Page 160 of Fated to the Hunters
“Oh, good. You’re all together?”
“Yes,” Vince confirmed. “Once back we’ll rest for a few hours and then head out.”
“I’m all packed and ready. You’ve got food waiting for you and there’s plenty of hot water.”
“Oh, princess, are you going to spoil us?” Ezra hummed.
“Yes,” Scarlett answered with conviction. “Yes, I will.”
“We appreciate that very much.” Then Mateo added, “We will let you know once we are an hour out.”
“Do you want any treats from the village?”
Vince shook his head with a grin. “Only you.”
“Well, be safe now and come back to me in one piece.”
Chapter Fifty-One
Vince
When they drove up to the cabin, Scarlett awaited their arrival under the cover of the porch. The moment she saw them, she shot to her feet, running into the heavy rain. Mateo had hardly put the truck into gear before Vince’s door was wrenched open and Scarlett hauled him out of the vehicle. She squirmed with excitement as he picked her up and nuzzled his nose into her hair.
“I missed you.” He sounded broken, his voice raspy and his body barely strong enough to hold her.
“You’re home now,” she whispered, pulling him into a kiss.
Vince quickly closed the door and then handed her over to Mateo, who gratefully accepted his own kiss. When Ezra pulled up, Scarlett repeated the process a third time. Ezra was happy to scoop her into his arms and carry her into the house. Without bothering to take anything inside, Mateo and Vince followed, welcomed by the smell of garlic bread and tomato sauce.
“Don’t all fight over the shower,” Scarlett said, looking them over as if something might be missing.
“Are you telling us we stink?” Mateo mocked, already on his way to the bathroom.
“I have your clothes in the dryer, so they are nice and warm for you once you’re clean.”
Vince wanted to pull her closer, but felt too dirty to touch her. “That is very thoughtful of you.”
“I pride myself in taking care of you.”
Scarlett rose onto her toes to give Vince a quick kiss before turning to Ezra and scolding him for not taking his dirty boots off. Ezra was the second to run to the shower, while Vince washed his hands and insisted on helping Scarlett fill the plates. Without even thinking, he swiped a piece of garlic bread. The moment Scarlett noticed, she had more ready to go in the oven. When Vince finally got his turn in the shower, he scrubbed himself until the water rinsed clear. But no amount of hot water could rinse away the memories of what happened out there. He brushed his teeth, and even made sure to clean his fingernails before returning to the living room where Scarlett was trying to hold Ezra back from devouring his meal.
“Finally,” Mateo laughed, not waiting for further permission.
Scarlett only ate an eighth of what they stuffed into their bodies, but she seemed content on letting them eat, even giving them some fruit before ushering all three of them into her bedroom. She demanded they all lay down with Mateo in the midst. She had never shared a bed with all three of them, so Vince waited until Scarlett settled on Mateo’s chest before he climbed in himself and draped the blanket over them. It didn’t take long for Vince to crash, with his hand on the small of Scarlett’s back and her scent drowning out all of his thoughts.
He only woke up when the sun warmed his face. Although he was excited to get home, he didn’t want to move a muscle. It was the responsible thing to do, but he just didn’twant to. He only opened his eyes when he heard the others shift and yawn.
“Well, a few hours turned into a whole night.” Ezra mumbled, swinging his legs off the side of the bed.
“Is it really that bad?” she asked, sliding off Mateo, who clearly protested the loss. “I mean I have everything packed up and food made for the drive.”
“It’s not that bad,” Mateo chuckled. “I don’t think a few hours more did any harm.”
“Okay.” She tugged at Ezra and kissed his cheek. “All of you have outfits on your beds for today. Everything else other than toiletries is packed away in the living room.” She leaned over to Vince, kissing him as well before climbing over him and walking to the bathroom.
With a groan, Vince let his head fall back into the pillow, the feeling of being undeserving spreading in his chest.
“I feel the same.”
