Chapter Twenty-Eight
KELSIE’S KNEES SLAMMED into the ground with a jarring crunch that sent pain ricocheting up her thighs.
A blur of furious men rushed past, crashing into Andrew and taking them both to the ground. Jinx was on her in a second. He’d never touched her before. Never crowded her. The big man always made sure he didn’t invade her space. Not today. He grabbed her arms and dragged her away from the violent grappling match for the gun.
His large hands on her had her insides churning once again.
It’s just Jinx.
He won’t hurt you.
He released her as soon as she was far enough away to avoid being struck by a rogue swinging leg. Air whooshed out of her lungs. The only hands she could tolerate without revulsion were Ty’s, and she didn’t envision that changing anytime soon.
“I’m sorry I’m all over you.” Jinx crouched down in front of her.
“It-it’s okay.” She craned her neck but couldn’t see around his huge body to check on Ty.
“Let me take a look at your face.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m okay. Go help Ty.”
Jinx reached for her face, but she swatted his hand away.
“Please. You can look at my face all you want later. Help Ty first.” Her entire face throbbed to the point she couldn’t distinguish where the injury originated. Her head pounded like a rock drummer had taken up residence in her skull, and her knees ached from where she’d hit the ground.
None of it mattered.
Only one thing caused her distress now—Ty’s safety.
“Jinx, go.”
“My man has it under contr—”
The pop of the pistol made Kelsie jolt as though she’d been the one to take a bullet. Her world crashed in on itself as she watched Ty’s hands slip to the ground.
“No!” she wailed. She flung herself toward him, but Jinx caught her before she could scramble across the floor. “Let me go,” she screamed. Blood pooled around Ty, spreading wider with each passing second. He lay beneath Andrew, immobile and silent.
Jinx’s hold was unbreakable, but she thrashed and flailed against him—anything to break free and get to Ty. Tears and air caught in her throat, making her choke as she tried to breathe. “Ty!”
Someone shouted something in the distance, but she couldn’t find it. Her brain didn’t register the usual discomfort at having a man touch her. All she cared about was getting to Ty.
“Kelsie!” Jinx barked. He used his mass and strength to restrain her, wrapping her in a bear hug. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
She struggled, wrenching right and left. One arm slipped from his hand and whacked him in the side of the head.
“Ow, fuck. Why are you so damn strong?”
“Please. Help him.”
“He’s okay, Kels,” Jinx spoke loud and against her ear. “Ty is okay. He wasn’t shot.”
“What?” She sagged, going completely limp in Jinx”s arms.
“Listen.”
“Kels?” Ty’s voice filled the lobby.
“Oh my God.” Shivers raced along her arms and legs. Every ounce of energy she possessed fled, leaving her weak and trembling in Jinx’s arms.
“Jinx, is she okay?”
“She’s all right, brother. Just in shock, I think.”
“Help me get this motherfucker off me. He’s heavy, and the gun is digging into my chest.”
Jinx loosened his arms, and Kelsie immediately slipped away. Her arms and legs felt as though they weighed two hundred pounds each, but she found the strength to crawl across the floor. When she reached Ty, she kneeled at his head.
“Baby,” he said with a mountain of relief in his hold.
“I’m sorry.” Sobs burst forth.
Jinx grabbed the back of Andrew’s shirt and hauled his body off Ty with the ease of lifting a child. Blood darkened the material of Ty’s once-gray shirt. Kelsie gasped at the sight.
“Not a drop of it is mine,” Ty said as he climbed to his knees. “Fucking swear it.”
The need to bury herself against his chest and block out the world clawed at her, but they were both filthy with blood and grime.
Then Ty cocked his head as he looked her up and down. He tipped her chin with the most gentle touch imaginable, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. “He fucking hurt you.” His jaw ticked. “I’d give my left nut to resurrect that asshole and kill him all over again. Hell is too good for him. He needed to suffer more on Earth.”
Shaking her head, she grabbed his hands. “No. All that matters is he’s gone. Forever.”
“Yep.” They swiveled their heads in Jinx’s direction in time to see him nudge Andrew’s body with his foot—hard. The body shifted and then flopped back on the ground. “This fucker ain’t going nowhere but six feet under.”
Kelsie blew out a breath as she closed her eyes or eye. One had swollen shut a while ago.
“Fuck it,” Ty muttered. He spread his legs and pulled her into his arms, blood be damned.
At that point, she couldn’t be bothered to care either. Finally, after what felt like hours of terror, she knew safety again. Nothing could hurt her in Ty’s arms. He’d saved her yet again.
The bell over the door jangled, and booted footsteps sounded on the floor. If she’d had the energy, she’d have stiffened back up with fear.
“Oh, come on,” Spec spoke with genuine distress. “I rush here for a nine-one-one call, and I don’t even get to kill anyone? Buncha horse shit.”
Jinx snorted. “Sorry, brother. You are here in time for cleanup, though.”
“But that’s the worst part. I fucking hate cleanup.” He was one octave away from whining. “That’s why we have prospects. I’m the subject matter expert, and they’re the grunts.”
Kelsie lifted her head from Ty’s shoulder to spear Spec with an incredulous stare. “The subject being killing?”
“Yes. That’s exactly… oh, shit, hon, your face.” Spec stuck his head back outside. “Pulse, get your ass in here. Kelsie needs you to put her face back together. What? Nah, these greedy fuckers had all the fun without us.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Ty muttered.
A strangled snicker bubbled its way out of her gut. Another followed, and within seconds, Kelsie was laughing against Ty’s chest. Next to being with Ty, it was the best feeling. Today had been in the top five worst days of her life, and because of Ty and his crazy family, she was laughing instead of breaking down.
