Chapter 25 Wesley
Wesley
She gets all of me, and I’m taking all of her.
After the bath and a meal, Madison settles into bed, cuddling under layers of blankets and comforters, and I sit against the headboard next to her.
It’s early evening, but she’s clearly exhausted from everything that happened today.
My mind is buzzing, and I know I won’t be able to sleep for hours, but I can’t bring myself to be more than a few feet from her.
My cock is aching, and it hasn’t gone below half-mast since she invited me into the tub. Now, next to her like this, I can barely stand being so close and not being inside her. Made even more difficult as the memories from the tub swirl around my head like soapy water down the drain.
The way she quaked with pleasure in my arms, the way she clung to me like a lifeline, the way she trusted me—both with the truth that was clearly difficult for her to verbalize at first, then with her body as I held her and coaxed her pleasure from her…
it means more than she can possibly understand.
It was everything to me. That level of trust isn’t given lightly; it honored me.
It felt like power. It felt like purpose.
I want nothing more than to gather her into my arms, but I want her in the worst way, and I know how rough today was—I can’t be sure I’ll be able to restrain myself once I have her body against mine. I want to give her space to process everything, if that’s what she needs.
She tosses and turns, trying to find a comfortable position, and I grab my phone.
First order of business is to check in with Mac and Dimitri.
When we spoke before the bath, I let them know about the attack.
Since Dimitri is moving around well but technically still recovering, Mac volunteered to go grab the body.
I’m curious if it was still there—if the man shooting at us was that man’s partner, I doubt the body was still in the alley by the time Mac arrived.
3 Musketeers Chat
Mac
No body.
I heave a sigh and tap out a response to the minutes-old message.
I figured.
Mac
I’m sticking around for a while to see if anyone comes back. Want me to drop the van off for you in the AM?
Yes. There’s a suitcase in the back seat of her car, if you don’t mind grabbing it and bringing it when you do. And her cat is with the upstairs neighbor in 2F. She’ll want to see him in the morning.
Mac
Can do. You good?
I’m fucking livid. Did either of you take a look at the footage I added to the shared drive? Any thoughts on who the attacker was?
Dimitri
I recognize him. We crossed paths on a job once before. He goes by The Butcher.
Fuck. That means the General sent someone else after her.
Mac
We’ll get him, Wes.
If it helps, I know exactly how this feels and can confirm it fucking sucks.
Dimitri
You will feel better when we kill him.
Dimitri’s unusual contribution has my lips quirking up, despite all the frustration and rage. He doesn’t normally suffer any off-topic discussions, and talk of feelings has been known to make him leave our group chat altogether.
Smiling and shaking my head, I drop a pin at the hotel for Mac so he knows where to leave the van for me.
I glance down at Madison as she flops over onto her other side.
The cover has slipped down over her shoulder, and I itch to right it for her.
But I know it wouldn’t be just an act of care.
If I let myself cross this divide, I’d also let myself trail my fingers down, following the curve of her neck, sweeping her hair out of the way to reveal that soft tan skin…
Exhaling noisily through my nose, I flick through my apps until I get to my email. I check for a note from the General, but the last I have from him is the automated confirmation of my bid for Madison’s job.
I tap over to a private browser and type in the exact URL I need.
It’s the only way to access anything on the dark web; that’s what differentiates it from the regular internet.
You don’t need a specific browser or anything, but there’s no Google.
Nothing is searchable. You need to already know where you want to go.
The website throws my login credentials back at me, stating the account doesn’t exist. I scowl and type them out again, slower. It doesn’t work. One more time to confirm…
My stomach plummets. I’m locked out of the General’s system. He must have removed me. Fuck. Fuck!
“Wesley?”
Shaken from my swirling panic by her soft voice, I look down. “Yes, my love?” My tone is tight, and it takes every ounce of my willpower not to let her see my agitation.
She rolls over and faces me. “You were right.”
“I usually am. You’ll need to be a bit more specific.”
Her smile is sleepy but amused. Closing her eyes, she nestles down further on the white cotton, dark hair coiled in inky, wet tendrils against the bright white. “I should have loaded my gun.”
