Page 113 of Viper

“Thank you.” Now that everything was mostly over, aches and pains were beginning to lock up her muscles. Her palm burned and her skin felt gritty with seawater despite the hot shower.

“You’re exhausted. Let’s get in bed.”

She didn’t fight him when he caught her beneath her arms and laid her head on the pillow.

“Aren’t you sleeping with me?” she asked, as he tucked the blankets around her.

He brushed the hair from her forehead. “Of course. I’m going to grab some water for us. I think you should take some ibuprofen. You might sleep better if you’re not in pain.”

“Okay.”

He returned a minute later with two glasses of water and a bottle of the promised anti-inflammatory.

She opened her palm and he shook two into her hand. She downed the pills and lay back down. Troy stripped down to his boxer briefs and lifted the edge of the blanket.

His hot and hard body touched hers and she moaned. “Oh my god, how are you so warm? I’m still freezing.”

He folded her in one arm, and she drew her leg onto his thigh, resting her hand on his chest. “The hot shower helped,” he said. “And I’m not as traumatized as you.”

She tilted back her head. “But you’re traumatized a bit?”

He stroked his fingers over her hair, sweeping the strands behind her ear. He remained silent for a minute, and she didn’t think he’d answer.

“When Striker told me you’d been taken, I— I couldn’t cope. I felt as if my heart had been ripped from my body. Can’t say I’ve ever had a reaction that extreme to someone being in danger.”

“Well, you knew Craig was a murderer.”

“Honey, most people I deal with are capable of murder.”

She fell silent as she remembered how everything had unfolded. She’d watched her brother get hit with a stun gun, heard a man get shot—oh god, she’d forgotten all about Spencer.

“What about Officer Vokle? I’m pretty sure Craig killed him.”

“Yeah, he did.” He continued to stroke her hair absently. “And unfortunately, Spencer had a wife and kid.”

“Oh no.”

“Mmm. We reported his death to the police. I think Spencer was carrying a huge burden, helping Craig after what happened to Annamay. Oh, and Havoc got some more information on William Barre, the dispensary owner. Turns out Craig was a silent investor in his business. Guess that’s why he was so scared to turn on Craig.”

“How involved was Don Hedley?”

“I don’t think he was aware that Craig was after you. Just suspected Spencer was assisting in hiding Craig.” He sounded tired, as if he was falling asleep.

She kissed his bare chest. “Good night. I’m so glad we all made it out safely.”

He returned the kiss on her forehead. “Me too, babe. Have a good sleep and wake me if you need anything.”

She already had everything she needed.

Curling close to his body, she savored the currents of warmth surrounding her. Not just physical warmth.

Love.

She sighed and fell deeply into sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“There’s Molly,” Paige said, pointing to where Striker’s girlfriend waited. She dropped his hand to run toward her friend.