He’d given her the incredible gifts of strength, care, and acceptance. At some point, the days’ events would worm their way under her skin and take up residence. That’s when she’d come apart at the seams, but there wasn’t a doubt in her mind Ty would be there to put her back together.
“Come on, baby,” Ty whispered. “Let’s get you patched up so we can get the hell out of here. I need to spend the next week locked in my bedroom with you.”
“Yeah,” she said on an exhale. “That sounds perfect.”
Five hours later, they stood under the warm spray in Ty’s glorious shower, cleaned of blood and unable to stop touching each other. After cleaning and inspecting her wound, Pulse had advised her to have it stitched by a surgeon in the ER instead of him. A hospital had been the last place she’d wanted to go, but no amount of begging swayed Pulse’s decision. He refused to be responsible for leaving a large scar in the middle of her face when he said a surgeon could achieve much better results.
The ER physician insisted on an IV as well to replace the fluids she lost while bleeding. They’d given both her and Ty scrubs to replace their bloody clothing, which she’d instead thrown away. A mountain of lies were told to the hospital staff, resulting in them agreeing not to call the police. She wasn’t even sure what had been said, but she didn’t care.
Ty cupped her chin and tilted her head, careful to keep her freshly stitched wound out of the direct spray. “Does it hurt?” he asked, running his thumb an inch below the laceration. The swelling had come down somewhat, thanks to multiple ice packs, but she still had an epic shiner and purple cheek, which the doctor said would be around for a few weeks.
Lovely.
“No. It’s still numb from when they sewed me up. I’m sure it’ll feel great later.” She let the sarcasm bleed into her voice.
“Let me know if you feel even a twinge of discomfort. Liv is picking up your pain medication at the pharmacy. She said she’d leave it on the stoop along with some dinner.”
Her heart swelled. His club was the damn best. “That’s nice of her.”
“You know, one part of me feels quite uncomfortable.” She pressed her hips forward, grinding against his thigh.
Ty chuckled. “Oh yeah?”
“Yep.” She tapped her lips. “Here too.”
“Well, I should do something about that.” Their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss.
She wanted to demand more, deeper and harder, but he wouldn’t give it to her. Not so close to her injury, and he’d be right. A hot and heavy make-out session would only end in extra soreness later.
Bummer.
“I meant it,” he said against her lips between kisses.
“What?” She could happily stay right there for the rest of her life.
“What I mouthed when Tinsley had you. It wasn’t the heat of the moment or a doomsday declaration.” He released her chin and stroked his fingers across her collarbone, then down to her breasts, where he stroked his thumbs over her puckered nipples.
She arched into his touch with a whimper. “You did?”
“Yeah, Kelsie, I did. I love you.”
A delicious warmth expanded through her chest. This would go down in history as the best moment of her life. Cocooned by the warmth of the falling water, drunk on Ty’s seductive touch, and hearing the three words she’d always longed to hear from the man who was her whole world.
“I LOVE YOU too.”
The words made his chest puff and his dick twitch.
“I’m old and cynical. I have scars inside and out. You could choose better, easier men than me.”
She wrapped her soft hand around his cock and stroked it while giving him a blinding smile. “No, I couldn’t.”
Christ, it felt so fucking good. He thrust into her fist, needing the exact pressure she provided. “Baby…” Thinking became nearly impossible when he had her hands on him.
“Ty, I don’t want any other man. I can barely tolerate being near them. Yes, there’s a large age difference, and we’ve led very different lives, but none of it matters to me. Not only do I not want another man, but I also can’t choose one.” She took his hand and placed it over her heart. “You’re in here, and I don’t let that happen. Ever. You’re trapped in there now.”
“I won’t ever leave.” He fought to keep his eyes from rolling back as Kelsie continued to jack him off. “But it is time for me to get inside you somewhere else.” He grabbed her ass and lifted her into his arms. She laughed as he pressed her back to the shower wall, careful to block the spray.
“That was super corny, old man.”
Her legs went around his waist, and she tugged his hips to her.
“I am you’re ol’ man. And you’re my ol’ lady,” he said as he thrust into her with one smooth punch of his hips.
“Yesss.” She arched into him, taking him with ease.
“Fuck.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Every time, I feel like I’m going to lose it within three seconds of getting inside you. I’m like a fucking teenager again.”
“See, you are young.”
Chuckling, he squeezed her cheeks. “Smart-ass.”
Kelsie giggled. God, what a sound. The fact that she could do so after all she’d been through today and over the past few months was a testament to her strength and resilience.
His woman was nothing short of incredible.
“Ty?” she whispered as he held himself as deep as possible inside her blistering pussy.
He cocked his head.
“I’m sorry I pushed you away this morning. If I hadn’t been so stupid and hardheaded—”
He kissed the rest of the apology off her lips. “I shouldn’t have pushed.”
“No.” She shook her head. “You were perfect, and I was all up in my head.”
“Baby, if there is one thing you’ll find out about me very quickly, it’s that I’m far from perfect. Your apology is not necessary. We still have a lot to discover about each other and how to navigate life together. We’ll learn more every day.”
“I can’t wait.” She played with the wet hair at the base of his neck.
He kissed her again, tasting his future on her lips. “Me either.”
Without pulling out, he shut off the water and carried her out of the shower. They both laughed as they dripped a trail of water to his bed. He laid her down in the center of his mattress. The bedding would dry them, and he didn’t give a fuck about soaking it.
Kelsie lifted her hips to take him deeper as he set a slow, sensual pace. Their eyes locked, and he swore he could feel her heart beating inside his own chest. He could have lost her today.
“You’re mine,” he whispered as he thrust.
Kelsie’s back arched off the bed. “Always.” She was never more gorgeous than when she lost herself in pleasure as she took his cock.
Ty could feel the page turning on a new chapter in his life. With his family and Kelsie at his side, he couldn’t wait to dive in.