Chapter 56 Celia
CELIA
It was such a relief getting back to the high-rise I didn’t realize the place had somehow cultivated a sense of home in me. Not to mention, Santos was at the door waiting to greet me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he returned the embrace, burying his nose into my neck with a deep inhale.
“I’m so glad you’re a free man,” I said, pulling his chin down to examine how his face was healing.
“Morena, with you around, I’ll never be a free man again,” he said, dropping his forehead to mine, “But it’s good to be out of that cage.” The deep rumble of his voice was enough to make my knees tremble.
They were setting things up for the party on the second floor, and the music was already blaring through the building. I headed upstairs to change into the outfit Taylor chose for me, and by the time I made it back downstairs, all three guys let me know her choice had been made well.
“Oh, fuck me, Sunshine,” Mateo breathed out, stepping towards me, but Ronan’s heavy hand stuck out in front of him and pushed him back as he closed in on me instead. I gave him a smirk because I could see the progress for what it was, and his attempt to not kill his friends did impress me.
“Are you sure you don’t want to just go back upstairs and let me rip this dress off of you instead?” He whispered into my ear with absolutely no attempt to actually keep his voice down. Maybe it was the dress, but he was really just looking for an excuse to call the whole thing off.
It was extremely hard to convince Ronan not to cancel the party after Taylor told him about our little hiccup on the way home. Too bad for him, even as he tried to sabotage the event, Fletcher walked through the doors, and chaos reigned over the entire Black Crow Brotherhood.
The sound of champagne bottles popping echoed throughout the giant space that was cleared out for the party, and the screaming and cheering would die down just in time for someone else to start it all up again.
The music played loudly, everyone settling into the mood of the party. The drinks flowed freely, the girls pranced around from lap to lap of any soldier who paid them attention, and my guys loomed over me like dark protective shadows.
“I’m glad to see you’re on the mend,” I said as I approached Fletcher with a sincere smile, the girl named Chiyo under his arm looking nowhere but at him.
“Thanks to you. You saved both of our lives,” he said, pushing the red hair out of his eyes.
“You can owe me one,” I said with a wink.
“Deal.”
I went to turn around but felt his hand on my shoulder pulling at me to turn back his way. I didn’t miss the way Mateo stepped forward or the way Ronan’s lip peeled up before he took his man’s hand off my shoulder.
“Sorry,” he said, lifting his hands to show he meant no harm, “I just wanted to say, if there’s anything you need, I’m your guy.”
“Thank you, Fletcher,” I said before walking away with all three of my guys forming a V as Ronan and Mateo flanked my sides, Santos at my back.
“Did your guy just pledge himself to me?” I turned my head to Ronan, seeing if I could get a rise out of him, but apparently, it wasn’t something that made him self-conscious of his authority.
“Looks that way my little flower. I don’t blame him,” he shrugged before signaling three fingers to the bartender.
“You’re the kind of woman any man would follow into battle.
” He turned the corner of his lip before passing the shots around to each of us but Mateo.
He glared at Santos, so I elbowed him in the abs, nearly bruising myself on the hard ridges of his muscles.
Tomorrow we would move the last of our things, and car after car would transport everyone to the Diablos Locos compound in Grimm’s Reach.
It would be a fresh start for the Black Crows, away from the Bratva drama and out of Los Muertos’ radar until we could deal with Guillermo.
So tonight, we would drink, be merry, and celebrate.
All three men did their best to have a good time but were constantly peering at the exits, double–no, triple-checking, with all their men posted at their stations.
There were maybe sixteen people in the entire crowded room who were privy to the danger we were all under, it was a tricky game to play.
What was best for the people?
Joy or safety? Sometimes too much safety could strip away any chance for happiness.
I knew that well.
The heat in the room was overwhelming as countless bodies pressed together, sweating and dancing on what was now claimed as the dancefloor.
“Hey, ditch the possessive assholes. Come dance with me,” Taylor said, her voice coming out of nowhere, and by the time I turned my head to see her, she was already putting the next shot in my hand and pulling me by the other.
