AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Then slammed back down.
Only as I did, sparks ignited. My body clenched, pulsing and pulsing, the friction of his shaft making that swollen nub pulse.
One sudden slam and Thomas stilled, dropped his head forward and closed his eyes.
“That’s it, brother.” Riven urged. “Give her everything.”
Everything.
The word trembled inside me. Thomas panted, then slowly lifted his head.
“Thank you.” He murmured, his dry lips catching on his teeth.
“You never have to thank me.” My words were just as husky as his.
“Yes.” He answered. “I do. I never want to take you for granted. I never want to lose a single second with you. I never want to be lost in myself again.”
A brutal pang tore across my chest. I lifted my hand and cupped his cheek. “I love you for you, lost or not, lover or not. You don’t need to be anyone else but who you are. I would give myself to you a thousand times over. Ten thousand if you’ll let me.”
His lips curled into a smile, making the darkness draw back just a little further. He eased back, sliding from me. I hated the cold he left behind. I hated all the cold they left behind. My body craved them like a drug. Still, Thomas grabbed my clothes and placed them on me before he collected his own and rose. His metal buckle clanged as he pulled his pants back on and I did the same, yanking my pants upwards and sliding my shirt on, leaving my bra behind.
“Do you want to start at the beginning?” Riven urged.
Thomas nodded as he turned around to face them. There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment at what we’d just done. Only a surety, a comfort as he started. “I went to St. Augustine’s the other night for guidance, and there I found Father Cassius. He spoke to me briefly before telling me he needed to leave. But he had a two-way radio with him, which I thought was strange.”
Riven looked confused, same as the rest of us. “Go on.”
“I thought I heard something…no, someone. I thought I heard someone on the radio. So, when he left through the rectory door, I followed him.”
We all waited for this to make sense.
“He…he…” Thomas glanced my way. “He had a Daughter tied up and gagged, naked and spread-eagled at the end of the bed and he…and he…he whipped her between her legs.”
My stomach recoiled until the room around me bled away. I shook my head, swallowing bile, envisioning that.
“There was blood,” Thomas croaked. “So much blood and she was screaming. I didn’t even think. I just grabbed what I could and I?—”
“You killed him,” Kane answered. “You killed him to save her.”
The tears that had threatened him before now trembled and finally slid free. “Protect her…no, I was far too late for that. She was ruined. Her body…was ruined. I called Caleb and told him what had happened. He came and got her and took her to a doctor, someone who won’t speak to the authorities.”
“That’s what you were talking to him about?” I asked.
Thomas nodded. “That and we’ve been helping Benjamin Rossi.”
“That’s where you were tonight?” Riven added.
Thomas nodded. “Hale is planning to run. He’s going after Kat and the baby and he’ll disappear forever. Ben found a man who had information. But what he gave us was a name.”
“Jesus.” Riven rubbed the back of his head and turned away. “So you, what? Killed that guy?”
“Benjamin did, yes.”
“And why the hell does he want you for all that?” Riven couldn’t stop the anger from leaking into his tone.
Thomas flinched and anger moved back into his stare. “Why not me?”
“Because you’re my goddamn brother.” Riven snarled. “I’ve protected you from all that. Kept you from harm. Watched over you.”
