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I relax into his body, letting the warmth of him heat my rapidly chilling limbs.
“I know, but I can’t help worrying about him. I’ve been taking care of him for the past ten years, it’s hard to let that go,” I whisper, bringing his arms closer around me as I start to shiver and notice how the asphalt is digging into my now freezing feet. I forgot I wasn’t wearing any shoes.
“I know, Pretty Bird,” he replies, hugging me even tighter and making my ribs protest but I don’t care. I need comfort right now. “But sometimes we have to let things go to allow them to fly on their own and discover who they are.” My lips tug upward into a smile at his beautiful words.
“Does that mean you will let me go?” His arms become almost crushing then, and although it hurts my ribs more, I don’t complain, especially as a growl rumbles from his chest.
“I’m afraid that I can’t do that,Aziz-e delam. You are the Tailor’s ruin, and I think you already know who you are.”
“Who’s that?” I ask, curious to hear what he says, unsure if I do know who I am. I’m not a Soldier anymore, I never really was. My lips turn down at the thought.
“Why, you’re ours, Nightingale,” Jude simply states, sauntering around to my front and stroking a hand down my cheek. “Ours to break.” He gives me a wink, and my lips tug up again.
“Ours to destroy,” Tarl whispers against my ear like a lover’s caress, sending goose bumps to pebble my flesh.
Knox comes up on one side and his fingers grasp my jaw, turning my head to face him. His hazel eyes flash in the low light, dawn beginning to lighten the sky behind us.
“Ours to own,” he growls, dipping his head to give me a quick, bruising kiss that warms me all the way to my freezing toes. He releases me, both of us gasping and his gaze goes behind me as he lets go of my face.
I turn my head, Tarl’s arms still around me, and lock eyes with Aeron, the ocean swirling in them.
“Ours to love,” he whispers, and my heart fucking bursts, my skin no longer able to contain the organ as they surround me with their love and warmth. Maybe I have found myself after all. I just needed to run into the arms of my enemies to do it. “Now let’s go home, Dove.”
Home.
The word covers me like a blanket as Jude takes one hand, Tarl moving to my other side, taking the other, and just like a blanket, I draw it close around me, letting it comfort me and sink in.
“Motherfucker!” I hiss, as something sharp embeds itself in the sole of my foot. I hop, letting go of Tarl’s hand to lean on Jude and inspect the damage. I squeal when I’m suddenly lifted into powerful arms, motor oil and cloves letting me know it was Knox who just quite literally swept me off my feet.
“Allow me to carry you, Little Bird,” he teases, striding off to curses behind us from Jude.
“Bastard! I could have carried her, Daddy!” Jude shouts at Knox’s back, and Knox pauses, looking over his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, I’ll fill that naughty mouth of yours later, little boy,” he tells him, and the way his voice dips low at the end has heat flaring between my thighs once more. Jesus, I’m going to be in a permanent state of arousal for the rest of my life around these guys, aren’t I?
Jude doesn’t respond, but I look beyond Knox to see Tarl laugh. “Serves you right, Brat.”
Knox turns back around and carries on walking as if he hadn’t just set a fire inside my pussy. I watch as his face splits into a shit-eating grin, but he continues looking straight ahead.
“Don’t worry, Little Bird,” he drawls as we emerge from the alleyway onto the main street. It’s deserted, and I can see a black SUV waiting for us next to the curb. “I’ll let you watch.”
Lark
“Wild Love” by James Bay
The drive back to the warehouse is silent, and I snuggle up between Knox and Aeron, letting the past seven days wash over me. I’m exhausted, still fucking hurting from Dean’s attentions, and just trying to process everything that’s happened.
I’m finally free.
And I’m not sure how to deal with that.
“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, Dove?” Aeron asks softly, and I’m unsurprised that he’s noticed my turmoil. He’s so observant it’s fucking annoying. I heave a deep sigh, trying to formulate my swirling thoughts into some semblance of order.
“I’m finally rid of the Soldiers, of Rufus, and all I feel is a sense of numbness,” I breathe out into the dawn, the sun peeking over the horizon as Tarl drives us. “I guess I thought I’d feel more relieved or something.” I shrug my shoulders, nibbling my lower lip as I look out the front window.
His hand reaches for mine, catching my attention and he interlaces our fingers together as Knox does the same with my other hand.
“That’s completely normal and understandable, Dove,” Aeron tells me, his thumb tracing patterns on my wrist that sends tingles all the way down my arm. “It’s been such a big part of your life, it’s no wonder you feel lost.”
