“Yes, I can drive.” I’m aware that I could be more polite and a lot friendlier, but regardless of them coming in to save the day with Tanner and rescuing me, I don’t know them.
“Good. We’ll get Bravo in his truck and follow you home to help you into the house.”
“I can do it myself. I don’t need you assholes manhandling me. Or looking at my woman.”
My heart begins pounding against my chest at his voice and my eyes fill with tears that I thought had run dry. He’s awake, and judging by the sluggish grin on his lips, he’s going to be just fine.
“Stubborn asshole.” I smile at him before kissing his forehead.
“Your stubborn asshole.” Sitting up, Tanner twists his body around, trying to hide a wince of pain, and his lips are suddenly on mine.
I moan into it, like this is the easiest thing in the world, the taste of my salty tears mingling with our tongues.
“Get a room.” The masked man that isn’t Bones or Pierce shakes his head, but Tanner doesn’t allow me to pay attention for more than a couple of seconds because his large, calloused hand is on my cheek, bringing my face back to his.
“Don’t be jealous, Hollywood. It doesn’t suit you.” Tanner speaks to the man while staring into my eyes the whole time, his attention on me unwavering. “I’m gonna fuck you so hard you forget how to run away, Sweet Bee.” There’s a slight threat to his tone, but I raise a defiant brow anyway.
“You have some explaining and some apologizing to do first.”
“After.” He matches my raised brow.
I want to argue some more, but I don’t have the energy. We’re inevitable, so whether we have our conversations before or after…we have all the time in the world because he isn’t dead. I’m not dead. We’re both very much alive and I am just as eager to get away from these other men as Tanner.
“Fine.” I concede, trying to hide my amused grin with a grimace.
Chuckling, Tanner pulls my head toward his and kisses me again. Softer than any kiss he’s ever given me, there’s tenderness as he carefully strokes his tongue against mine, as his lips press against my lips…
“Get the fuck out, we wanna go home,” Bones interrupts again, and Tanner responds by flipping him the bird and scowling.
I realize the helicopter has landed and yeah, I should have been paying more attention to the experience, the turbulence, the sights I could have seen, but none of that mattered.
I don’t want to be that girl whose life is altered and revolves around a man, but I can forgive myself for this situation. I thought I had lost him, and I fear I would have lost myself in the process. Okay, so I am totally that girl…but life is way more interesting with Tanner by my side.
“My truck is parked over there. You can drive.” Tanner winks as he maneuvers himself to the edge of the helicopter, leaning heavily on the door as he jumps out.
“Don’t go to sleep for a few hours and keep an eye on that wound. If your breathing gets worse, give me a call and we’ll get some chest x-rays, but I’m sure it’s just bruising.” Pierce turns his attention to me. “If he gets dizzy or sick, make him call me, okay?”
I nod, unable to deny this beast of a man anything. He’s even taller than Tanner and that’s a feat in itself.
“Thanks, Pierce. Appreciate the save.” Tanner tilts his head with respect before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “I’d love to fuck you right here but my body is screaming and I wanna get you home. Where you belong.”
“Tanner, man, it was fun and all, but slaughtering a bunch of guys for your girlfriend feels extreme.” Hollywood shrugs, chuckling as he puts on a large set of headphones inside the helicopter.
“You should put her on a leash so she doesn’t run away again.” Bones wags his brows, running back into the helicopter, laughing.
The growl I can hear in response isn’t Tanner, it’s me, and I step forward to head in Bones’s direction to punch his smug face or something equally ridiculous, but I’m held back from around the waist.
“He’s made of stone, Sweet Bee. You’d hurt yourself more than him, but thank you.” Tanner grins, his eyes scanning my face for I don’t know what before they settle on my lips. “Let’s go.”
The drive home was spent in silence, with wordless glances to each other that spoke volumes. My own body aches from hunger, from the drugs, and I’m pretty sure my ribs are bruised from the swift kick I received. Luck was on my side, though, because I don’t know what would have happened had the “boss” turned up before Tanner and his friends arrived.
I didn’t even know he had any friends, but I’m grateful for them all the same. And yes, even Bones.
The whole situation cements how little I know about the man who was once the boy next door, but realistically, my life was boring before all of this. It’s fucked up beyond compare, and I should be running for the hills, but I tried that and the universe said no. So here we are, pulling up to Tanner’s house, with mine sitting right beside it, and I’m not running anymore.
“Do you have something in the truck bed? It sounded like something was rolling around toward the end of the journey. Maybe something has come loose?” I turn off the engine and unclip my seatbelt, reaching for the door.
“Yep.” Nodding, Tanner exits the truck without another word.
