by K. A Knight
I draw from the tank, pass it back to Fin, and then speed past him to Kalen. He grabs me with one arm, pressing his mask-covered face to mine for a moment. The dark water around us is still and quiet, apart from the sound of the tanks and machines. I kiss his mask, and his lips quirk up as I pull away. He pushes me past him towards the advanced base, and I go willingly. Fin follows behind me with Kalen taking up the rear.
I only take one more draw from the tank before passing it back to Fin, not wanting to risk his lungs. I kick hard, my arms cutting through the water. Nerves and excitement fill me, each movement bringing me one step closer to my men. My family.
I’m almost there.
I never thought I would see them again, and now only this bit of water separates us. I’m desperate to hold them, to kiss them and never leave their side again. That urgency fills me until I break through the water with a gasp, and there, waiting at the edge, are my men.
Tyler and Riggs.
Their expressions are worried, they have bags under their eyes, and their hands are clenched into fists.
Standing side by side, they’re waiting for me.
Always.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Peyton
I’m pulled from the water and drawn into waiting arms. Both men surround me, their lips running across my face and cheeks. Their hands trail across my body in worry, their voices mixing as they speak, and a moment later, Kalen joins us. Tears fill my eyes, and my body shakes from exhaustion, fear, and happiness, until Fin’s voice breaks us apart.
“I’m okay too,” he jokes.
Laughing, I pull back and wipe my eyes.
Kalen cradles my jaw and searches my face. “You sure you’re okay, babe? I was so fucking scared when I saw you—” He stops, sucking in a breath, and I nod in his grip.
“I’m okay.”
He swallows hard, leans in, and kisses me so softly I start to cry. When he pulls away, his eyes turn dark and angry again, his lips thinning. “You pull a stunt like that again, Andrews, and I’ll kill you myself. You hear me?” he snaps
Grinning, I lean into his touch. “I hear ya.”
“Good,” he mutters and then kisses me again. “Fucking brat,” he murmurs as he pulls away, and I’m turned towards Riggs, who opens his arms. I rush into them, accepting the hug. This time, he holds me tighter than he has before, his lips pressing to my wet hair repeatedly like he can’t believe I’m here.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he whispers as I fist his suit and hold onto him.
“Me too,” I murmur, and then I pull away to see Tyler watching us. He has a strange expression on his face, a mixture of hope, pain, and jealousy.
“You need to rest,” he barks, crossing his arm, and I slump. I guess I shouldn’t have expected a warm welcome, but still…I suppose almost dying doesn’t earn my forgiveness. He looks me over then, and his eyes soften for a moment. “You’re shivering. Are you cold?”
“Freezing.” I nod. “I’ve been in and out of the water since I fell, not to mention shock and blood loss.” Years of telling the truth in stressful situations comes into play. It’s not for sympathy, it’s so they know the full extent of my body’s pressure and how to plan around it.
“Kalen, get a fire started. Riggs, grab the thermals and blanket. Fin, help her from her suit, she needs to warm up and get as dry as possible.” He points his finger in my face, stepping closer. “No shit or attitude. You’re going to rest, understood?”
“Understood.” I grin. “Thank you for coming for me,” I tell him softly as the others move away on his orders and to give us privacy. For a moment, all those emotions drop from his eyes and before me is my Tyler.
“Always, you know that,” he replies softly, his hand coming up as if to cup my face before he drops it and sighs. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?” I ask in confusion as I step closer, taking a chance while he seems to have let his guard down.
“Be with you again.” He glances away, scrubbing at his blond hair. “I want to—I promised myself if we found you again, I would never let you go. But then I look at you, and I’m still so angry…”
“I get that,” I reply, and he looks back at me in shock. “I do, Tyler. I just hope you find a way around it because I miss you. I really miss you, and when I thought I might die, all I could think about was telling you I love you. Always have and always will. It’s always been you, Tyler, since I was a goddamn snot-nosed teenager following you around. But it’s them as well.” I look over to see my other men. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with them, it just happened.” I meet Ty’s azure eyes again. “I can’t change that, and I wouldn’t if I could. I just hope I’m worthy enough for you to fight for. Maybe it’s the time the past died. In this cave, we found the light, a new future.” When I finish speaking, I leave him to his thoughts.
