Page 4 of Room One Hundred and Seven: Catch and Claim

A memory flashes in my mind of flinty blue eyes, the kind you know will look grayer or bluer depending on the lighting or mood.

There’s only one woman that I’ve come across that I would even considering sharing with Dominic and Wolfe. Honestly, I’d never even considered it until I met the broken flames in those eyes.

It was a split second, but it felt like she reached across the decrepit warehouse, one that held the horrors she had to endurefor longer than anyone should, but especially her. The rage that filled me in that moment rocked me.

It’s not like I hadn’t felt rage before; it’s not an uncommon emotion for me and one that I’ve used throughout the years to fuel me when I’ve needed it. But the thought of the angel across the room having to endure the horrors I knew she had experienced? It fucked with my head.

Even though I could have looked into her eyes for eternity, I forced myself to look away. I couldn’t heal her scars, and I feared that she wouldn’t want me to either. Fuck, that thought killed me.

It wasn’t enough to look away. The only thing that stopped me from staring at a woman who deserved so much more was forcing myself to turn around. Not even the carnage of humanity surrounding us forced me to focus on the task at hand. Not while the echo of her pain and strength filled eyes enveloped me.

When I looked at Dominic, he had a look of horror filled wonder while looking at the same woman I just forced myself to turn away from. It wasn’t the horror that I focused on though, it was the wonder. My gut was screaming at me to pay attention.

Dominic is not one to show his emotions, something I learned about him early on. Publicly he’s quiet, reserved and contained. It’s a trait that made him a solid soldier. But when you get close to him, you get glimpses of more behind the stoicism.

Seeing his interest in the woman, even with the surroundings, had me whipping my head toward Wolfe. While Dominic’s reaction to her was muted, Wolfe’s was not. If we were in any other situation, he would have been striding across the warehouse and claiming the woman as his right then and there.

My heart stuttered when I realized that the three of us had the same reaction to the same woman. Call me an asshole if you want, but I was relieved that there was no fucking way she was ready for any of us to approach her as anything more than a protector and savior.

After we rescued the woman, I helped to steer my brothers toward focusing our business a little bit. The warehouse we took down was a symptom of a much larger problem. Knowing that there were more warehouses just like it all around the world didn’t sit right with me.

So we started our own personal campaign to take them down, when we could, while also working our way up the chain to get to those at the top of the hierarchy because freeing the people held captive is important, and necessary, but that alone doesn’t solve the problem.

Now, ten years later, I’m not sure there is a solution.

The weight of the task we’ve taken on is heavy. But I would do it all over again and I don’t see us stopping on our mission any time soon.

Of course, it’s not without danger but it’s worth it.

I shake off the memory of blue-gray eyes and how we found our path—because of her, if I’m being honest—as I approach where Spark, Rites, and Crucify surround their woman with my brothers at my back. I know they’re there without even looking. It’s the way it’s been for a long damn time, and I don’t see it stopping any time soon.

When we’re close, I glance at Rites to find him watching me with amused mirth in his eyes. He wiggles his eyebrows and snarks, “Jealous?”

I deadpan, “You have a beautiful woman who, for some fucking reason, loves you. Of course I’m jealous.”

Rites grins wolfishly while Navy giggles. Spark clenches and unclenches his fists a few times, a clear sign he’s less than thrilled about the ribbing from Rites, even if it is in jest. I can practically feel Wolfe smiling even without looking at him. There’s a reason Rites and Wolfe get along as well as they do.

Navy turns toward Spark and presses her hand to his chest right over his heart. He immediately gives her all his attention, his gaze snapping to her instead of volleying between Rites and me. It’s only because of my years of training that I’m able to keep my smirk inside.

“I’m yours,” Navy murmurs softly, but just loud enough for me to catch it.

Spark’s eyes fill with predatory possession. Something in my chest aches with what must be longing even though it doesn’t make sense. Those blue-gray eyes flash in my mind again.

But I push them away.

Again.

I have no idea where she ended up after that night. I have no fucking doubt that I could find out if I wanted to, but…I won’t. Because I know, without even talking to the men I consider my brothers, that the only way I could have her in my life would be to share her.

“Damn right,” Spark growls and claims his woman’s mouth with a brutal kiss, one which has me looking away.

“How about we head to the office, Penance and Monk will meet us there,” Crucify interjects, probably because he knows ifhe doesn’t then the kiss between Spark and their woman would turn carnal in about two seconds.

Fuck, the heat coming off them is daunting and a little petrifying. Seeing men who seemed like they would be last ones to settle down head over heels is enough to make a man like me, one who doesn’t do long term because I’m usually not in one place long enough, start to sweat. I haven’t spent a lot of time around them, but it’s clear that they haven’t looked back at single life even once.

They’re lucky bastards and as long as they realize it and make their woman happy then I can muster up the ability to be happy for them.

Navy clears her throat when she pulls away from Spark, her eyes dark with desire. The smirk on his face makes it clear that he can read just how much she wants and needs him.

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