He chuckles through the door. “No, I didn’t, baby. I should do that.”
I open the door a crack, just enough for our eyes to meet. “I want you to fuck me.”
His smile falters. “Sweet girl…”
He looks exhausted: hair damp from the shower, towel slung low on his hips, dark circles shadowing his eyes. Guilt twists in my chest. Am I just another thing weighing him down? That’s the last thing I want to be to him.
I step aside, opening the door for him. He barely crosses the threshold before I’m in his arms. His hands go to my hips, and a shiver runs through him as he digs his fingertips into me. The low rumble in his chest vibrates against me.
My body practically lights up. He wants me. I know he does. I’m not going to let him deny me any longer. I kiss his neck, trailing kisses down his shoulder. My fingers brush raised skin, and he tenses. I pull back to see stitches along his bicep, angry and red.
“Tommy!” I clap my hands over my mouth.
“It’s okay, baby. One shot, went straight through. Doc got me all stitched up before I came home, which is part of why it took me so long.”
“Partof why? Oh my God, Matti! Is Matti okay?” I’m practically shaking with adrenaline and fear. How many times do we have to almost lose each other?
He sighs, spinning his ring on his right hand. “Matti is…a little worse off.”
“Oh, fuck.” I inhale sharply and step back into the room, sitting heavily on the bed. “He’s not going to—”
Tommy shakes his head. “He should be fine. He underwent surgery, but Doc is going to keep him under for a few days to make sure he doesn’t go septic. After Doc sewed me up, I waited for a bit to make sure he and Siena were setup before I left her alone with Vin.”
“Siena?” I ask. There were women on the job?
“Matti’s fiancée.”
I blink. “He’sengaged?” That’s more shocking than hearing he got shot.
Tommy nods, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Apparently.”
He walks to the dresser and opens the drawer. I can’t help staring at the tattoo on his back, a giant oak tree split down the middle by a lightning bolt. The leaves are so intricately done that it reminds me of the orchid carving and vines that he put on my inner thigh.
The muscles on his back are taut, his skin rippling across them as he moves, like the tree is moving in the breeze. On his bicep, his stitches where the bullet went through are tight little black knots.
Tommy continues. “She’s strong, and she’s refusing to leave Matti’s side, so at least I know he’s in good hands.”
He pulls on a pair of boxer briefs under his towel, and I frown. What the hell is that? In the entire history of us, I’ve never seen him keep a towel on while getting dressed.
I move to him, tugging the towel away, forcing him to face me. “And you? Are you really okay?”
I trace my fingernails lightly over his abs and kiss his chest. He nods, closing his eyes.
“Just tired. Dr. Rossi gave me painkillers. Vin had a driver bring me here, and I almost passed out in the car.”
I cup his face, overwhelmed with love, fear, and gratitude. I was taken from him for months. He almost died tonight. I could have lost him again.
Tomorrow isn’t promised.
Tommy touches my cheek softly, reading me so easily. “I’m okay, baby.”
I guide him to the bed, and he falls back into the blankets with a groan. I kneel on the mattress next to him and kiss his chest, his stomach, inching my way down to his waistband. His cock twitches and I sigh contentedly, but when I lick his abs slowly, he grips the back of my neck, stopping me.
“Gi, don’t.”
I try again, but his grip tightens in warning. Shoving him off me, I collapse beside him, trying not to break down. There’s nothing I can do to stop the tears from burning down my cheeks in the silence.
“We need to talk first,” he says quietly. “I need to know your boundaries—”
