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One of the Reapers’ cars suddenly revs to life, gunning toward us and skidding to a halt, creating a barrier between us and the bullets flying through the air. Dante’s behind the wheel, and Maddoc yanks the door open, pushing me into the back seat. He hurriedly fishes the key to the cuffs out of my bra and unlocks them, freeing my wrists.
I try to pull him into the car after me, but before I can, he steps back.
“Go,” he says to Dante, sending my heart into my throat.
Dante nods and immediately throws the vehicle into gear, and I make a grab for Maddoc before he can slam my door closed.
“What the fuck?” I pant. “Get in!”
He shakes his head, his jaw tight. “I have to make sure all my people get out first. Dante,go.”
Neither man gives me another chance to fight them on it. Maddoc slaps the roof of the car, then pulls a gun from under his jacket as Dante peels out.
“Fuck,” I say, pressing my hand against the tinted window as Maddoc races back toward the rest of the Reapers. They’re all retreating toward the other vehicles now, and the shakes suddenly hit me with no warning.
I’m safe.
They got me out.
My hands fly up to my face, frantically scrubbing off the dried remains of spittle and blood that that motherfucker left on me. I may have to live with the bruises he left for a while, but I don’t want a single reminder of his touch left on my body if I can help it.
“Princess?” Dante’s vibrant green eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, filled with concern. His chocolate brown hair falls over his forehead, and the sight of him makes emotions rise in me so hard and fast that I can’t speak.
This is Dante though, so I don’t need to.
Holding his gaze calms my racing heart, the last vestiges of Austin’s hold on me sloughing off like a bad memory.
Dante’s eyes crinkle at the corners, all I need to see to know that he’s smiling.Morethan smiling. The look he gives me reflects every one of the emotions swelling in my chest right back at me.
After a moment, he returns his eyes to the road, and the silence cradles me for the rest of the drive back to the house. I can breathe again, for the first time in weeks.
Dante backs the car into the garage when we reach the house, his eyes scanning the street warily.
“Wait,” he says when I move to get out.
I don’t question him. All three of my men have earned my entire trust. I settle back into the seat until the reinforced garage door finally closes completely. Once it does, Dante nods at me, and we both exit the car.
I can tell he wants to hustle me straight into the house so he can get me into the most fortified, protected area they have, but I stop him with a hand on his arm, not even a little bit embarrassed when my fingers tremble against the warmth of his skin. “You came for me.”
Dante looks down at me with an expression so tender it makes my heart ache, cupping my cheek. “We always will, princess.”
My throat closes up. All the feelings I had to make myself numb to while Austin was holding me rush through me in an unstoppable wave.
I can’t speak. All I can do is shake my head.
Dante gets it, though. He’s always understood me. He knows it’s not a denial of what he just said, it’s just that it overwhelms me.
“We spent every fucking minute since that piece of shit took you searching the city,” he says, holding my gaze. “I just…” He presses his lips together, shaking his head too.
“You just what?” I ask, reaching up to cover his hand with mine as I lean into his touch.
“Fuck,” he breathes out, his voice thick with emotion. “We let him have you too long. I just wish we could’ve gotten you sooner.”
“You’ve got me now,” I whisper, wondering if he hears how much I mean that.
The Reapers have me. Not just here at the house, not just away from fucking West Point. I’mtheirs.
“Fuck yeah, we do,” Dante says, smiling. But then his eyes drop from mine as he trails his fingers down over my throat, lightly brushing all the places that ache from the beating Austin gave me today.
