Chapter 24 Hope
HOPE
There’s an aroma in the air of cinnamon, burnt toast, and impending violence, which can only mean one thing… Amy is awake. Sure enough, when I shuffle into the kitchen, I find Amy standing on the counter, swinging a tangled strand of Christmas lights over her head like a lasso.
Chaos is below her, arms up as if he’s warding off a nuclear attack. “Amy, put it down!”
“No!” she screeches. “It’s mocking me!”
“It’s a string of lights!”
“It’s mocking me, Chaos!”
I lean against the doorway. “Morning.”
Chaos whips around, frantic. “Hope, please… Help me. Your friend is unstable.”
Amy growls like a feral raccoon. “No one asked you!”
Chaos looks near tears. “Eagle! Paige! Anybody!”
Paige walks by, eating cereal, barely glancing up. “Figure it out.”
Chaos looks betrayed. I set my coffee down and walk calmly toward Amy, who is now trying to strangle the strand of lights. “Sweetie,” I say gently. “Did you eat breakfast?”
“No.”
“Are you homicidal?”
“Yes.”
“Then come down. We’ll get food first, then you can resume your war crimes.”
Chaos mouths ‘thank you’ like I just saved his life.
Amy jumps to the floor and hands me the lights, muttering, “I swear these bastards multiply overnight.”
Chaos dramatically collapses into a chair. “Your friend is terrifying.”
“She’s not terrifying,” I say.
Glitch chuckles. “I think she’s pretty fucking awesome.”
“She threatened to stab me with a peppermint stick.”
Glitch waves him off. “That was yesterday.”
“What does that change?!”
Before I can answer, the rumble of engines echoes through the clubhouse. My heart leaps into my throat.
He’s back.
I instinctively smooth my hair, and Amy notices and smirks. “Oooh, someone’s excited.”
“I’m not excited,” I lie instantly.
“You’re glowing,” she teases.
Chaos squints at me. “Oh my God, she is. Is that what love looks like? It’s horrifying.”
Glitch smacks the back of his head. “Knock it off, or I’m gonna let Amy make good on her promise of stabbing you.”
Amy beams. I shove past them as the engines die down. My pulse thunders, and I swear my hands are shaking. It’s only been two days, but it feels longer.
Paige appears at my side. “Don’t worry, he missed you.”
I bite my lip. “I missed him, too.”
We walk outside to greet them. Frost has dust on his boots, and his hair is mussed from the ride. His eyes scan the small crowd until they land on me.
Time freezes, and at this moment, it’s just him and me.
No one else exists. Frost’s nostrils flare as he charges forward.
Not waiting for him to reach me, I run to meet him halfway and jump into his waiting arms. Lifting me clean off the ground, he buries his face in my neck.
I wrap my legs around his waist without thinking, fingers gripping the back of his neck like I’ll die if I let go.
He smells like exhaust, leather, and home.
Home. That sounds wonderful.
“Hi, darlin’,” he murmurs, his voice rough.
I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Hi.”
Frost pulls back just enough to see my face, his hands cupping my ass. “Missed you.”
I laugh softly. “You texted me thirty minutes before you got here.”
“Didn’t help.”
Amy clears her throat loudly to indicate everyone’s still watching us, but we ignore her.
Chaos hisses, “I think they’re gonna kiss.”
Amy elbows him. “No shit, Sherlock.”
Frost leans in slowly, giving me time to back away if I want to.
I won’t. I need this as much as he does.
Our lips meet, softly at first, then the kiss deepens as our tongues touch.
Heat rushes through me, sending a pulsating need straight to my core.
When we finally break apart, both of us are breathing hard.
He sets me back on my feet as applause erupts around us. I flip them all off.
Chaos wipes a fake tear. “They grow up so fast.”
Amy gags while Paige beams like a proud mom.
Frost rests his forehead against mine. “You, good?”
“I am now.”
“What do you got in your hair?” He gently pulls something out of my hair and examines it.
Shit.
“Is this tinsel?” he asks, perplexed.
I ignore his question and tug on his hand. “Come inside. You gotta be hungry.”
Frost’s brows narrow thoughtfully. “Lead the way.”
“What about me?” Colt hollers. “Am I chopped liver now?”
Glitch roars. “Your feelings hurt, pretty boy?”
“Fuck you, Glitch.” Colt stomps ahead of us, halting in his tracks just inside the door.
I nudge him out of the way, dragging Frost inside. He jerks back, and for a moment, I feel like I may have overstepped. The newly decorated common room is covered in twinkling lights, garlands, stockings, and a towering Christmas tree. Everyone is gathered around the tree, including my parents.
“SURPRISE!” everyone yells in unison.
His voice is barely a whisper. “Hope… It looks like how Mom wou” His voice trails off.
I squeeze his hand. “It’s for all of you, but especially for you. Even though she’s gone, she’ll still live on in your hearts. This is my way of honoring her memory for you.”
Frost’s eyes shine with unguarded gratitude. “Thank you for this, for giving me another chance… For everything.”
I squeeze him tight. “Welcome home, Frost.”