Just deep enough to hurt.
His scream filled The Cellar.
And I kept going.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Macy
Finally, the door to the clubhouse opened and this time it was Drew.
“Drew!” I was on my feet instantly even before his name was out of my mouth. The room blurred as I ran across it, desperate to get to him, to make sure he was all right. My heart raced harder with every step closer I took, and the noise of the clubhouse faded to a low hum until there was nothing and no one other than me and Drew.
He looked exhausted. And bloody. His clothes were streaked with blood, dark and drying in certain places, and when I reached him, my hands went straight to his face, bracketing his jaw as I scanned every inch of him.
“Are you okay?” Despite my best efforts to sound strong, my voice shook.
His hand closed around my wrists, steady as an oak tree. His lips touched the inside of one wrist, a move that grounded me, before he let out a low groan. “I’m fine, Mace. I’mfine.”
I wanted to believe him. Good Lord, I really wanted to believe him, but my heart hammered so hard—still—that I couldn’t quite let myself believe it. “Please tell me this isn’t your blood.”
A small smile tugged at his mouth. “It’s not my blood.”
My shoulders sagged in relief so palpable I had to catch my breath. “Okay. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Iswallowed, softening my tone as I glanced back at him. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. Yet.”
He motioned ahead of us wearing that lopsided smile I loved so much. “Lead the way.”
I took his hand and I didn’t let it go, tugging him down the hall and up the stairs to our room. I closed the door behind us and locked it, the sound loud and reassuring. Inside this space, we could both just breathe. We could justbe.
I undressed him slowly and carefully, my fingers trembling as I removed each piece of clothing, checking every inch of skin as it was revealed to my gaze. Still, I wasn’t reassured. Inside the shower, I took my time soaping up his body and rinsing it off until I was confident he really was okay. I washed him with care, my hands had already memorized the landscape of his body, but this was different. It was strange, this change in the dynamic of our friendship.
Now it was me who took care of him. Me being protective. I’d never stood on this side of our relationship before and as much as I hated thinking he could be hurt, I loved taking care of him. Making surehewas safe.
I turned off the water and stepped from the shower, grabbing a towel first for Drew but I couldn’t get it around him because the last of the tension and the fear left my body and my legs buckled. A sob escaped.
“Mace,” he growled softly and pulled my body against him.
I went to him willingly, pressing my face to his chest and inhaling deeply. “You’re okay,” I whispered over and over, more to steady myself than anything else. “You’re okay.”
His hands slid up and down my back, warm and steady, until my breathing returned to normal. Drew took my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his searching gray gaze. It was serious and unflinching. “I’m fine,” he whispered so softly I wasn’t even sure he’d actually said the words. “I’m fine, Mace. Promise.”
I smiled shakily. “I’m glad. So fucking glad.” My heart stuttered in my chest as the words left my mouth.
“You’re so good to me,” he murmured, brushing a soft kiss across my lips.
A harsh laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “I’m the reason you’re in this mess.”
“Mess?” He snorted quietly. “This is fun for me. And I’d do it a thousand times over for you.”
I splayed both hands over his bare chest, feeling comforted by the steady thump of his heart beneath my palm. “I don’t deserve you.” I wasn’t sure I ever deserved Drew’s friendship or whatever else this was.
There was a fierce look in his eyes when they met mine. “Well,” he said mildly, “you got me. So deal with it.” Drew kissed me again and it was slow and gentle at first. Then deeper. More insistent. His mouth moved with a hungry intent that made me feel so desired I couldn’t do anything but submit to that sensation. “Macy,” he said, backing us towards the bed and pulling me down on top of him. “I need you.”
Yes.
That was the only word that echoed in my mind and my body. I kissed him back with as much energy as I could after a day spent worrying my ass off. When he pulled back, I smiledand threw his words back at him. “Well, you got me. So what are you gonna do about it?”
His grin turned predatory as he pulled back a little more, watching me until my nipples hardened and my skin flushed under his gaze. “You’re so fucking beautiful.” He traced one finger from my slightly parted lips down my chin and the valley between my breasts. My breath hitched as that one, torturous finger kept going down over my belly button, dragging across my lower belly from one hipbone to the other.
