Page 168 of Hell and High Water

The next thing I know, I’m prone, lying with my face against cool sheets, Hellena’s warm figure beside me, Evan’s arm over us both. The disaster of our lovemaking doesn’t even register in the fog, the afterglow. In a drowsy stupor, we kiss again, regaining a sense of the world again for a few brief moments before unconsciousness takes us again.

“You were amazing, Hella.”

“You taught me well…”

“That was fucking transcendent,” Evan sighs, kissing her back as I caress her scalding flesh.

“You’re welcome.” I chuckle in response to both, not bothering to open my eyes to catch Evan’s glare at the comment.

“I love you,” she whispers, and there’s no question that she means both of us.

A full, completely contented grin pulls at my mouth, even as sleep pulls at my mind. This is heaven.

There’s no fighting the cozy, dark blanket of slumber as Evan covers the three of us in a blanket, slumping back down, pulling the two of us closer toward him, encircling Hellena in a barrier of our bodies.

I drift.

Bliss.

Some time later, I stir, feeling an absence in the room, but Hell is still nestled in my arms. I fade again.

Until thunder shakes the entire house, the entire world, jolting me awake.

31

HELLENA

I’m in a haze as I come around out of my deep, delicious sleep, still strung out and dazed from our lovemaking.

The rumbling aftershock of the sound that woke me trails off, and I turn over, grumbling, “Gavin, I can’t go for round two yet…”

“Hella, that wasn’t Gavin.”

My whole body protests as I sit up, my brain piecing together the sound, the feeling. Something catastrophic just happened. Nearby. Pieces start to tumble into place as I fully wake.

“Shit…”

We’re stumbling into the hallway as Ora and Alaya poke their heads out of a room at the end of the hall, looking just as disheveled. I don’t even have time to wonder about what they were doing in the same room.

“Whazzat?” Ora grumbles.

“Yeah, sounded like a fucking bomb went off,” Alaya scoffs. “You should close the door when you shit, Tell.”

Tell doesn’t respond, making me instantly concerned. He rarely lets a jab slide, let alone from Alaya.

“We don’t know. Where are Gavin and Evan?” I ask, fear bubbling in my chest.

Tell is alert, striding into the living area, checking his phone. He flips through messages, his eyes widening.

I spot the note on the counter as he chuffs a horrified sigh.

“Fuck. It was an explosion. From what I can tell, something big just went off at the reservoir!” He’s still flicking through texts, presumably from his contacts.

“Overlook Reservoir?” Ora gasps, her eyes wide. “If the dam goes…”

“Tell, Ora…” I can’t speak as my eyes dart across the page. “Read this.”

Got a tip from Sinful about something at the reservoir. Went to check it out, assess the threat. Stay put, stay on coms if you wake up.

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