“Yes,” I agree softly. An unloaded gun is the least of my concerns, but I’ll be pleased if the outcome of this is that she’s never armed with something useless like that again.
“Thank you,” she whispers, shifting back and spearing me with a look that’s so full of emotions it would knock me on my arse if I weren’t already there.
“It was dumb to leave my apartment, like you said. But you were there when I needed you. I had no right to hope you would come, but I did. And you did.”
My heart jerks in my chest. She had every right to hope I would come, and it cracks something deep inside me that she thinks she doesn’t.
I set my phone on the bedside table and scoot down until we’re face to face.
I’m on top of the covers and she’s underneath, so hopefully that’ll be enough to help me keep my hands to myself.
Still, I can’t resist reaching up and brushing the hair from her eyes. “I will always come, Madison. I told you—you’re mine. Do you understand what that means to me?”
Her eyes flick back and forth between mine instead of answering. There’s some confusion there, as well as something guarded that I can’t identify. After a second, she shakes her head.
“It means that I take care of you. I protect you. I don’t let anyone hurt you.”
Her brow twitches, settling into a slight frown. She swallows, nods, and looks away, but she seems confused—perhaps only content to let the conversation drop because she’s not sure she’s ready for it.
And it’s just as well, because I’m not sure I’m ready either. I can’t put this feeling into words yet; it feels too soon to say the words out loud.
Because I’ve never wanted anything the way I want her. I’ve never needed something to be mine this way. It’s like she’s awakened another side of me—one that considers lines something to cross and rules something to break. I’d do anything for her.
I’ve joked about Mac’s stalking and Dimitri’s kidnapping from the view atop my high horse, but now I know that I’m no better.
My single-minded determination would have resorted to much darker means if she’d managed to slip away from me this morning—stalking and kidnapping would have seemed the milder option.
I’ve already been less than honest; I let her think we’d be working together, knowing full well she thinks that means something very different.
I simply can’t let her be involved in my search for the General. I need the information she has—now that we know what information it is, that part’s sorted—and then I just… I need her to be somewhere that I can keep her. Where I can take care of her and know she’s safe.
I wish I could be a normal man. I wish I could come to her as is, bare myself and let her take whatever parts of me she wants. But I can’t—this is all or nothing. No half-assing it.
She gets all of me, and I’m taking all of her. Every part.
“Does it mean you’re my own personal hair washer, too?
” she teases, lifting her eyes. The shuttered fear is gone now, like she’s buried it and decided to try to move on.
“I gotta say, I think I’m ruined for showers now.
It’s going to be baths only from now on.
The logistics will be a nightmare, but I’m willing to put in the work to give you what you need. ”
I’m gratified by the ease in her tone. It’s only been hours, but it feels like it’s been far too long without bratty, lighthearted Madison. “Go to sleep, you little menace.”
Her smile crinkles the corners of her eyes as a lock of green hair falls sideways across her face. “Yes, Sir.”
I can recognize this for what it is—a deliberate shift to a lighter topic. It’s too soon for a declaration of feelings. Too much has happened today. She’s not ready, but instead of shutting down she’s dispelling the tension.
God, I love how her mind works, and how easy it is for her to analyze and sort through information.
I love how she uses every tool and weapon at her disposal to vie for power—power I have no intention of relinquishing, but it’s such fun watching her try.
I love the way her lips tip up at the corners in anticipation of my laughter whenever she says something clever.
I love her beautiful, soft body. I love her confidence in it.
I love… her.
She turns back onto her other side so we can spoon. I drag her against my chest and hold her tighter, just as I intend to do going forward. I nearly lost her today. I nearly let her down.
I have to be better. Have to try harder. Have to figure out what’s going on. And until I get this mess sorted out with the General, I’ll need to hold Madison tighter.
Being locked out of the system is concerning—any lack of information is concerning—so, first chance we get, we’ll need to retreat behind the 12-foot gate and the safety of the group.
In the morning, we’ll head there first thing. For now… Like this, with her in my arms, I think I could sleep through the night for the first time in years.