Page 113 of Run, Little Rabbit

He pats the spot on the bed beside him. “Come here, pet.”

I groan. “That’s not fair. You know I can’t resist you when you call me that.”

His chuckle is light, and it warms my soul. I love that I still get to hear it and that Max is still here tomakethat sound.

Max shuffles to the side so I can lie down next to him, facing him on his pillow.

I trace the contours of his mouth with my finger, feeling his breath flutter against it. God, I love that he’s still breathing. “You shouldn’t have taken a bullet for me.”

He grabs my hand and stills the movement of my fingers. “Echo, I would take a thousand bullets if it meant saving you. I’m not a good man, pet. A good man would sacrifice you to save the world. Me? I’d eradicate the world if I thought it would save you. So yes, if I have to make a choice between saving you or myself, I’ll choose you every time.”

His words burn me alive, igniting something hot beneath my skin and making my chest feel like it's about to explode.

“Well, I’m not going to let you jump in front of a bullet for me again. I won’t lose you, Max. I won’t lose any of you.”

“You’re not going to lose me, Echo.”

I thump his chest playfully. “Then don’t jump in front of bullets, you asshole.”

He laughs and runs his hand along my jaw, letting his fingers play with the hair at the back of my neck. “I love you, pet, and—”

The door to Max’s room slams open, and Angel and Niki pile in.

“Nope,” Angel says as he marches towards us. “He needs to be resting.”

“I am resting, love,” Max replies with a warm smile. “Echo just happens to be resting with me.”

Niki looks between the bed and Angel, a calculating look in his eyes. “Fuck it. I’m getting in, too.”

“Absolutely not,” Angel cries. “There’s barely enough room for Echo. I will not have you—”

“Angel,” Max says, and the way he draws the word out sounds like a goddamn warning. “Take your shirt and pants off and get into bed.”

Niki is already down to his boxers and sliding into the spot behind me. I gasp as he slots his erection between my ass cheeks and sinks his teeth into my earlobe. His hands slide up under my oversized tee, and I let him lift it over my head, and he throws it away somewhere behind him. I didn’t put a bra on, and Niki’s deft fingers immediately find my nipples, tugging on them and pinching them until my spine arches backwards.

“Come on, love,” Max purrs. “I’ve followed all your orders for two weeks; now it’s my turn. Strip and get into bed. Now.”

Fuck, Max’s dominant tone has goosebumps pebbling over my skin, and my hips roll against Niki’s cock, trying to find some sort of blessed relief.

“Fine,” Angel grumbles. “But you have to stay on your back, and ifanythinghurts, you say so and we stop immediately.”

“I agree,” I gasp as Niki buries his hand in my underwear and his thumb brushes against my clit. “Your health comes first, Max. Tell him, Niki.”

Niki pulls his hands from me and rolls me onto my back beneath him so he can kneel between my legs.“Max. Don’t you want to be a good boy for me?”

Max huffs a shaky breath, and Niki looks down at him with a predatory gaze.

I freeze beneath Niki, watching the way he stares Max down, his blue ice fierce and unwavering.

“Yes,” Max finally says, and Niki’s smile widens sadistically.

“Good. Now listen to Angel; he’s only trying to take care of you.”

Max nods. “Okay.”

Niki leans down and presses his lips against Max’s. It’s not quite a kiss, and I see Niki’s lips move, saying two little words against Max’s mouth.

Good boy.

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