“Guess we’re even,” Fallon says smugly, her lips pulling up into a grin. She steps closer and slips an arm around my shoulders, leading me away from the door and toward Gray and Brock on the other end of the hall. Things may have started out rough with Fallon, but after today’s events, I’d venture to say that this might just be the start of a beautiful friendship.
“Wait,” I blurt, stopping in my tracks and glancing over my shoulder toward the door. “Reid…”
“I’m sure he’s heading out with the rest of your pack by now,” Astrid says, tossing me a wink. “There’s more than one way out of here. Though if we don’t get out there quick, he’s bound to come charging back in here looking for you…”
It suddenly dawns on me how these guys wound up coming to my rescue right when I needed it- Astrid must’ve seen it in a vision and tipped them off. I can’t help myself- I lunge toward her, wrapping my arms around her small frame and hugging her tightly.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I whisper.
She just giggles, squeezing me back. “I’ll never tell.”
I pull away from Astrid and turn to Fallon, my mind still spinning. “And Theo?”
“He’s fine,” she nods. “Jax was able to get the bullet out and as soon as he started healing, I came in after you guys. You know I can’t sit out on a fight.”
Fallon smirks and I grin back at her knowingly.
“We should get going,” Brock urges. He’s shifted and is covering his junk with his hands, looking impatient as he flicks his head toward the exit.
The three of us girls acquiesce, hustling back through the maze of the building with Gray and Brock. We make a quick pit stop in the center hub so that they can all collect and pull on their clothing- or what’s left of it that they didn’t tear through while shifting- and then we proceed to make our way outside. I can’t get out there fast enough, heart racing at the thought of seeing Reid.
As soon as I step back through the entry door and the bite of cold air hits my skin, I spot him near the SUV with Olivia and a few other members of my pack. It’s like he instantly senses my presence- he looks up, eyes colliding with mine. I take off running toward him. He meets me halfway and I jump into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. His arms come around mine and he squeezes me tight as our lips collide. We practically inhale one another, lips parting, tongues twining. It’s the kind of kiss worth living for.
When Reid finally breaks the kiss, he presses his forehead against mine and stares into my eyes with that look that makes me weak. And then his lips part and he utters the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard in that deep, silky voice of his, warmth blooming in my chest and butterflies scattering in my belly.
“I love you too, Red.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Reid
I haven’t let Serena out of my sight since we left the bunker where her sister and pack were being held prisoner, and I’m not sure I ever will again. I thought I fucking lost her. I can’t even explain how desperate I felt in that moment; like my heart was torn from my body and locked behind that door with her.
After we got everyone out, we brought in the bus that we had waiting nearby to load up Serena’s pack and bring them to our territory. Serena’s sister rode in the SUV with us and I don’t think Serena let go of her hand the whole way back. Then we got her pack settled into the bunkroom at the squad barracks and Olivia settled into Serena’s old room at our packhouse, since Serena wanted her close and she’s basically already moved into my room anyways. It's nearing midnight by the time we get everyone else taken care of and the two of us are finally able to turn in.
“I need a shower so bad,” Serena groans as soon as we enter the bedroom, unzipping her jacket and peeling it off her shoulders. She starts making her way toward the large ensuite bathroom, leaving a trail of clothing in her wake.
It has been a long, eventful day, but seeing Serena strip out of her clothes gives me a surge of renewed energy. I follow her into the bathroom, yanking my own shirt off overhead and entering just in time to see her sliding her panties down her hips, her round ass on full display for me. I pause in the doorway and watch as she kicks her panties away and leans into the large tiled shower to turn the water on, releasing her ponytail and shaking out her long red hair before spinning around to face me.
I shove my pants and boxers down, my dick standing at attention as I take in the sight of Serena’s naked body- the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips. Every perfect inch of her. Just like the first time I laid eyes on her, it strikes me how she’s the most exquisitely beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, only now it’s official; she’smine.
All mine.
Only mine.
A wave of possessive energy rolls through me as I stalk toward her, and being the little tease she is, she dodges me by darting around the glass partition and into the shower before I can reach her. Steam rises from the sleek black tile as I round the partition into the oversized shower, my eyes slowly crawling up Serena’s body until they meet her own. They’re full of fire and feistiness as she bats her long eyelashes, lifting a hand and crooking a finger to beckon me closer.
I’m goddamn powerless to resist. I close the distance between us, the hot spray of the water from the showerhead above ricocheting off of her shoulders and hitting my chest. Serena cranes her neck to look up at me, the water slicking her hair back as she purses her lips, then mouths ‘fuck me’.
It takes everything in me to not immediately take her up on her offer- the woman’s a damn firecracker. But I’m still fucking reeling from that little act of heroism of hers at the bunker and I’m not about to let it slide so easily.
“Not so fast, Red,” I say, wrapping my hand around her throat and leaning down to brush my nose against hers. “We still need to address that stunt you pulled today.”
“Oh?” she asks, blinking up at me innocently. “Am I in trouble?”
A low chuckle vibrates in my throat. “Big fuckin’ trouble, baby,” I murmur, flexing my grip around her throat and pinching her nipple between the fingers of my other hand.
Serena draws a short gasp, her eyes clouding with lust as she drags her lower lip between her teeth. “Are you gonna punish me?” she pants, the heady scent of her arousal letting me know how much the prospect of that turns her on.