“And tomorrow,” Mav said, stroking his fingers through my hair, “until church at noon.”
Axe slipped my leg between his and stroked his calloused fingers along any inch of skin that he could find. I’d never been so relaxed and so content in all my life. I felt safe. I felt beautiful. I felt like I could conquer the world.
But I couldn’t help the question that fell from my lips. “What’ll happen to Rachel?”
I peeked open my tired eyes and found Axe staring back at me. “We don’t have all of the answers there. But she’s lucky to have you on her side.”
“So, she’s still in the hospital?” I asked.
“Mhm,” Mav said, massaging the nape of my neck with his fingertips, “but just know that however you choose to proceed with her, we’ll stand by you.”
It was Dee who provided the warning, though, even as he held me closely against him. “But if she fucks with you, sweet girl? She’s dead.”
“Here, here,” Axe muttered.
“I can get behind that,” Mav said.
I giggled softly before I drew in a deep breath through my nose. “One more question.”
“Hit us with it,” Axe said.
“What’s the rule on eating takeout in bed?”
Axe leaned up without a second thought. “How does Chinese sound?”
“Oooooh, yeah. I haven’t had sesame chicken in forever,” Mav said as he wiggled out from beneath me.
My head bounced against the mattress as Dee turned me to face him. “What would you like to eat?”
“Other than you?” I asked cheekily.
“Hey, now,” Mav said, pointing at me in all his naked glory, “that’s for dessert.”
“Did we… not just have dessert?” I asked.
Axe peeked over at me, and he kept his head bent toward his cell phone. “No, we didn’t.”
I blinked. “Then, what was that?”
Mav smirked. “A preview.”
I moaned at the thought and rolled over onto my back. “Dee?”
“Yes, sweet girl?”
“Will you stay in bed with me while they get the food ordered?”
And as he tucked himself against me, he rolled me back toward him before enveloping me in his long, strong embrace.
“I’d love nothing more,” he whispered.
“Ah, yes,” Axe said as he turned his back to us, “I’d like to place an order for takeout.”
“What’s your poison?” Mav mouthed in my direction.
I kept my voice low and hushed. “Vegetable lo mein and crab rangoons.”
Mav gave me a thumbs up before he leaned over and whispered into Axe’s ear, and I laid there, relishing the feel of Dee’s protective warmth wrapped around me. Had anyone told me even a couple of weeks ago that my captors would have turned into the loves of my life, I would have asked them what in the fuck they were talking about. I would have laughed in their face, waved my hand in the air, and changed the subject. Yet, as I laid there, listening to Axe place the order while Mav continued to smile at me and Dee continued to hold me close, I knew there was no other life that I wanted to lead.
There was no other place I’d rather be than at their sides.
And I’d spend the rest of my life making sure they knew it.
