised.”
He frowned, clearly not liking the idea.
I continued holding his wrist. “Will you still come?”
The seconds it took him to answer felt like hours before he finally took my hand in his and squeezed gently. “I will for you.”
After that, he let go of my hand and moved toward the room he shared with his father as I turned from him and made my way down the corridor and back to my room.
After letting myself in, I found my men sprawled on the bed waiting for me. I closed the door behind me and dropped the keycard on the table, hoping I would need it to let Lian in in a few minutes. I hoped he didn’t change his mind or back out.
I walked closer to them, but didn’t get on the beds just yet. I knew if I did, I’d get sidetracked. “I’m sorry I left for a moment, but I wanted to get someone else. It’s the other man I’ve been seeing.”
I saw the expected mix of jealousy and confusion on their faces and held up a hand. “It’s a recent development, and I simply haven’t had a chance to tell you all about it yet. I’ve been attracted to Lian since—”
“Lian?” asked Chris with dismay. “You have to be kidding. He’s a total jerk.”
I shook my head. “He really isn’t. He’s conflicted and trapped between trying to do what he thinks is right for his father and what he wants. I’m sure you’ve all figured out Liu has a problem with anyone who isn’t like him, and Lian is trying to balance his father’s happiness with his own. He isn’t deliberately trying to snub anyone, but is trying to get through like the rest of us.”
Finn snorted. “There’s a difference between getting through and being outright unfriendly. I don’t know what you see in him, and it just doesn’t make sense to me. I understand why you’re drawn to Chris and Avi, though they aren’t my type.” He chuckled for a moment before his expression changed to serious again. “I just don’t comprehend Lian though. Isn’t it a problem that you aren’t…like him?”
I shrugged as I moved closer to the bed, sitting on the foot to avoid the temptation of lying down between them. “It’s not a problem for Lian, though it clearly is with his father.”
“So you’re just his ugly secret then?” asked Avi with clear disapproval. “How can you stand that?”
“It isn’t like that. I don’t intend to be his secret anything. I made it clear that it wasn’t just a one-time thing when we started seeing each other, and I won’t accept being hidden away.” They were brave words, and I hoped I could live up to them. After nearly losing Avi, it had sharply underlined how quickly I could lose any of them. I hoped I had more pride and self-respect than to settle for being Lian’s hidden girlfriend, but it would definitely be a struggle to walk away if I had to.
“I’m going to grab a quick shower. If Lian shows up before I get back, could one of you please let him in?” I looked closely at them, seeing their halfhearted enthusiasm behind the nods. I knew it would take a while for them to accept the shift in our dynamic. I imagined they would’ve been more receptive to any other man but Lian, and I was sorry that they had to deal with the internal conflict, but he was the only other one I wanted besides them.
I kept the shower brief, wanting to return to my men. I didn’t bother with clothes and just slipped on a robe I kept hanging on the back of the door. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I paused for a moment at the sight of Lian standing near the breakfast bar, looking awkward. The other three were still arranged on the bed, and they looked equally awkward.
I approached him slowly, reaching out a hand that he took after a moment’s hesitation. When I first tugged him toward the beds shoved together, he resisted. When I kept pulling lightly, he finally yielded and walked over with me, though he still remained standing as I sat down in the center.
I let my gaze encompass all of them, spending a moment staring into each man’s eyes and showing how much they meant to me. “I almost lost Avi today, and I could’ve lost any of you except Finn, who was thankfully safe here at the armory. I know it’s selfish, especially since Avi was the one who was risking death, but I need the reassurance of your touch tonight. All of you. I need to verify that you’re whole and alive, and that we’re all together, at least for now. I don’t know what might happen to any of us in the future, so I want to cling to tonight, and every other moment we have together.”
There was no hesitation from Finn or Avi as they moved closer to me. Chris was right behind them, scooting behind me so that my head rested on his stomach when I leaned back. My gaze returned to Lian’s, and I could see his struggle. I didn’t push him further. He’d join us if he could, and if he couldn’t, I was certain he’d leave. He would take part of my heart with him, but it was better to know now before I fell hopelessly in love with him as I had already done with the other three.
That reminded me I hadn’t had a chance yet to tell Finn how I felt, and I made a note to try to quietly sometime tonight. He deserved to hear the words in an intimate fashion.
I shivered when Finn untied my robe, and he and Avi parted it to let it pool around my body. It wasn’t cold in the room. I was just nervous and excited.
Lian’s gaze moved between my legs, and I deliberately let them fall open as Finn and Avi both reached for me, parting my folds so their fingers could glide over my flesh. Avi circled his fingers around my clit, while Finn’s hand went lower, two of his fingers entering me carefully as he probed my level of readiness.
I was soaking wet and could’ve taken his cock instead of his fingers. I bucked my hips when he curled his fingers to massage my g-spot. My gaze was still on Lian’s, and I could see the hunger on his face. His eyes still reflected his confliction when he lifted them to meet mine. I gave him a small smile of encouragement, but didn’t try to prod him. It was a decision he had to make for himself.
Chris shifted behind me, and I tilted my head back to look at him. He’d removed something from his pocket, and I quickly realized it was a bottle of massage oil. He grinned at me, though he looked a little sheepish. “It was a lucky find in the drugstore.”
I nodded, basically incapable of speaking at the moment from the way Avi and Finn were touching me, along with the excitement of being with all of them.
I whimpered in protest when Chris pulled away, but it was only long enough to undress before returning to me. This time, instead of getting behind me, he straddled me so he could lean forward.
I flinched, and then giggled, when he squirted oil on my stomach. It wasn’t cold, likely having absorbed heat from his body while kept in his pocket, but it was unexpected. He started stroking my stomach in long, slow circles, his hands moving ever closer to my breasts. When he finally made contact and started rubbing lightly, I moaned and arched again.
I could no longer see Lian, and I wasn’t certain how he was reacting, but I was rapidly losing the ability to think clearly anyway. Chris’s cock was temptingly close, and I stretched upward, changing my position slightly so I could wrap my mouth around him. His body spasmed in response, and he thrust against me as I started to massage him with my mouth while running my tongue over the head and the underside, where he was most sensitive.
I started to establish a rhythm, but was briefly thrown off my game at the abrupt withdrawal of Avi’s fingers from my clit as I approached an orgasm. I whined in protest around the cock in my mouth at the denial of release, but he didn’t return. Instead, the bed shifted as his weight moved away, and I briefly worried that he was leaving.