CHAPTER 47
Mirabelle
Idon’t know whether it’s the shower, the orgasm, or the pizza I’m currently eating, but I feel like I’m melting. Just oozing into a puddle into the armchair I’m sitting in like the gooey cheese on this pizza.
Rowan was right, there’s just something different about this pizza compared to the frozen ones he made me in the microwave back at his trailer.
“Careful, Shortcake,” Ash says wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I may have gotten my fill for the time being, but if you keep making noises like that, you’ll make the situation a lot harder.”
“Was that an actual joke?” Griffin gasps, clutching a hand to his chest. “Who knew a good shower was all you needed to actually grow a personality other than being a dick.”
“Oh I’ve still got plenty of dick left,” Ash bites back, rolling his eyes playfully.
“He used it on me too,” I giggle, taking another bite of the cheesy goodness.
Four sets of eyes lock on me.
I just shrug as I chew with my mouth full.
The room bursts out with laughter, the boisterous sounds of Ash and Griffin keeping themselves from choking on their pizza, and the sound of Rowan gasping for air. Even Rage lets out a little huff of laughter from where he’s sitting, back against the armchair I’m in.
“Oh my God, you can’t make me laugh like that,” Rowan says, his voice strained. “I swear I can feel it in my leg.”
“You can feel laughter in your leg?” Ash asks. “Remind me to never fucking get shot.”
“It’s not like I fucking asked to get shot!” Rowan huffs.
“I mean, I don’t think anyone asks to get shot,” Griffin adds.
The easy banter, despite everything, wraps itself around me. My throat actually gets tight, and I have to take a second to sip some water to wash down the last bite of pizza.
“Hey, Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Griffin asks softly.
I clear my throat, shifting nervously when I feel all of their concerned gazes on me.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I say with a shake of my head.
Rage wipes his hand on a napkin before resting it against my ankle. His massive hands brush against the delicate pulse point there.
I flash him a tight smile. I appreciate the gesture.
“You don’t have to pretend for us, Sweetheart,” Griffin says.
“The rest of us don’t need a bond to tell something’s up,” Ash adds gruffly.
“I just—I’m just so glad,” I say, fighting back the burn of tears behind my eyes. “We’re free. I never thought—I was worried we wouldn’t be able to. Or that we wouldn’t be able to do it together.”
“We did it,” Rowan says, shifting and pushing himself higher on the bed. “We made it out, Sugar. In one piece.”
“Mostly,” Ash says through a cough.
“I was shot, I didn’t lose my leg,” Rowan huffs, rolling his eyes. “So I’d say that counts as one fuckingpiece.”
It’s my turn to burst out laughing. It’s uncontrollable, almost to the point of pain, with my shoulder still tender.
“What’s so funny?” Rowan asks.
“Yeah, what the hell’re you laughing at?” Ash huffs.
