Chapter 19
Xander never doubted his crew would be there on the other side.
He knew they”d get out eventually.
But knowing Val was here too? That she”d been working for the past hour to help free him and Jesse? His respect—and something else that he didn’t know how to define—grew.
And his need to kiss her, to claim her again, was hitting him hard and fast. Nothing like a hunting trip to get his libido going. But this was Jesse and Val. And his instinct told him this was so far beyond fucking. It already was. He’d almost kissed the two of them now that they were free of the tunnel.
But as he watched Jesse whisper in Val’s ear, he remembered the injury. Jesse’s arm. Shit.
“Someone’s gotta take care of Jesse’s arm,” Xander stated. “He was hit.”
“I told you, the bullet grazed me, that’s all.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Let’s get you guys out of here and back to your place,” Dante replied.
“I can do what’s needed,” Val offered, her voice confident and strong. “I’m not a nurse or anything, but I can probably stitch his arm up if need be.”
“Are you sure?” Gage asked.
“I can walk her through it,” Jesse added.
“You sure you don’t need a hospital?” Gage asked.
Jesse nodded.
Gage sighed. “Vanier, if the crew are done loading up, get an ATV and get these three back to Jesse’s now. We’ve got half the crew on watch for the next while and unless the rest of Krypt is on their way, which I doubt, it’s time to rest up. Meeting at the clubhouse at 10 tomorrow.”
Jesse and Xander nodded. Val put her arm around Jesse’s waist as they walked out of the bunker, Xander on his other side.
Five minutes later, they were sitting in the ATV, headed back to Jesse’s.
Xander was exhausted, but so fucking relieved. Vanier dropped the three of them off and they stumbled into the house.
“First things first,” Jesse said as they entered the foyer. “I’m gonna hit the shower, clean off, and then we can deal with my arm.”
Jesse took off for the bathroom and Val followed, along with Xander.
“I think I can manage on my own,” Jesse announced.
Val shook her head and kept walking, stalking past Jesse, turning on the shower.
“We’re all going to get clean given that dusty tunnel and then Xander and I will get to work. Now stop talking. We’re wasting time and you’re losing blood,” She replied as she pointed to his shirtsleeve, which yes, was oozing blood.
Jesse looked at Xander and he didn’t hold back a smile. “She’s hot when she takes charge.”
Jesse shook his head. Val stripped down, Xander did the same, and they both helped Jesse get his clothes off, being mindful of his arm.
Jesse glanced down. “I told you, it’s just a graze that must’ve nicked a vein. That’s why all the blood.”
Shower time wasn’t sexy, but being naked with these two still had Xander’s cock hard and aching. Just watching Jesse and Val, together, was enough to have him ready to wreck that fucking bed again. All goddamn night.
Val steered Jesse out of the shower and began to dry him off. Xander reached for a second towel and joined in.
“Fuck, I could get used to this kind of attention,” Jesse moaned.
“Where’s your medical kit?” Xander asked, ignoring Jesse’s comment.
“By the front door.”
Xander headed off to grab the kit, while Val helped Jesse into the bedroom.
When Xander returned, Jesse was lying down on the bed and Val was inspecting the wound.
“All you have to do is disinfect the area and apply the numbing cream. Leave for five. Then grab that needle and the thread and sew me up.”
“I think it only needs two or three stiches,” Val replied. “But it’s still bleeding quite heavily.”
“Like I said, the bullet nicked a vein. It’s fine. I’ve lost a hell of a lot more blood than this. I just need a lie down for a bit.”
Xander pulled out the alcohol, sterilized the needle and passed it to Val, along with the thread. Then he applied the numbing cream to Jesse’s arm.
“Two nurses. How lucky am I?” Jessie replied, his brown eyes bright. “You don’t even need the sexy uniform.”
“Now, you”re flirting?” Xander commented.
Jesse shrugged. “If not now, when? Getting shot at and nearly buried in a tunnel makes you realize a lot of shit.”
“Like?” Xander asked.
Jesse didn’t reply, he was holding back. But why?
“Do you want a drink before I do this?” Val asked.
Jesse shook his head. “Nope, I’m good.”
