“Completely,” I huff, pressing my face to his neck. “But at least it got the Vipers out of the clubhouse.”
Wings raises his brows at that, but Pitt distracts us by hurrying back into the room, stripped down to his boxers. He doesn’t pause before he dives into bed, pulling us across his chest. “Fuck. That was too damn close.”
I nod, squeezing Wings tight. I can’t tell if I’m freezing cold or burning up. All I know is that my mates are here, they’re mine, and I will do anything to protect them.
“Ark,” I murmur, holding out a hand. “Come and join us.”
He strips off his cut and boots, but leaves the rest of his clothes on as he sinks at my side. There’s a hint of regret in his eyes as he cups my face. “Sorry you had to see that, butterfly.”
“Why? You don’t think I was one step behind you, ready to do exactly the same?”
He rubs a hand across his face, but I grab his wrist, pulling it down and kissing his knuckles. “I love everything about you, Ark. Your killer hands and your really sloppy footwork.” I skim my fingers over his bruised cheekbone. “I mean, couldn’t you have dodged even a little?”
Pitt snorts, but Ark just smiles. “My fighting style is a little more primal.”
“Nothing wrong with primal.”
And in my mind, it’s often the best way to right a wrong. Jackpot and his thugs came at us in violence, and my mates stopped them in their tracks. Maybe my blood is just up, but they got everything they deserved. In fact, I wouldn’t change a thing about what went down in the hallway, except that it should’ve ended with Bluff crawling into bed with us, too. But that will happen soon enough, because he’s pack, and this is where he belongs.
Chapter Twenty-Four: WINGS
I open my eyes to the best sight in the world. It’s a cascade of caramel hair, framing a stubborn chin and a pair of brows knotted together like angry worms. But it’s the warm concern in Abbie’s eyes that melts the last of the chill from my limbs. For a few terrifying minutes while I was trapped, I thought I’d never see her face again, and I lean in close, filling my lungs with her peaches and honey scent. “You smell so good,” I tell her nuzzling into her neck. “God, what a shitty night.”
“The shittiest.” She clings to me, breathing my scent in just as deeply. “I thought…”
She stops abruptly, and I skim a thumb over her unhappy mouth. As if my near hypothermia wasn’t enough, Jackpot and his goons decided to stage a last stand outside our suite. I caught a bit of it from the doorway, but I shake the memory away, refusing to think too hard about what went down. “Yeah, but everything worked out in the end. The Vipers are gone and we’re not gonna dwell on the rest of it, okay?”
She gives a jerky nod, brushing her hair back like she’sshaking off a bad dream. “Okay. Patch says you can have a bath now. Are you feeling up to it?”
“I’ve got the rose petals,” Bluff says from the bathroom door, a wolfish grin on his face.
I smirk at the thought of the imposing alpha plundering Lyla’s rose bushes, but after learning what he can do with a butter knife, I’m not going to object. “A bath sounds good.”
“Let me help you,” Pitt says from my other side, his hand cupping my shoulder as I slide out of bed. It’s a different kind of warmth and I bite my lip, letting the sensation sink into my bones. Yep, I definitely feel something other than brotherly affection as he slings an arm around my waist, helping me towards the door.
“I can walk.” It’s stupid how breathless I sound, but I don’t push him away until we reach the bath. I can feel the heat burning on my cheeks as I face Abbie. “You’re getting in with me, right?”
She glances at Pitt. “We both are, unless you just want to have a quiet soak…”
I glance around, feeling as if the tiles are growing slippery under my feet. I want them to both get in the damn bath with me, but I’m not sure how to put that into words.
“I’m gonna get us brunch,” Bluff says, breaking the heavy silence, “and rescue Jedi from the cuddle monkeys.” He slides a wink my way. “I’ll be back in time to supervise aftercare.”
“Aftercare?” I glance at the counter. There’s a first aid kit by the sink and Abbie grabs my sleeve, pulling me over. “More tests?”
“Just your temperature,” she says, sliding the monitor across my temple. She hums happily as she reads the screen. “Good as new.”
I’m not sure about that, since I feel as shaky as an old man, my back stiffening as Pitt puts a hand on my shoulder. He’sstanding behind me, his extra bulk like a dark shadow as he stares at me with his bright green eyes. He’s wearing one of his compression tees and gray sweats, and my mouth waters as his tattoos flex on his defined arms. Okay, this is definitely more than admiration for his hard-earned physique.
“We don’t have to do anything,” he says quietly into my ear. “I’m your packmate, no matter what. But if you want more, I’m here for you. Anything you need.”
I lick my dry lips, a trickle of something that feels like more than sweat gathering between my ass cheeks. Fuck, even if I wanted to avoid this conversation, my body won’t let me. And why should I be embarrassed if he wants this, too? “I want us to be real mates, like you and Abbie.”
She makes a soft sound, and I reach out to grasp her hand. She’s staring at our reflections in the mirror, and I smile at the heat in her eyes. “What are you thinking, butterfly?”
“Just that you look so perfect together.” She slips in against the counter, so I’m sandwiched between them. Her hands gently grip my waist, her head tilted back to hold my gaze. “Plus, I’ll tell you what Ark told me when he saw Pitt’s claiming bite. He said that he’s not just a good guy, but he’ll kill himself trying to keep you safe. I want that for you. Another protector, so last night can never happen again.”
I nudge her back against the counter, my thigh pressing between hers as I bend to nibble at her mouth. “I thought we weren’t gonna dwell on that.”
