39. Willow
39
WILLOW
As soon as I see Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout in a row, walking towards me covered in dust, grime and more than a little blood, I tear myself out of Paige and Jessica’s arms and run. They look like action heroes walking out of an explosion with the sun at their back, leather jackets slung over their shoulders, so confidently that I could swear that they're in slow motion.
They're alive. I’m alive!
WE’RE ALIVE!
My legs pump so fast that I'm more in a controlled fall than I am running. Or not so controlled. My toe catches on the ground and I’m about to go flat on my face, when Dragon swoops me up into his arms and squeezes me against him so hard I struggle to breathe. When I pound my fist on his chest, he eases, and then I'm just there, held close, drawing in the scent of sweat, leather and him, glorying myself in the familiarity of it.
I get to enjoy it for all of a few seconds, before he passes me right into Blackout's waiting arms. Blackout pulls me hard into a kiss that makes me dizzy and my knees wobbly, but desperate for more, his heat against me, so safe and so nice. When he finally pulls back, he winces, and I notice his shoulder is bleeding. “You're hurt!”
“Just a scrape, baby girl. I'm fine. Everything's fine.” He grins. “Here, off to the hero of the day.”
And then I'm wrapped up in Skyhigh's firm embrace, holding me close, one hand pressing my head into the crook of his neck protectively.
“You saved all of us,” I murmur, right up against his skin. “Blackout's right, you're our hero.”
“All I care about is that you're safe. That you're here with us. All three of us.” His hold on me is like steel, caging me in like he wants to keep me safe from everything that might ever hurt me ever again. Eventually, his arms are bound to get tired, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the closeness, the feeling of safety, the steady thrum of his powerful heart beating against mine.
Savage comes in through the gates, looking weirdly uncertain. “Skyhigh, I think Hellfire's gonna want?—”
“Don't care. I'll talk to him later. Nothing that can't wait now. Tanner's gone, permanently. We're taking Willow home.”
Savage nods, understanding. “Alright. I'll tell him.”
“You're not going to carry me all the way home, are you?”
“Fucking watch me,” His voice is a little strangled.
I’m not sure what’s up with their insistence on carrying me everywhere, but right now, I’m not going to argue.
I wrap my arms around his neck and hold tight. Something makes me feel like he needs comforting as much as I do right now. Something about his tone, about the way he's clinging to me, both protective and needy. Something hit him hard, and just like he was here for me, I'm here for him. Just like Blackout and Dragon.
My front door is still unlocked, but my keys are on the table by the door. Tanner took me before I'd put them in my purse. Blackout makes a point of throwing the bolt behind us once we're all inside. Not that I could possibly feel unsafe in here with all of them with me.
The path goes right up the stairs to my bedroom, and Skyhigh doesn't let me down until he can put me on the bed. I’m not sure any of us are up for more than comfort right now. We just need somewhere all four of us can be close.
“Can we get you anything? I probably remember how to work the coffee machine.” Blackout looks like doesn’t quite know what to do with himself.
I shake my head. “I'm pretty sure caffeine right now would make my heart explode. Just… stay here. All of you.”
And that's when the real sobs hit me. One second I'm fine, and the next my chest cinches tight, my face hurts from the pressure of all the tears that want out, and my hand on Blackout's thigh goes from touching to a death grip.
“Oh my God, I was so scared,” I get out between heaves, ugly sobbing. “I thought I was going to die. I thought you were going to die. So many people could’ve been hurt and it would’ve been all my fault.”
“It was Tanner’s fault, sweetheart. He put you in an impossible situation.” Dragon pulls me on top of him, and then Blackout and Skyhigh are there on either side, kissing my head and my neck, their hands competing at rubbing my back or stroking my hair to comfort me, surrounding me on all sides, until my world is just me and the warm, safe bodies of my men around me.
It takes a long time before my crying slows, going from hard sobs to soft sniffles. I've got my fingers buried in Dragon and Blackout's shirts, clinging to them for support. My back is pressed against Skyhigh, his heat lovingly against me. Slowly I start to really process that I'm alive, and that there's no one trying to kill me anymore.
“I can't believe I almost lost you guys.”
“We're hard to kill,” murmurs Skyhigh with a soft chuckle. “You need to have faith in us.”
“You really think we'd let that fucker win? What the fuck do you take us for?” Dragon smiles and rubs a thumb down my jaw.
“This is going to be great material for your book,” Blackout adds, grinning playfully.
“Shut up.” I bat his arm.