Only he can decide what he wants to do. In his eyes, I saw what he wanted—me, this. Yet his own fear—the fear I put there—of being hurt and rejected again is stopping him, and my own heart cracks at that. It’s not easy, and I should stop pushing, but I can’t. I want him, I love him, and one way or another, we’re leaving this cave together. Even if I have to take a million of his punishments and bear the brunt of his anger.
Kalen has the fire structure sorted, so I head over. Riggs is close by, helping set up the aluminium blankets and dry clothes. Fin’s just waiting, his eyes sliding to Tyler, then back to me. “Keep pushing, babe, he needs it. You should have seen him when we thought—” He sucks in a breath. “Well, you should have seen him. That man still loves you, he’s just confused.” He winces and then nods at me. “Let’s get those damp clothes off. He’s right—we need to get you dry and warm before you get hypothermia.”
I nod and try to unzip my suit, but my hands are numb and my body is trembling. It seems finding them again has caused all the adrenaline fuelling me to stop, and I suddenly feel like I might collapse. Fin notices, as does Kalen, who lights the fire before coming over and standing behind me. He props me up as Fin unzips my suit and starts to tug it down. Kalen helps him get it over my chest, and then he drops to his knees to slide it over my ass and off each leg. Fin is on his knees too, his eyes on mine as he drags it off my toes before cupping them to warm them up as Kalen wraps his arms around me.
“She’s freezing. We can’t let her get too warm too fast or it will stop her heart. Get your asses over here,” Kalen demands.
They rush over to help, but I can’t stop shivering now. My bra and panties are taken away so I’m nude. Kalen strips from his suit, as does Fin, and they help me into the blanket. Kalen pulls me into his arms, and Fin steps to my other side, but Tyler jerks his head. Fin wraps around my legs instead, his head above my pussy. “I prefer being here anyway,” he teases as I close my eyes and clench my teeth together to stop the chattering. Tyler pulls off his shirt and lies down next to me, wrapping around my other side. Riggs closes the blanket around us and sits behind me, propping me up with my head on his chest.
“That’s it baby, let us warm you,” Kalen murmurs, stroking my skin. Their bodies feel like they are blazing, but I know they are just a normal temperature. Fin runs his hands up and down my legs and to my toes.
Tyler clutches my hands, blows on them, and rubs them together before holding them between his as I lie there in a huddle. I’m still shivering, and I try not to complain, but my brain is running through all the negative scenarios. Getting hypothermia down here would be a death sentence, and my men wouldn’t leave me, even Tyler. So I have to be strong, which means I need to stop imagining things that may never happen.
“Distract me,” I beg, my voice weak.
“Like with my cock?” Fin teases, and Tyler kicks him, making me giggle as he lets out a fake cry.
“There’s an eighty percent—” Riggs starts, and Tyler hits him too.
“You are both idiots.” He sighs, and I grin as I snuggle closer to Tyler. He traps my hands between us, and they catch
on the ring still hanging around his neck. My eyes open, and I look up to see his blue gaze glancing from me to the jewellery. Something passes across his features, and his lips twist down for a moment before he shakes his head.
“I wear it still…”
I close my eyes, hearing the pain and longing in his voice. “Ty,” I whisper, pressing closer, “you don’t need to.”
“I do,” he murmurs and holds me closer. His eyes flick between mine. “I need you to know… I can’t hold it all in anymore. I wear it to remind me how easy it is to lose those I love, to lose the best thing to ever happen to me.” His voice catches, and I feel like crying as his lips tip up unhappily. His pain is evident, filling those blue depths. I could swim in his fucking tears, tears I put there.
“I thought it was to remind you how much you hate me,” I reply, my words choked by my own regrets and longing. To be this close to him, to see that love there in his eyes, fills me with hope.
