Page 35 of Pieces of You

“Hold on—maybe that’s him.” Colt brought out his phone, and the display flashed to life. His look of concentration instantly morphed into a full-fledged grin, and the lit screen cast a pale blue glow across his teeth. “They fuckin’ made it, y’all. Everyone’s fine. Shay is fine.”

I sucked in a breath and shot right up, only to cough. Fucking hell, not the time to choke on a candy bar. I cleared my throat loudly and pressed a fist to my sternum, at the same time as everyone awoke from their slumbers and stalked over to Colt and Ty.

“Oh my God, are you serious?” Tate asked urgently.

Lane was quick to run over too. “What does the message say? Can I see?”

Ash yawned, then grinned lazily and stretched out his arms. “I wasn’t worried for a damn second.”

Kingsley and Nathan snorted at that.

“I’ll read it,” Colt chuckled. “‘A li’l fighter is wedged between two security guards. Everyone’s safe. Talk soon.’”

I couldn’t help it. My eyes welled up instantly, and I couldn’t describe the relief. My heart was suddenly pounding out of sheer joy—or adrenaline—and there was no stopping the tears that rolled down.

“Wait, what does that mean?” Tate demanded. “Security guards? Is that River and Reese?”

Yes. Yes, it was.

“Back in the day, River and Reese claimed they were security guards.” Colt shook his head in amusement and eyed the screen once more before he pocketed his phone. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, not even a popper could unclench my asshole this much.”

Ash and Kingsley let out laughs loud enough to flood the patio with happiness, and that might be what woke up Lucian and KC’s squad. Noa was the one who popped open the window on the second floor.

“You’re laughing!” he hollered. “Do you have good news?”

“Yes, we do, boy!” Colt called back. “Everyone’s safe!”

“Booyah!” Noa shouted. “Fuck yeah, fuck yeah, fuck yeah! Daddy, wake up!”

As if KC had slept through that?

Before I knew it, Colt pulled me in for a tight hug, and I laughed and gave up on drying my tears. My goodness, the relief. Shay was back with River and Reese. They’d done it. They had rescued him.

“I have no words,” I croaked, hugging him harder.

“Me either.” He pressed his lips to my temple. “Except one thing—Ty? You have a patent to apply for first chance you get.”

Ty rumbled a laugh but didn’t say anything. He had his hands full with his husband. Poor Lane was going to need to decompress for a long time.

Greer Finlay

A guy could get used to flying private.

I yawned and stretched out my legs.

Cullen was still snoring across the aisle.

I scrubbed my hands over my face.

My shoulders were stiff, but I couldn’t blame that on the flight. Or the fact that I was limping.

It’d get me a fuck-ton of body worship soon, though.

Minor injuries could work in my favor, in other words.

But I still wished the Tenleys were on the same flight as me. We’d essentially split into two groups. One was heading home, and the other was flying to Europe to rescue Marisa and little Blake. Their war wasn’t over—and Shay had refused to part with River and Reese.

I got it. I would’ve done the same thing.