“How are you feeling?” Dragon pulls his strong fingers through my hair, gently working out the snarls. “That was pretty fucking intense. I'd say we're used to it, but that was a first even for us. I know you've been worried about how dangerous our lives are, but it's all easy days from here on out. I can't imagine something like this is gonna happen again, and we got through it.”
“Easy days, huh?” I press my palm against his chest. “I can't imagine any days with you three will ever be easy days, but maybe that's part of your appeal? You're pretty good at keeping things interesting.” I sniffle, my nose still runny. Bet my eyes look lovely, all bloodshot and stuff. “But yeah, I think I'm okay. Ask me again tomorrow. And next week. And next year, but right now? I'm just glad you're all here, still with me and not… well, you know.”
“I like the sound of that,” Skyhigh says.
“What?” I turn so I can look at him.
“Tomorrow. Next week. Next year. Means you're gonna be here for us to ask. Not running away because of what we do and who we are.”
If I didn't know better, I'd say he’s worried. “I meant what I said out there. I love you guys. All three of you.”
Blackout yanks me right out of the others' arms and into his, sliding his fingers into my hair and tilting my head back. “Technically I think you said you were falling in love with us. And I fucking hate that you got to say it first. Shoulda been us. But I'm fucking saying it now. I love you, baby girl. You make me trust that no matter what the fuck I learn about myself, I’ve already got everything I need. And you make me a better man, just by being you. And I know that it’s maybe a little early, but you make me so fucking hard. I love you for that sexy little body, too.” He flashes one of his handsome smiles right before he puts his full lips against mine and kisses me like his life depends on it. No one's ever going to call him pretty, but if anyone says he's not handsome, I'm throwing hands.
And he's not lying about the hard thing, but I only get a moment to wiggle my butt against it before Dragon yanks me right out of Blackout's lap and into his.
“Not gonna let him have all the fun. I fucking love you. I love that you are so fucking strong but you’ve never let it overpower your sweetness. I love your willingness to stand up for yourself, and how you marched your ass right up to us instead of running. And I love that we’ve got so much more to teach you, so you better not be going fucking anywhere.” He cups the back of my head with his long fingers and presses us together into a kiss that I return eagerly. The way I'm sitting, I can't tell if he's as hard as Blackout, but the way his free hand roams over my back and up my side, I've got a suspicion.
Skyhigh doesn't give me time to think about it. With a quick tug, I'm in his arms, my lips almost touching his. His deep blue eyes looking right into mine. “Pretty sure I mentioned something about it out there, but in case you were preoccupied, yeah, you’re stuck with me, too. Even if you didn’t admit to the obvious, I wasn’t fucking letting you go. I always wanted the whole white picket fence shit, but I spent a lot of time learning that humanity sucks, and it’s taken the club, these motherfuckers, and then falling in love with you to make me think that maybe I can have my own version of a white picket fence after all.” He buries his face in the crook of my neck. “I want to keep you my arms like this forever so nothing can fucking hurt you again. We fit so fucking perfectly.” And then it's his turn to kiss me, soft at first, but with a growing intensity as he presses me close and chases my tongue around with his, until I'm seriously reconsidering just wanting to cuddle. Maybe that adrenaline hasn't quite let go yet.
When he finally lets me up for air, I look at him, right into his pretty eyes. “How about you? Are you okay?”
Blackout nods. “You were feeling it out there. Old ghosts? We're here for you, man.”
Dragon puts his hand on Skyhigh's shoulder. “You can always count on your brothers. Just so you know that.”
For once, Skyhigh's smile is just a smile. No mischief, just contentment. “I'm good. I am now, at least. Fuck, the whole bomb shit brought back some things I'd rather have forgotten, but yeah. I'll be okay. I managed to save everyone this time.”
“Except for Tanner,” Blackout says, strangely gleefully.
“Fuck Tanner,” Dragon and Skyhigh growl at the same time.
“Yeah, Fuck Tanner!” When all three of them look at me like I just grew a third head, I can't help but laugh. “What? After all that, I think I definitely deserve to say it.”
“Baby girl, if you ever say anything about fucking anyone ever again, I want it to be about us.” Blackout gets a good grip on my hair and twists my head to make sure I'm looking right at him. “Just so that's fucking clear. Now, I seem to remember you got a pretty big ass shower. I can deal with fucking you with a little dust and blood, but I’d kinda like to wash off all the Tanner.”
“Sounds good to me! Wait, what?”