Chapter 4
MAC SAT at the table field-stripping his automatic rifle. He watched his wife while his fingers took the gun apart by rote. Hannah appeared to ignore him but her rigid posture and jerky movements indicated she knew he was watching. They’d come to an uneasy truce after rescuing Liam from his kidnappers. The sex, even after all the years they’d been together, was always good, but there was an underlying anger to it that had crept in during the past year. Hers. His. It didn’t really matter. The emotion was there and being the man he was, he wanted to fix things. He loved Hannah with his whole heart and living without her was not an option.
“You’re leaving before dawn.” Hannah didn’t look at him when she spoke.
“Yes.” He compelled her to turn around with his gaze. She didn’t.
“Will you at least wake Liam to tell him goodbye?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t have much to say, do you?”
“Hannah…” Her name sighed out. “Why are you so pissed at me?”
“Dammit, Mac. This is not my fault.”
“I never said it was.” He pushed back from the table and stepped toward her. Her shoulders stiffened at his approach, and while her reaction upset him, he pushed his feelings away. “You’ve taken all the damn guilt and hugged it to you like a blanket, babe. You’re drowning in it.”
“Fuck you.”
“No. Not anymore. That’s all you’ve been doing lately, Hannah. Fucking me.” He touched her chin with the tip of his index finger. “I’m tired of being your whipping boy. I want my wife back. My lover.”
He pressed closer, trapping her against the counter. She coiled, ready to strike, an angry viper full of venom. He didn’t care. Capturing her mouth with his, he kissed her. Not punishing like his wolf wanted, but gently, coaxing her response. Her legs widened, opening to him as his groin nestled against her. His dick throbbed, growing with desire. He felt the moment she stopped fighting. Her arms circled his neck and tears slicked her cheeks.
“Damn, baby. Don’t cry. It’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna be okay.”
Hannah clung to him. “I know, Mac. God, I’m so tired of fighting you, of fighting life. I just want to go back to being us.”
“Makes two of us. And we will. We’re all safe.”
“For now, but…”
Mac leaned back. “Would you have us stay here? Ignore what’s happening?”
She shook her head and wiped her face with an angry swipe of her hand. “Fuck it, no. It’s Nakai’s granddaughter. We can’t turn our backs. Not on her and not on Carter. That ol’ fool will do something crazy if we don’t handle things.”
Hannah recognized the look on his face and held up a hand. “We as in we’re all in this together. I know I can’t go. As much as I want to, I can’t leave Liam or the others. Too many kids, too many…civilians.”
“Antoine is coming to stay. You’ll be here, and Jacey.”
She laughed. “That woman is hell with a shotgun. No one will mess with us. We’ll lay low. But please…for Liam. Try to get back in time for Christmas.”
“You got it, babe.” He picked her up princess style and cradled her. “In the meantime, we have some time to kill.” He growled the words, his eyes flashing toward the feral side.
“ Shhh . We’ll wake up Liam.”
“Then I’d better gag you, babe.”
“I do not scream when we make love.” She did her best to look offended.
“Of course you do.”
“Arrogant man.”
“Sexy woman.”
His mouth closed on hers, lips urgent, tongue probing. She melded to him, breath hitching as he carried her into their room. Mac kicked the door shut and fell onto the king-sized bed with her. In moments, both sets of their hands flying, they were naked. Mac gazed down at her, devouring her with his eyes. No matter how many years they were together, she would always be beautiful, he would always want her with an ache that started in his heart and ended in his balls.
A moment later, he was flat on his back with Hannah straddling him. She’d turned the tables and now gazed hungrily at him, her eyes trailing from his face to his raging hard-on and back. “God, but I love you.” She rose on her knees, curled her fingers around his cock and positioned it at her entrance. She was already hot and slick and ready.
Sinking slowly, she welcomed him into her body. Mac groaned, eliciting a broad grin from her. “Who’s making the noise now, fur face?”
And just like that, everything was almost right again. He tossed up thanks to the Universe and let his wife have her way with him. It was a step forward.
Hannah rode him hard, rising and falling, squeezing and caressing his shaft with her inner muscles. He didn’t touch her, his hands wrapped in the bed’s comforter as he spit growls into the air. She’d missed this—taking charge, setting her pace, letting him know what she wanted. Her own fault for shutting him out. She couldn’t survive without him. The thought of losing him robbed her of breath. She slowed her pace, her body warm and humming as she created a sinuous dance with her hips and torso. His hands loosened their grip on the bedspread and sought her breasts. He cupped them in his palms and she sighed.
“God, but you make me such a girly girl.”
“Good. Now shut up and fuck me.”
WHEN HANNAH awoke, Mac was gone. His side of the bed retained some warmth, but since the man put out heat like an old-time radiator, he’d probably been gone at least thirty minutes. She stumbled into the kitchenette. The coffee maker held fresh, hot coffee and she barely sloshed any over the rim of her cup as she poured.
“They’re gone.”
She glanced back at Liam and nodded sadly. “I’m sorry, buddy.”
“Dad woke me up to say goodbye. He didn’t promise, but he said he’d try to get everyone home in time.”
“Your dad has a way of making things happen, Liam. A lot like you. In the meantime, we can get ready for Christmas. If you’d like? Wanna go grab everyone and invite them over for breakfast? We can start making plans.”
“Sure.” He glanced out the window. “Looks like they’re all up.” He ducked back into the bathroom and pulled on a tee shirt to go with the gym shorts he slept in. He didn’t bother shoving his feet into shoes as he slouched out the door.
Jacey was the first to arrive, a pan of hot cinnamon rolls in her hands. She turned to baking when she was stressed or Nate was gone. “Talked to Amy. Harjo is going straight to New Mexico. She’s staying with Atosi until he’s out of the hospital and then he’ll go home with George.”
“George will keep him safe. Amy knows how to find us?”
“Yeah. She should be here in a couple of days.”
“Atosi comes first. In fact, I’m a little surprised Harjo left him.”
Shrugging, Jacey poured a cup of coffee. “I suspect that stubborn old man told him to ‘git’. Plus, Amy, George, and all the cousins are there. He’s a national treasure as far as the tribe is concerned.”
Cody banged through the door then belatedly held it for his mom. “Sorry.” The boy beelined for the pan of cinnamon rolls.
Jacey served up one on a paper plate while Annie snagged a paper towel for Cody to use as a napkin. He happily settled at the table, a glass of milk delivered by Hannah. Sally arrived with baby Grace on her hip, followed by Izzy and Liam. Liz and Micah brought up the rear. Conversation lulled while bacon was put on to fry, eggs scrambled, and little mouths were crammed with homemade cinnamon rolls.
“I can’t wait to get settled and have a real kitchen again.” Annie held out a plastic garbage sack for used plates, paper towels, and plastic cups. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually miss real dishes. Even washing them.”
Hannah laughed. “I don’t cook but have to agree.” A round of shocked noises sent everyone into giggles.
“You cook fine, Mom.” Liam was quick to defend her.
She ruffled his hair, a gesture he hated as he proved by ducking away from her. “Thanks, Liam, but if it doesn’t come out of a box, I’m doomed. Luckily, your dad knows how to cook. If you like rare steak and baked potatoes.”
After another round of laughter, the two boys took Micah and Grace outside to play while the wives plotted Christmas like it was a military operation. To Hannah, it was.