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“Greyson and I are.” Her statement had a weight that told me what I already knew—they were forever. No matter what else, that would never change.
No mention of Dominic, though it didn’t surprise me. Remembering everything he’d said to her in the gym made me even angrier. He had a chance with her, a real chance, and he was throwing it away because she was dangerous enough to protect herself? That shit’s a gift. I was ready to beat the hell out of him myself, if only because I wanted that chance.
“Whatever he did, Dominic’s an idiot.”
A ghost of a smile lit her face, and I wanted to crow in victory. “He’s entitled to his opinion, just like I’m entitled not to like it.”
“He’s still a fucking idiot. Anyone who’s lucky enough to have you should show you off to the world.”
Mari’s brows tipped down in confusion, and I cursed myself. She didn’t deserve mixed signals. Thankfully, she didn’t call me on it.
“I’d better get upstairs.” She stood and flinched, her hand flying to her stomach.
Was she…?
Mari laughed, bright and happy, and I just stared. I’d never heard her laugh like that. I wanted her to do it again immediately. “Relax, I’m not pregnant. I just got shot.”
Are you fucking kidding me? The delivery was so blasé, like she was talking about the weather instead of a potentially deadly situation.
I shoved out of my chair and stalked over, moving her hand away so I could see. Relief nearly floored me at the sight of the hole in her bulletproof vest. “How the fuck did you get shot?”
“With a gun,” she deadpanned.
“Cute.”
Unstrapping the vest, I tossed it to the side so I could slide her shirt up. I got halfway up before I realized I probably should’ve asked first. Sheepish, I peeked up at her, grateful when she nodded for me to continue. And if I used my palms to touch a little more of her than I should have, who could blame me? Mari’s eyes were locked on mine, and while part of her look was heated, she was also assessing me. Wondering what the hell I was doing, most likely. I wanted to know too.
The bruise on her stomach was massive, and I was sure it would cover most of her abdomen by morning. I felt along her sides carefully, wincing sympathetically when she hissed at my prodding.
“Cracked at least two ribs, and you’ll be black and blue for a while, but nothing seems broken or bleeding.”
“Yippee.”
She was being flippant, but didn’t she know how bad it could’ve been? A few inches over, and it would’ve shattered her ribs. Any higher, and it could’ve bruised her lungs or worse. Ballistic vests stopped bullets, but they didn’t stop the damage.
“You’re lucky that’s all it did.” I rested my head gently on her stomach, trying to force myself to breathe, to not lose my mind. All I could think was, I was right. She was hurt, and I wasn’t there.
Even knowing that I should keep my distance, I didn’t move away. Never again. Never again was I letting Mari walk into battle without me.
Mari froze above me, watching me break apart at her feet. Sometimes it felt like she could read me like I knew she read Greyson. Like there was no part of me that she couldn’t unearth with a little time and some determination. It scared the hell out of me. There were things she’d kill me for if she knew. Mari was worth the risk, though. My angel.
For a long time, neither of us moved. Finally, fierce determination lit her face like she’d made some decision. She carded her hand through my hair softly before gripping it tightly. The burn slid through my veins, and I let out a long, slow breath to avoid outright moaning.
Fuck, that feels good.
I hadn’t been with anyone in almost a year, and the last woman I’d had in my bed was incredibly submissive. As a switch, I didn’t have a problem with that, but occasionally, I wanted to be the one put on their knees.
She tipped my head back and brushed her fingers gently over my temples and cheeks. “I’m okay, Nate. A little bruising never hurt anyone.”
I tried not to think too hard about the innuendo in that statement. “Let me bandage them for you.”
She shook her head. “Doc’s coming over to check us all out. He’ll do it.”
Right. I worked to fix her shirt while my brain reached for something else to say. “You never told me what happened earlier. Why were you so scared?”
“Cash threatened you.”
I froze with my hands halfway through dropping her shirt again. “What?”