“I did at the beginning. It’s a reminder to never be so blind again, to not be so oblivious to what’s right in front of me.” His gaze goes to the others. Does he mean what I think he does? He looks back at me sadly and cups my cheek. “To never be so selfish again. I lost you once, Peyton Andrews, and no matter what’s happened or my own messed up feelings, there’s one thing I know—I want this, I want our family to be whole again, and if that means I finally have to accept what was there all along, then I will.”
“That is?” I press, feeling the others wanting to ask also, but they remain quiet.
“Our love. Not just yours and mine. Kalen and yours. Fin and yours. Riggs and yours. I love you all, I do, so why shouldn’t you feel the same?” He winces. “I’m not saying I’ll be okay all the time, I’m still struggling, but I want to be. I want to be okay. I don’t ever want to be the reason any of you are unhappy. I’m over that. Maybe we needed to break apart to come back together again so it could heal in a way it never could before. So I could see our future clearly. All of ours.” He gives me a tender, lingering kiss, and I taste the truth on his lips.
Tyler is still mine. Always has been, always will be, and right now, he’s regifting me with that broken heart of his, trusting me with it once again. This time, however, he knows my hands are filled with the others’ hearts as well.
Can I be woman enough to juggle them all?
“When we get free of this hellhole, we start again,” he whispers against my lips.
“Just five apex predators,” I tease, and he grins, his lips curving against mine.
“You know it, Peyton. Now rest, that’s an order,” he murmurs before kissing me again.
I close my eyes, and for the first time in three years, my heart is full.
Healed.
Loved.
“I swear to fuck, Riggs, that better be your ice pick,” Kalen snarls, and we all laugh, the loud sound of happiness startling us.
I listen to their banter and laughter as I drift off to sleep in their arms with a smile on my lips. I missed this—friendship and family. I could never leave them again. Tyler may be right—maybe I had to leave so I could find what I really wanted, and when I came back, we were all ready.
To be together.
To be one.
Because this diver’s heart is owned by every single man surrounding me.
Forever.
Chapter Thirty-Six
RIGGS
She’s finally asleep. So is Fin. Tyler is awake and staring down at her, while Kalen refuses to let her go, holding her so tight, like a teddy bear, it has to hurt—not that she complained. She stopped shivering thirty minutes ago, which is good. I think she’s out of danger of having hypothermia.
I slip from behind her, causing her to grumble, and then I move silently away and whisper through the radio, giving the others an update, before walking away, needing to piss.
Taking a torch with me, I head behind the rock we found. It’s more like another cave section, apart from the fact there is only one entrance and a hole in the back, with a running stream trickling into it, that we’re using for the toilet. The same bugs light up the ceiling, making it look like stars scattered in the night sky, as I place the torch onto a rock and shine it up so I can see. It’s still dark but not pitch black at least. After pissing, I’m washing my hands when I hear footsteps.
I turn, and a moment later, Peyton enters the cave. She’s fully awake now and still naked, though she doesn’t seem to notice or care. “You okay, Pey?” I ask worriedly, shaking my hands to get rid of the water as I step closer.
She nods. “Fine, I promise, but I woke up and you were gone.”
“Sorry, I needed the bathroom,” I say as I stop before her. She tilts her head back and smiles at me, and I can’t help but smile back and reach out to cup her cheek, knowing I can now—especially after Tyler’s confession. She sighs and leans into my touch, shivering, so I wrap my arms around her and kiss her head as she stands in my arms.
“I missed you,” I whisper.
“I missed you too,” she replies, kissing my shoulder as she moves closer, pressing every inch of her beautiful body against mine. Holding back my groan, I close my eyes and try to behave, even as my cock hardens. All the dirty things I have ever wanted to do to her flash through my head. She leans back, enough to meet my gaze as I watch her. “I’m glad everything is finally out.” She swallows. “I didn’t expect this though, I’ve always felt so guilty for wanting all of you,” she confesses, slipping into her old habit of always telling me her innermost fears and secrets.
