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I turned, the leaves crunching underneath me. Freezing, I looked up and realized the moment Eliot spotted me. Something flipped in him, fear or anger passing over his face before he decked the man. Once on the ground, he wrestled a knife out of the man’s hands and plunging it into his gut.

Silence descended over us. The only sounds were the rain bouncing off the wreckage, and the final, wheezing breaths of the man who had chased us.

“Who sent you?” Eliot roared, holding the man up by his shirt.

“You know who.” The man laughed, even as he coughed up blood.

“Crow?”

Who is that? Rather than responding, the man turned his head, coughing up blood as his eyes sought mine out.

“Crow sure does think she’s pretty. Can’t wait to give him her address…Little thing living all alone. Right near mommy? Which one will you save?” The look he gave me made my skin crawl. Before I could even think of a response Eliot had pulled the knife that was lodged in the man’s gut and sliced his neck; blood spraying everywhere.

A gasp escaped me, more out of surprise than anything else. That man was not okay…The look in his eye reeked of evil. He was dead inside, and now his outside matched. Eliot stumbled to his feet, rushing to where I was hidden behind the car.

Legs shaky, I just managed to stand up as he reached me.

“I’m so sorry. So fucking sorry,” he said, but I wasn’t listening. My hands were pulling at his clothing, trying to check him for injuries. There was so much blood. Where is it coming from?

“Are you hurt? Is the blood his? Let me see!” My heart was racing, adrenaline and fear raging inside of me.

“Angel, I’m okay. It’s his. I just have a couple of scratches.” His voice was soft, but he sounded confused, his dark gaze eyeing me wearily. My hand was still wrapped in his shirt, and I used that grip to pull him toward me. Standing up on my tiptoes, I kissed him. He seemed frozen for a moment before he responded, the kiss turning into something brutal. I bit his lip, then licked over it, trying to soothe it.

“You scared the shit out of me!” I scolded, pulling away, still not believing he was okay. Without thinking, I pushed at his shirt, pulling it over his head to make sure he was okay. Bruises were forming, and a variety of knicks and cuts littered his skin.

“Liar.” I said, the rain slowing to a drizzle around us. My breathing was heavy, my body on fire. My hands roamed his body, needing to make sure he was okay.

“Fuck.” It was the last thing I heard before Eliot bent down to kiss me, moving us further into the trees until my back hit the bark of a thick trunk. My hands reached for his belt as he quickly undid my pants, shoving them off me quickly and ripping my underwear before I even had the option to take it off.

I had only gotten the buttons of his pants undone, but it was enough. Dipping my hand in, I grabbed his cock, hard and warm in my hands. I pushed at the thick denim, wanting them out of the way. Eliot lifted me up so my legs were around his hips, his cock plunging inside of me. Impaled, held up only by his strength he plowed into me at a feverish pace, I clawed at his back, biting his shoulder, my nails scraping over his skin.

“Love you. Don’t get killed,” I managed to breath out in between gasps.

“Perfect. Made for me,” he replied, pulling my mouth to his as our movements became frenzied, each of us racing toward that unknown peak. Pressing the palm of his hand on my clit, he nipped my neck, sucking the skin into his mouth. The graze of his teeth was a sting that had me tingling. He pulled all the way out, pausing for a painfully long moment before slamming back in. I came on a wail, my cry merging with his as it echoed around us. The rain continued as Eliot lowered us to the ground, attempting to shield my body with his own.

“Let’s find somewhere to dry off,” he said, his eyes studying me with a sense of awe, his hand touching my face, a slight tremble revealing just how shaken he was.

“Just point the way and I’ll follow,” I told him, and his eyes closed, his forehead pressing against mine.

“Never thought I could have this. Tried to tell myself I didn’t need it. Even in my wildest daydreams, I never could have imagined you. Wouldn’t believe I could be this lucky,” he said, his dark eyes filled with emotion.

“I love you too. Now, I’m starting to get cold. Shelter and fire! Let’s go, caveman. Time to haul me off to your dark but dry lair.” I teased, and I was rewarded with a ghost of a smile crossing his face.

I loved Eliot. It was true before and after that moment. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had.

Chapter 22

Scythe

“Why didn’t you call sooner?” Reaper cut right to the chase, all eyes on me. Bash and Bull met us at our spot off the highway. They had a trailer attached to the truck, and we were able to load up my bike and the body in one go.

Bull drove us back in the truck while Bash stayed to torch the car. He rode back on his bike once he was finished. After dropping Lilah off with a promise to explain later, I came straight to the clubhouse.

An emergency church meeting was in order, and I had a million thoughts running through my head.

“He looks different,” I replied, and saw doubt cross my brothers’ faces.

“It’s more than a haircut. His nose, his whole face looked different. It was only his eyes that I recognized at first.” My throat felt dry, my hands clenched.