I turned it back and threw it into Santos’ hands before she could tear my arm off the socket and followed her into the crowded center.
We danced to one song which and eventually turned into three, the drinks starting to work their way through my system.
Her body was replaced by Mateo’s in a single blink, his presence crowding me in a away that felt secure, possessive, but so good.
It didn’t take long for Ronan to give in and join us, his tall figure cornering both me and Mateo in.
“Hi,” I said with a smile.
“I told you I wasn’t going to watch you with them,” he growled into my ear as he pulled me in closer, but Mateo just moved in with me.
“So, what are you going to do instead?” I baited him.
“Don’t tempt me, I have a right mind to fuck you in front of everyone here so that they know exactly who you belong to.” He squeezed my ass through my dress, a lightning storm beginning to brew at my core.
I gave him my best seductive glare, “You gonna keep holding that million over my head then?” I said, knowing damn well he didn’t have it in him to actually consider this a debt.
“Million and a half.” He grinned, “But no, baby, you belonged to me before I bought you,” he said, sliding his hand up my dress, the knowing smirk on his face once he realized I had no plans to interfere.
His eyes widened as his fingers pushed my panties to the side, dipping inside of me, feeling just how slick and ready I was at the mere feeling of their presence surrounding me.
It was overbearing, thought consuming, borderline despotic how unprepared I felt when they all directed their attention at me.
As if my thoughts had a tether, Santos’ eyes found me from across the room, he sat with his back towards the bar, his elbows resting on his knees as he watched the three of us.
“Is she wet?” Mateo asked with a deep, breathy voice.
“Isn’t she always?” Ronan smirked, less attitude than I expected to find in his tone.
Maybe I’d finally get what I wanted, perhaps they could actually share their toy for the night.
Mateo’s hand groped over my dress, cupping my breast firmly as he stood behind me, kissing my neck, neither one of them caring how many of their men could see.
The floor below us trembled, both the men preying over switching to high alert before I’d even blinked.
They’d been trained too well and knew it for what it was before my head had a chance to wrap around it.
The floor rumbled again, this time so strong that Ronan whistled, gesturing the DJ to cut the music off.
Smoke filled the air far too quickly, Mateo tightened his hold on me as Ronan yelled directions to every person around us.
“What’s happening?” I shouted.
Santos threw a bar stool against the floor-to-ceiling windows, only cracking the second story glass, demanding more of his strength to break through it.
Crows flocked in disarray, panicking, and running all around the room in search of an exit, but all of the entrances had been locked tightly, not allowing any of us to leave.
Smoke overwhelmed the room, every person coughing and choking, some collapsing onto the ground as the poison seeped into their lungs.
Glass spilled all over the floor, Black Crow soldiers clearing as much of the pointed shards off the windows as best as they could. The fresh air wouldn’t be enough to keep us safe now, we’d need to jump.
“Get her out of here!” Ronan yelled to Mateo while he gestured to an open window.
“No! Not without you!” I stood my ground, knowing he wouldn’t dare leave until all his people were safe, and possibly until he killed whoever was responsible.
I had a few guesses, but at this point, we’d conjured up such a mess, that it was impossible to know if this was someone here for me, for Santos, or if this was Bratva retaliation.
A gunshot flew past my head, the bullet shattering into a full liquor bottle on the bar shelf.
Ronan’s reflexes were on point, and he was immediately handling a Glock in each hand, firing back simultaneously at our attackers who hid behind the safety of innocent Black Crow Members.
People were taking too long to jump down, too afraid of getting hurt or of what may be waiting for them on the ground once they did.
They were starting to cram outside the window, afraid of the shooter, the toxic smoke that filled the air, and the uncertainty holding all our lives hostage at that moment.
Bodies began to push as people panicked and lost regard for the well-being of others.
Santos was still helping others get down, Ronan shooting into the air vigorously as he missed our attacker for the sake of not shooting down any helpless victims. Mateo kept his gun in hand as he held me against his body, and that’s when I noticed that the exit doors to the second floor began to swing open.