I smiled at him and pulled him back for another hug. “I missed you, big brother.”
“Missed you too, little sis. But I need some coffee. Want me to call your boyfriends in?” he asked, pulling away from me to stand.
“No. I want you to help drag my ass to Porter’s room. I need to see him.”
Kaden groaned but didn’t argue. He knew it’d be futile anyway.
He grabbed my free arm while I used the other to grab the pole my IV fluids were attached to. With very little grace or speed, we hobbled our way down the hall about six doors down where Porter’s room was.
When Kaden was about to open the door, it flew open and Alden stopped instantly seeing me outside of it.
“Sophia! You should be in bed!” he chastised, taking me in his arms.
“I needed to see him. Are you okay though?” I asked him, not seeing anything on him except the same bandage he had wrapped around his head the last time I saw him.
“I’m fine. So is Darren. We had the machines for cover, unlike you and that asshole.”
I sighed, relieved that he and his brother were unhurt. I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, kissing him long and hard.
Kaden cleared his throat. “I’m gonna go get that coffee.” Then excused himself without another word.
When we pulled apart, I stared into Alden’s beautiful blue eyes and said the words I’d been dying to say. “I love you.”
He smiled broadly at me and slid his hand along my jaw. “I love you too, Sophia. I’m so sorry we let that guy get you. I should’ve been on my guard better.”
I silenced him from speaking anything else with another kiss.
“Don’t ruin the moment with ifs, ands, or buts. It’s over and we’re all alive. That’s all that matters.”
He nodded, knowing it was better to just let it rest for the time being, though I knew he’d probably bring it up again. Instead, he helped me into the room where Darren was sitting in the chair next to Porter’s bed. Porter was hooked up to several machines and seemed to be sleeping, but not in pain.
Darren glanced up when he saw me enter with Alden and stood, coming to my side immediately to envelope me in a hug.
“If you ever get between me and a gun pointed at me again, I’m spanking your ass so fucking hard you won’t be able to sit for a week.”
Laughing, I hugged him tighter. “I love you too.”
He jerked back, surprise evident on his face. “What?”
“You heard me,” I sassed, smirking at him.
He framed my face with both his hands and kissed the daylights out of me. It was a desperate, longing kind of kiss that made your head spin when it stopped.
“I love you, you maddening woman. But seriously, never again. Got it?”
I sighed. “Got it. Now take me to my other boyfriend, I need to see him.”
Darren shook his head and picked me up bridal style, walking me to the edge of Porter’s bed and setting me down. I wasted no time snuggling into Porter’s side and laying my head on his chest.
He shifted a little and breathed in deep. “Sophia?” he mumbled, his eyes not opening.
“I’m here. I’ll always be here. Get some rest, babe,” I soothed him, running a hand up and down his chest. He immediately fell back asleep, a smile planted firmly on his face.
Darren and Alden sat on either side of us, each of them placing a hand somewhere on me as I laid there with Porter. The four of us were here together as a unified group, having survived a mad stalker with a gun and an explosion.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I finally felt completely and utterly safe.
I survived the man who had made my life hell because the fire inside of me burned brighter than the one surrounding me.
