Chapter Eight
I watch Serena—my sweet Serenity—wait by the baggage carousel from several feet away. From my current vantage point, she would never see me, which allowed me a few moments to observe. To look upon the woman who was quite obviously no longer the young scrawny teenager I once knew, nor was she the girl with braided pigtails I grew up with. I sink further back into the shadows, leaning against the wall while waiting for Wyhtt to make his appearance.
Currently Wyhtt’s distracting himself with whatever living, breathing woman that dared to make eye contact long enough to catch his attention. The man loved women and they seemed to always like him in return. At the rate Wyhtt bed hopped since getting out of the army, I assume necrophilia is the only place he draws the line. I chuckle to myself while making a mental note to ask him next time he brings home a questionable choice for the evening.
With my feet planted firmly, I continue to admire her in awe of who she had blossomed into. Serena had always been a natural beauty, but now? Even the silhouette of her from a distance is breath taking. Subtle, delicate curves show through her sundress. Locks of light brown waves fall just beneath her shoulder blades. She stretches, causing her sundress to lift to her upper thigh. Did she wear that for me? I always had a weakness for sundresses, and fuck! Why did it have to be yellow? My favorite color . . .
That small movement alone causes my cock to twitch, she’s effortlessly sexy.
The urge to go to her, bend her over, and fuck her in front of everyone in this goddamn airport is becoming more appealing by the second. I wanted to claim her—to show everyone, to show God himself—I have come back from what felt like the edge of insanity over the last several years. I have finally come to my senses; I have come to claim what has always been mine, just as I was hers. I have always been hers. I will always be hers . . .
The now raging hard on is becoming more difficult to hide in the crowded baggage claim area. Get a grip, I tell myself, remind yourself of your place in her life. No matter how much I remind myself, the small part of my soul that has not yet been turned pitch black calls to her. It’s the only part of me that hasn’t rotted away from the blood I shed or the alcohol I consumed to numb the pain, that small part of me now sings, practically wailing to be in the presence of its other half.
The only good left within me is within her.
Serena is my salvation, despite me being a damned man.
A shit eating grin is plastered across Wyhtt’s fair complexion as he approaches from the corner of my eye. He’s bouncing around like a schoolboy, as if his crush checked yes on a note he slipped her asking her if she liked him or not. I quickly adjust myself, but not without his hawk eyes noticing. Goddamn sniper. Both Grayson and Wyhtt were snipers, and the issue with being friends with snipers is they observe everything—every little detail passes them by with notice. The smug smile drops from his face, eyes immediately searching for who we both know is the cause of my current condition.
“Lord have mercy,” Wyhtt’s words are intentionally drawn out as if he’s attempting to vex me, making it known he’s also spotted her. “Looks like our girl grew up just fine. I mean I’ve seen photos of her over the years, but she is a stunner in person, huh?” He’s talking more to himself at this point, but I step in his direction and slap him upside the head.
“The fuck man? Don’t pretend that slap wasn’t justified, you prick.” A true laugh bursts from him, deep and full of genuine joy. His laughter gives me hope that all the shit I put him and Grayson through hadn’t caused lasting damage between us.
“Well, if you are done being a creepy stalker—who looked about three seconds away from sneaking off to rub one out—we should probably go collect our girl.” His hand grips my shoulder as he drags us out of my carefully hidden vantage point and into the open.
Her whole body tenses the moment she realizes I’m near, just seconds before the world falls silent around us and the ringing in my ears starts. Today wasn’t the first time I’ve heard the ringing; I often wonder what the hell it is or why it only ever happens when she’s nearby. Maybe it’s the song of our souls calling to one another—recognizing one another even a decade apart. Or maybe it is just tinnitus, and I am fucking insane.
Heart racing—I take a step closer, ready to announce our presence—even though I have no doubt she’s aware I’m close. Before my boot even touches the ground—before I have the chance to say anything—Serena turns around. My breath catches as we lock eyes, I have dreamt of those dark blue and amber flecked eyes of hers—they’ve haunted me for nearly a decade. Her eyes look at me with curiosity as she takes me in. There’s something else in her expression—something guarded—something I haven’t seen before. A glimmer of what I thought could be fear flickers across her features before softening into excitement as she sees who’s standing beside me. Wyhtt—the grown man next to me—seems to be physically forcing himself to stay in place. He bounces back and forth on his feet, grinning at her like an idiot.
“What’s up?” The words all but erupt from Wyhtt, the sheer volume causing those around us to take notice. I take a step back, giving their long-time homecoming the respect it’s due. Serena drops the tote bag from her shoulder along with a small black purse before taking a running jump into Wyhtt’s arms. She squeals his name in an ungodly pitch that was only meant for dogs to hear while Wyhtt—just as excited—twirls her around in the air as if she weighs nothing. “Miss me, S?” He asks softly while placing her back on solid ground.
Before Wyhtt has the chance to say anything else, Serena swings at him. Her fist lands on his jaw—a full sucker punch with all the rage a five-foot-five woman can muster. Dumbfounded by her violent response, Wyhtt takes a step back, forcing much needed space between them before lifting his hands in the air. The look of confusion and absolute shock on his face is priceless, his eyebrows raise as he blinks back at her. Where the hell was Grayson when we needed him for this unexpected turn of events? I couldn’t help but choke on my laughter, half afraid she would come after me next.
His next words are soft, as if he’s speaking to a frightened animal. “What the fucking hell was that for, Serena?”
A true wrathful grimace slides onto her normally kind features before she answers. “Just because he—” she points her finger violently in my direction to make her point crystal clear, as if there was any room for interpretation from the venom she packed into he. “—joined the military, did not mean you had to. You might as well have disappeared when he did!” Hurt covers every inch of her beautiful face and her eyebrows pull together as her lips turn downward in a frown.
“I did not.” Wyhtt continues, “don’t you dare act like I wasn’t the one who helped pick up the pieces after the shit show of a relationship you two had.” He lifts his fingers in air quotes when he says relationship. I didn’t feel like he needed to add the emphasis, but I wasn’t about to open my mouth. My scolding would be coming soon enough. Granted, I was sure the lack of reaching out over the years wasn’t going to help my case.
I always had suspicions Wyhtt kept in touch with her to a degree over the years, but this was the first time I had confirmation. He had always been too adamant about Serenity doing well in her new life—always insisting I leave her alone anytime I mentioned reaching out to her.
“Barely,” her reply is fast and cold.
“I am here now, S.” Wyhtt’s eyes widen—pleading for forgiveness—along with his now swollen bottom lip, his expression almost mirrors a sad puppy. Dismissively, she waves her hand in the air. Before she can turn toward me, he pulls her into a massive bear hug to suffocate her with his affection. The true sign of their sibling-like love—only siblings could get into a fight and immediately make up moments later.
After a few more moments, Wyhtt’s arms drop from her and her blue ringed, amber speckled eyes lock onto mine.
Fuck.