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“Not yet.”
“I’m done running,” I said. “I’ve run enough.”
“You sure have,” he agreed. My hair was released as two knocks sounded on the door across the room. Ian grabbed my arm and steered me forward. “We’re going to go out, down the hallway, and to the left. We’re taking the stairs out the side exit. When we’re outside, you will not run or try to get away, do you understand?”
“Is there a need for me to?” I snapped. “I just told you I was done running.”
His hand tightened, and instead of opening the door, he shoved me against it, face-first. Releasing me, Ian lifted the hem of his coat at my back and brought his open palm down hard against my ass. I cried out in surprise as the slap sounded around the room, followed quickly by the sting of pain.
“I don’t need a smartass tonight, Mare,” he said quietly. “I’m on edge enough as it is. You will follow my instructions. Have I made myself clear?”
“As crystal, Sir,” I said through gritted teeth, my anger mixing with the desire that I tried to smother. The sting melted into an ache, the flare of heat soaking what little scrap of fabric I had covering between my thighs.
“Good.” He pulled me away from the door and turned me towards him. Before I even realized what he was doing, Ian had done up the buttons on his suit coat so that the thing didn’t merely hang on me, but covered my entire front. Considering his size and mine, it didn’t surprise me that the jacket reached my thighs.
The door opened, and with Ian’s arm banded around me, we strode out into the hall. My eyes widened at what I saw there. Or rather, at what I didn’t see. The hallway was empty. The music which had seemed so loud minutes ago was virtually nonexistent. Had they shut down the club? This whole section now seemed to be cut off from the rest.
My thoughts were interrupted as I was ushered down the hallway to a flight of stairs, just as Ian had told me. We made our way outside where a dark nondescript SUV was waiting for us.
“In the back,” he ordered, popping open the back door. Someone was waiting there already, but he didn’t give me a second to see who it was before he was lifting me with his hands around my waist, bypassing the step, until I was perched on the SUV’s rear seat. The door was slammed shut, and he rounded the vehicle, getting into the passenger seat.
A thunk sounded, making my eyes narrow.Did they seriously just lock me in here?Reaching out, I checked the handle. No give or click as I tugged.What the fuck happened to good faith and all that other shit?I jerked it a few more times just out of frustration before finally giving in and sitting back.
“Mare?” I stiffened at that voice, my head turning slowly until I met a pair of familiar hazel eyes.
“Jensen…” And just like that, my frustration was muffled. Sure, I was pissed at the fact that they’d just waltzed in and took over after scaring the hell out of me, but deep down I was filled with relief and … something I couldn’t quite place. I had missed them, all of them, and while our lives weren’t the same anymore, I couldn’t stop myself from letting that sliver of hope blossom just a little.
I should’ve known he’d be here as well. The three of them were like the three amigos—the musketeers. All for one and one for all or some shit like that. There was no way, if they’d been stalking me and watching me for however long, that Jensen would be out of the picture.
“You’ve lost weight.” It almost sounded like he was chastising me, but I couldn’t bring myself to be upset by it. Ian and Archer both glanced towards me at his statement, their eyes tracing over my legs and face. Frowns curled both of their lips, neither saying anything as they returned to facing forward.
I swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. “I—um…” I didn’t know what to say. Apparently, I didn’t need to say anything because Jensen reached into his pocket and withdrew a granola bar.
“Here,” he said, “I figured you’d be hungry.”
I took it from him, and it was that moment, the act of him handing me the stupid damn granola bar, that got me. That little hint of kindness, of someone in my life caring, finally made the tears that I hadn’t shed in years come rushing to the surface, flooding my eyes. Ian was hard, demanding, Archer the ever-loving flirt, and Jensen, always thoughtful and kind. Nostalgia and loneliness stabbed my chest, and I sniffed hard, but it was useless. The wall of tears wouldn’t stop building. The wrapper of the granola bar crinkled in my fist as I clutched it to my chest. My lips twisted into a grimace as tears finally escaped, the dam no longer holding back the flood. I tasted salt in my mouth, briefly sparing a moment to be embarrassed that I was seeing them all after so long and yet I was such a mess.
“Oh, baby,” Jensen said, sliding over until his arms encircled me. He pulled me against his chest, his hand cradling the back of my head as he pushed it into his throat. “Sweetheart,” he said, “don’t cry.”
I released the granola bar, letting it fall to the SUV floorboards as Ian drove. My hands reached for Jensen, sliding into the panels of his coat until I could feel his warmth against my fingertips. I never thought I’d see them again, but here they were—the three of them in one place. They’d come back for me. That was all that mattered.
