Chapter 33 Reeve Hardy
Chapter thirty-three
Reeve Hardy
My Spirit — Lacuna Coil
I lift Winona’s trembling body to straddle my hips. She clings to me like a little koala, tears shimmering in her eyes, and I want to rip my heart out of my chest and give it to her.
I want to be with her, but I can’t go back before I finish what I started.
I pick Mona up from the ground along with my thigh bag and clothes.
The silence between us grows as Winona closes her eyes.
I let Mona crawl onto the tree where I built the trap.
I’ll take her when we go back to the tower.
Next, I gather the rifle, radios, and the holster I left earlier from the ground.
“I love you,” I whisper as I head down the mountain.
Winona only saw a fraction of this place. She hasn’t seen the mountains surrounding us, the beautiful ridges on the horizon covered in snow in winter and green in summer. The streams that flow through the valleys. The colorful paths that lead to the shore. And the many wonders of this place.
I circle a few trees and grab a duffel bag I hid for us. It contains clean clothes, towels, water, food, and weapons. I push the rest of our belongings inside and sling the bag over my shoulder as I continue forward.
The large rocks peek around the corner, with water droplets pattering against them as the dense trees thin out. The powerful roar of water drifts toward us, and the corners of my lips curl into a grin as Winona slowly opens her eyes.
She turns away from my chest. “Wow,” echoes from her lips. Her eyes widen at the sight of a bright, frothy cascade of water falling over the rocky outcroppings into a plunge pool. “A waterfall,” she says in a hushed, almost choked tone.
She takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh smell of freedom. Hope. Dreams.
I bend my knees to lower her to the ground and place the duffel bag beside her.
“Wait here,” I say softly, running to scan the area to ensure no one’s around. When I return, I find the duffel bag open, and Winona is munching on the chocolate I hid at the bottom.
I know my girl.
Snacks are appreciated around here.
I smile at her sullen pout, watching it turn into a small grin whenever a chocolate cube touches her lips.
She’s so adorable.
I want to make love to her until I collapse, until I would never have to leave, but that’s a fucking fantasy for us. There’s always something in our way.
“Are you angry?” I ask, crouching beside her.
She shakes her head, pursing her lips into a thin line. I draw my thumb across her bottom lip, lingering on the bite I gave her earlier, before I press harder against it, almost bruising it again.
I grip her throat with my free hand, keeping her locked in the moment with me.
“Then what?” I press. “Talk to me.”
“I want more.” She bats her eyelashes at me.
“You want to fuck me, is that it?” I release her from my hold and lie down on the ground.
She climbs on top of me in the second, guiding my cock to her opening, and sinks down on me with no hesitation. My fuse short-circuits. Her pussy is so warm and tight.
“Fuck, Winona, I didn’t think you’d actually do it.”
“But I said I want to.” She rolls her hips back and forth, bouncing as she adjusts herself around me. “I want more time with you, and you being cryptic with me. I hate it.”
My cock swells inside her.
“You’re such a brat,” I growl through clenched teeth, rubbing the palms of my hands against her hard nipples. I increase my pace, going rougher.
“Bite me,” she snarks, wiggling her brows. “Liar.”
“You better take that back,” I warn, moving one hand down her belly to pinch her clit.
“Or what?” She whimpers. “You’ll punish me?”
“I might.”
“I’m not sold.” She rocks faster, her walls tightening around my hard cock.
“Winona, I’m not playing.” I snap. “Take. That. Back.”
“Make me.”
The fire in her eyes meets mine, and all hell breaks loose. I clutch her hips to steady her, then lift us off the ground. My feet skid over the dry terrain, sharp rocks pricking at my skin as I step into the plunge pool. The water’s so clear that I see our tangled reflections staring back at us.
We look infernal together.
Still inside her, I feel her clenching around me with every move I make. I take us closer to the waterfall before plunging us both underwater. I love her with all my heart, but I also love to get under her skin and leave pieces of myself there.
Standing back up, we both take a deep inhale. I gently push her shoulder away until she floats on her back, her hands stretched to the sides. Then my wicked grin grows as I start thrusting into her. Slowly. Sensually. Letting her feel every push and pull.
Holding her waist with one hand, the other quickly flies up to grasp her throat. “A liar wouldn’t tell you not to breathe,” I warn as I shove her head underwater. She thrashes against me, but I smile.
Pulling her up, she gulps the air greedily. Droplets cling to her lashes, adorning her electric eyes.
“Want to use your safe word?” I reassure.
“No.”
“Tap on my hand twice if you want me to stop.”
“Okay,” she confirms, wrapping her hand around my forearm. I plunge her into the water again, her grip tightens, but she’s calmer.
I rock my hips, giving her clit a few rubs before I grip her waist and pull her out. I give her a moment before I shove her back inside. The gentle water slushes around us as I drill into her, burying my cock up to the hilt.
I yank her all the way up to my face, my hand still around her throat as I bite down on her lip, forcing her to open up for me. Our tongues curl around the other. Her hands loop around my neck, deepening the kiss even more as I lift her up and down my cock.
Pressure is building down my spine.
Winona screams my name into my mouth.
I push her against the flat edge of a large rock peeking from the water. She grips it tightly with both hands as I slam my cock back inside her, taking her from behind.
My fingers dig into her hips, molding her flesh.
