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“I missed you too, Tina,” I murmur into her hair, squeezing her tightly, “but if you don’t release me soon, my mates might tear you away from me.” Pulling back far enough to see her face, I smirk so she knows I’m joking. “They are usually pretty well trained, but it’s been a while.”
“Oh, oops.” She smiles sheepishly and gives them a little wave as she steps back, allowing them to get past her. Looking the epitome of innocence, she bats her eyelashes, but I know this is all an act. She’s an expert at getting what she wants.
Zane moves before she even finishes retreating and is pressed against me in the blink of an eye, holding me close while burying his nose in the crook of my neck. I hadn’t realised how important a personal scent was in relationships, but as a supernatural being, I’ve come to learn how comforting it is when you’re surrounded by the scents of your loved ones. Having his scent wrapped around me awakens all sorts of feelings within me.
Scenting my desire, he hums against my throat. “Do you think they would frown upon us if I fucked you right here?”
My thighs clench together at his dirty word, and it’s only the small, paranoid part of my brain that’s worried it would get me thrown back in custody that stops me from agreeing. Chuckling, I grip onto him tighter despite my words. “I don’t think Tina or any of the guards would appreciate it.”
“What about me?” Jack calls, his voice close, a trace of amusement telling me he’s not annoyed at being the last to greet me.
Pulling back from Zane, I turn to my officer mate, my smile wide. “Well, you’d be part of the orgy of course.”
Laughing, he pulls me into his arms, his muscles flexing around me as he holds me close.
The journey back to the apartment passes in a blur, and I barely remember it. As it turns out, the halfway house is only a couple of blocks away from where we live, so it’s easy enough to walk back.
The wind is in my hair, the sounds of the city surround us, and the feel of Jack’s and Zane’s hands in mine are comforting. We get a couple of odd looks from passers-by, but none of us care. We’ve been separated for too long, and we won’t let some prudish looks stop us from enjoying each other’s company.
Climbing up the stairs of the apartment building, I watch as Tina hurries ahead of us, keys rattling in her hands as she chatters away. I’m not paying attention to what she’s saying, focusing more on the weight of the hands holding mine.
She waits for me to reach the little landing outside our apartment, practically bouncing with excitement. The space is too small for the four of us, but we wait patiently for her to unlock the door before throwing it open with flare.
“Welcome home!” she shouts, blowing a party blower that she pulls from her bag.
Knowing she’s been walking around with a party blower in her bag all day almost makes me crack up. It’s a very Tina thing to do, and to be fair, I would probably do the same for her. I look around the living room, my breath catching in my throat. Banners are strung around the room in my favourite colours of purple and blue, and my favourite chocolate cake waits on the dining table.
“You didn’t have to do this.” I meet her eyes as I gesture towards the decorations, my voice a little higher than usual thanks to the emotion I’m trying to hold back.
She rolls her eyes and steps forward, pulling me into her arms. “It’s just a caterpillar cake and a couple of cheap banners.”
It might be only that to some, but for me, it’s about the effort she put into it that makes all the difference. She thought of me and wanted to do something to celebrate my homecoming. While she might be shrugging off what she did, she’s clearly pleased at my reaction. Ever since we left care at eighteen, we’ve been tied at the hip, and this is the longest I’ve ever been away from her, so this is a huge deal for us. Our family is together again.
“Even so, I love it.” I take in the change in her expression, her smile dropping and face becoming tight. I recognise that face. Something happened that she doesn’t want to tell me about, and she’s attempting to stay calm. If I want to get any answers from her, I need to stay calm and not freak out, otherwise it will just cause her to clam up.
“What?” I ask, my voice tight despite my intentions of keeping my tone soft and not jumping to conclusions. Clearing my throat, I try again. “What happened?”
She grimaces and wrings her hands together anxiously. “I’m so sorry, Emmy, but collecting you took longer than I thought, and I have to go to work. They called me in last minute, and I agreed, thinking I’d still have time to celebrate with you.”
When Tina gets into her stress mode, she babbles, her words coming so fast you almost can’t tell what she’s saying. The only way to break her from it is to cut her off, otherwise she will continue to spiral.
“Tina, don’t worry.” Smiling, I place my hand on her arm. “It’s fine, go to work. I’ll still be here when you get back.”
Honestly, I’m pretty relieved this is the news she had to tell me. Besides, I’m a little overwhelmed, and spending some quiet quality time with my mates sounds like the perfect way to wind down. Of course I would enjoy any celebrations and participate fully, but now I can rest beforehand.
Tina smiles at me in relief, her eyes glinting as she tears up. We’re both very emotional today, and I think with everything that’s happened, that’s okay.
“I can’t guarantee the survival of this cake though,” Zane comments dryly, his eyes locked on said cake. I’m pretty sure Zane doesn’t eat cake and is just trying to lighten the mood so there are no more tears. Thankfully, it works.
Laughing, she jabs a finger against his chest. “There better be some left when I get back. I’m not afraid to go up against a vampire. I’ve got some holy water stashed away somewhere.”
Zane cracks a smile while the rest of us laugh, and I watch as she runs around the apartment like a whirlwind, getting ready for work. She continues to chatter as she rushes around. It’s mostly just gossip, but I pay attention, having missed this. Dressed and ready within four minutes, she runs over and kisses me on the cheek then points threateningly at the guys.
“Look after her, or you have to answer to me.”
I certainly wouldn’t want to mess with her, and both my mates straighten where they stand. Zane raises an eyebrow at the tiny woman but slowly smirks and nods his head.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack answers seriously in his typical fashion, yet I can see a sparkle of humour in his eyes, showing that he knows Tina is semi-joking.
