"Don't bother heading home? Where are you?"
"Here." It took me a second to realize I'd heard that last word out loud, near the door I'd just walked through. My head snapped upward, and I found my mate leaning casually against the doorway, wearing nothing but one of her soft little outfit sets, an oversized sweater that opened in the center, and my shadows.
"You're here," I said, shocked.
"I'm here. Seemed like you could use some backup, or at least a hug. Not that most people would look forward to hugging death incarnate, but—oof." That last sound was muffled as I crossed the room in two steps, dragged her into my arms, and squeezed her tightly to my chest.
Merrily hugged me back as I buried my fingers in her hair and breathed in her scent.
Finally.
She was there. In my arms. Because she knew I needed her.
I hadn't had anyone to rely on since I lost Jazz and Dante to that coup. Not really. Rae and I were close, but she refused to rely on or be relied on by anyone. Mia and Charity needed my help too much for me to ask them for anything, and they had each other.
I had never realized how badly it sucked to be so fucking alone. Not until I held her in my arms like that.
"Thank you." The gruff response was the best I could give in the situation.
"Let me see your face." She leaned away from my chest, taking my chin in her hand. "No bruises, so that's good."
"I wasn't involved in the fight. Just haven't fed or slept much. I'll look better after I do.”
"You couldn't look bad if you tried, Gray." She said the words almost absentmindedly, as she took my baseball cap so she could drag her fingers through my hair. She combed the strands away from my eyes before replacing my hat. "I rented us a room at the hotel a few blocks away from here. We're going there tonight, and we'll come up with a plan in the morning. Tell them you won't be back until noon tomorrow—they can deal with it."
I let out a long breath. "Alright. You've convinced me."
"Wow, what a challenge," she teased.
"You picked a good moment to attack. I'm fucking exhausted."
"I know. I can feel it."
I took Merrily’s hand and laced my fingers through hers. She led me back to the parking lot, and directly to her car.
eighteen
MERRILY
Grayson leanedagainst me a little as we checked into the hotel and went up to our room. His hand was on my bare hip, and he pulled my cardigan over my breasts every time it slipped off my shoulder.
After checking into our room, I led him to the bathroom and turned the shower on.
He tugged his baseball cap off and pulled his t-shirt over his head. His workout shorts followed the t-shirt to the floor.
I watched him strip, trying not to respond to the way my body warmed when I saw him bare, his cock already hard and thick.
"Shower with me?" he asked.
"Your skin would have to be touching mine the whole time."
“Somehow, I’ll manage.”
Grayson stripped me slowly. He'd done it so many times in my dreams, but never like this. Without any magic in the air, without any promise of sex or any immediate need to feed.
This felt different.
More significant.