My core muscles flex. I bite down on her side and curve my hand around her throat.
She moans and spasms uncontrollably around my cock.
I tighten my grip. My eyes roll in place.
Jerking inside her, a deep growl escapes me when the climax hits me so hard that I almost collapse on top of her.
“Reeve!” she screams, her voice hoarse at the end.
I pull out of her and spin her around. Her eyes flash wide, a smile peeking within them. With one hand rubbing her clit, I pull her by the throat into a hungry kiss.
I swallow her sweet little sounds with each flick of my tongue. Even if I drowned inside her, it wouldn’t be enough.
Wrapping my arms around her, I tuck her closer to me.
“I love you more,” Winona whispers.
I gaze into her loving eyes through hooded lids—years of memories written inside them. My hand comes up to cup her cheek, the pad of my thumb softly tracing along her jaw.
“Find me in your dreams later.” I say, kissing the crown of her head.
Her curious eyes look back at me.
I carry us out of the water and back to the smooth, dry terrain. I spread our towels on the ground and lay Winona down, handing her a water bottle from the duffel bag.
She chugs half of it with a smile, then grabs my oversized T-shirt, new underwear, and some sweats.
“With the rate you tear my clothes off, I will have no clothes left,” she laughs, as she puts them on.
“I will happily stare at your naked body all day.” I wink and shrug.
She arches her perfectly trimmed eyebrow at me. “I bet.”
We hold each other’s gaze for a long moment.
“If you could be anything, what would you want to be?” she asks abruptly.
I blow out a breath. “Well… maybe teach kids and adults how to defend themselves. I could have my own place. Combat skills and books.”
“I love that. I would’ve been there every day.”
Twitching my mouth to the side, I shake my head. “That’s just fantasizing.”
“Not if you can turn it into a reality.”
“But I can’t.” I finish, getting dressed as well. “This is my life, living in the shadows.”
“You don’t believe that.”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe.”
“Well, I believe in you,” she declares, pushing up from the towel. “I’ve known you for a long time. You can make any dream a reality if you want to.”
Her outstretched hand waits before me, and I take it, rising to my feet and towering over her.
“I know you’re not a liar,” she starts, “I know you think you need to deal with perpetrators all on your own, and that’s a heavy burden to carry.
I also know your heart and how everything affects you, even when you think it doesn’t.
You care, and that’s your greatest strength.
One of the many reasons I fell in love with you.
Maybe the world tried to change you, but it couldn’t.
You kept yourself alive, stood tall, and showed the world you’re unbreakable. ”
My heart swells inside my chest, fire blazing through it. It physically hurts to look at her, be around her, or be with her, knowing my soul screams her name even when we’re inches apart.
I grab her hand and twirl her around. Once. Twice. Her sweet giggles encapsulate us.
“Can we stay here for a while?” she asks.
I press my forehead to hers. “I could use a nap.”
“Me too.”
My eyelids flutter open, and I slowly pull myself up into a sitting position. The afternoon breeze feels significantly colder, leaving goosebumps on my skin. I glance at Winona. Her eyes are still closed.
I straighten up with a grunt.
I clip my holster to my pants, then my thigh bag along with the radio, and shove my lighter and knife into my pocket.
“Where are you going?” her voice trails behind me as I take a few steps away from our little camp.
“I’ll be right back. I need to scan the area.”
“Don’t get ripped apart by a bear,” she chuckles.
“Haha.”
“I mean it.” Her voice hardens.
“Don’t worry,” I calm down, “Rule number one: Always stay alert.”
We say it together.
I hike a dozen feet away. Winona remains in my line of sight whenever I look back. I stop beside a row of trees. Their large trunks completely hide me and block my view of Winona. I still peek around them every few seconds to check if she’s okay.
Waiting, I search between distant trees until I hear a familiar buzz growing louder. The drone comes into view as it slowly advances—a note dangles from it.
We’re all set. The bombs are ready.
I nod to confirm, take the mini microphone Braxton attached to it, and the drone retraces its original path.
These ten months we’ve spent together in this forest have been the best gift Winona and I could have received.
I want a lifetime, but even if this is all I get, I feel so fortunate to have shared life with her.
My Winona.
My hauntingly beautiful Winona.
I will forever be grateful that she took a chance on me and chose me repeatedly.
Loving her was indescribable. It was a pill that altered my entire existence. Even if there were an antidote, I wouldn’t take it. I wanted to succumb to the feeling of her; I wanted to combust against her skin.
She gazes at the sky, her arm raised, fingers drawing patterns in the wind.
As I step in her direction, a few leaves rustle behind me. I bend down, pretending to tie my boots before I send my fist back and punch the attacker right in the junk.
A muffled groan escapes him as he falls to the floor, curling in pain. A black mask covers his face, holes punched out where his eyes are.
I yank my gun from the holster as a brutal blow to my head throws me off balance.
I tumble to the ground. My knees slam against jagged rocks, and sharp pain slices through my palms. Black spots fill my vision as more strikes threaten to knock me out.
I yank his ankle, knocking the second attacker down, and wrap my arm around his neck just before a gun presses against my temple.
“Stop resisting,” the first attacker snarls. “He’s waiting.”
I raise my hands in surrender, needing to end it once and for all.
For us.
I chased the big boss for almost four years. It seems I was right; even ghosts can be found.
Even the one I used to call dad.