“You deserve all the love, Peyton, you always did. One man would never be enough for you. How could he be? You deserve love deeper than any stream. You deserve an ocean, and we’re going to give it to you. No more running. No more hesitating. We’re all in this time, and if we never get free from this cave, you will know just how fucking loved you are. We live, we die, we explore together always,” I tell her, and her lips tip up in a slow grin before she leans up for a kiss. I tilt my head down and softly press my lips to hers.
At the first taste of her, I groan and pull back. “If I kiss you, Pey, I won’t stop,” I admit, and with a slight blush and a smirk, I step away, dropping my arms. “Not with you naked and offering me everything I have ever wanted and dreamed of, and you need to rest—”
“Fuck rest,” she snarls. “I’ve been away for three years, and you’re telling me you don’t want to do anything? You want to put me back to bed?” She arches her eyebrow, and I narrow my eyes. “I’m disappointed, I have to admit. Fin promised me all these dirty things.” She shrugs. “Okay then.” She turns away, and I know she’s pushing me on purpose.
And it’s working.
I catch her before she leaves, wrapping my hand around her neck from behind, and then I pull her back until that pert fucking ass presses against my hard cock and her body is plastered to mine. She’s all soft curves and hard muscles. “Don’t tempt me, Peyton. I’ve been imagining all the ways I would fuck you for years, but I know we have the rest of our lives for that. I just want to make sure you’re okay now. Your wellbeing and wants always come before my own desires or needs.”
“I’m sick of that. I love how you look after me, I do, Riggs, but take what you want for once. Stop being so worried about what everyone else thinks.” She turns to face me, meeting my eyes. “What do you want?”
I’m nearly vibrating with the desire I can’t contain anymore. Not with her looking at me like that. “You,” I growl and drag her closer, smashing my lips to hers. She groans into my mouth, grabbing my shirt as she goes up on her toes and presses closer. Her tongue tangles with mine, but I don’t let her lead. No, I make her play catch up as I dominate her mouth. I may be sweet, I may love her deeply and be her best friend, but Peyton never knew the extent of my obsession with her, or all the things I wanted to do with this body of hers.
She’s unaware of the naughty, depraved thoughts I had about her—still have about her—and now she’s giving me permission to do wh
atever the fuck I want. She may live to regret that when she can’t walk, never mind swim, tomorrow.
She’s right, however, I’m tired of holding back. I push all the numbers crowding my mind away and lose myself in the taste of her. The taste of my girl. My fucking girl. Even thinking of my claim on her sends desire surging through me.
She’s mine now, and it’s time she experienced what that means.
Releasing her neck, I slide my hand down her back and cup her ass, squeezing it before lifting her effortlessly. She gasps into my mouth, and I swallow it as I turn and press her into the closest wall, her legs wrapping around my waist.
She bites my lower lip, and I grip her hip tighter until she releases it as I pull back. “Want to play like that, baby?” I murmur, gripping her chin. I turn her head to the side as I lick and kiss her neck before scraping my teeth down to her pounding pulse, and then I bite. It’s soft at first before I slowly apply more pressure. She cries out from the pain, even as her hips rub against me, wanting more.
“Riggs,” she moans, the sound breathy and going straight to my rock-hard cock. I imagine her making that noise around my length as I force it down her throat.
“I’m going to fuck you hard, princess, but not before your cream covers my face like a goddamn shower, you understand me? All over my fucking tongue and face.” I squeeze her throat until her eyes lock on me, and she bites down on her lip.
She nods, and I nip her ear hard, punishing her. “Peyton…”
“Yes,” she hisses as I run my hand up her thigh to her wet pussy.
Her eyes squeeze shut, so I strengthen my hold on her throat until they open again and meet mine. She will watch me as I touch her, taste her, and take her for the first time. She will view my every move while we experience this together. “Eyes on me, baby, so you’ll know who’s touching you, tasting you, and making you scream your release until your legs give out.”