Xander watched as Val began to stitch the wound. Jesse bit his lower lip, but he didn’t cry out or anything. Val’s hand was steady as she worked, and Xander was fucking proud for some weird reason. He was feeling all kinds of shit he shouldn’t be feeling. Stuff he’d never felt before. For anyone.
“Three stitches and we’re good,” Val whispered.
Jesse looked down and nodded. “Nice work. You wanna side gig as my medical backup?”
“I might be interested,” she replied.
Then Val smiled, leaned over and kissed Jesse, then she stood up and did the same with Xander.
“How about I rummage through the fridge and get us something to eat?” she asked. “You two stay here and rest.”
Val reached for the medical kit and put everything back, then headed out to the kitchen.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Xander replied and stretched out beside Jesse.
When Jesse turned his head, Xander couldn’t resist those full lips. The kiss was languid, just as heady as Val’s. Xander couldn’t help the groan that erupted out of his throat.
“This is fucking dangerous,” Jesse whispered when they finally came up for air.
“No kidding. Now that Dante knows, everyone knows.”
“Val hasn’t run screaming from us yet. What’s up with that? You think she’s in shock or something?”
“No, I think she loves a bad boy,” Xander quipped. “Or, two of them.”
“Loves?”
“I mean, likes. Wants. Not love. Fuck, no. Not that,” Xander mumbled.
Shit, he was so far from his usual, smooth moves. And he never lost his cool. Not over a woman or a man. No one rattled him. Or meant anything more than a release. Not until…
Jesse laughed and Xander shook his head.
“Don’t try to tell me you don’t like her, I can see it in those blue eyes of yours,” Jesse teased. “And guess what?”
“What?” Xander bit out, ignoring the temptation of Jesse’s lips and staring into his eyes.
“I don’t know what the fuck the three of us are, but I like it. Her. You. Us. A lot. And I don’t wanna stop.”
“You sure a bullet didn’t graze your head and not just your arm?” Xander snarked.
Jesse’s eyes went from amused to downright lethal. He rolled over, onto his good arm, and Xander mirrored him. Cock to cock, face to face, lips brushing each other.
“You can joke all you want, Xan, but chemistry doesn’t lie. Neither do you. I know you. All this aggression between us, the flirting, the sniping? It could only end up here. Go on,” Jesse urged. “Tell me you aren’t feeling it too? I dare you.”
Xander shook his head. He detested lying and liars. Besides, why bother pretending he didn’t want Jesse and Val? Jesse was right. They’d ended up here.
But he was pretty sure he could fuck this thing out of his system and move on. Like he always did. It had to be that way, right? Because, the three of them, together, for more than just fucking, was crazy.
Or could it be the best fucking thing he’d ever known?
“Know-it-all,” Xander muttered, and Jesse let out a chuckle.
Val returned to the bedroom with a tray loaded up with cheese, crackers, pickles, and fruit.
“Is there room for one more?” she asked.
“Always,” Xander replied and then realized what he’d said. “I mean, yes.”
He ignored Jesse’s stare and took the tray from Val while she got up on the other side of the bed, next to Jesse.
“What happens now?” Val asked as she offered Jesse a piece of cheese.
“Now, we finish what we started,” Xander replied in between mouthfuls of food. “The rest of the Krypt will be on the run. But we don’t wanna take chances. If anyone talks?—”
Xander’s phone buzzed, and he got off the bed and reached for his jeans. It was a security alert from Wyatt.
Wyatt: Remember that car from Mosley? It’s been spotted again, but this time, driving down our road. Look at camera five.
There were more than fifty cameras to monitor the comings and goings of the club property, but Xander tapped on the feed for camera five to see what Wyatt was referencing and, sure enough, there was the car.
“Fuck, it’s not one thing, it’s another.”
“What’s going on?” Jesse asked. “Are there more Krypt crew on the attack?”
“No,” Xander shook his head. “Someone from Val’s hometown knows she’s here.”
“You mean, in Longford?” Val replied. “We already knew that.”
“No, I mean here. Just outside the compound. They’re on our road, probably staking us out.”
Xander: Keep monitoring. I’m gonna check our security updates. If needed, we confront. Tell Gage and get prepped just in case.
Wyatt: Done
Xander slipped on his jeans. “I gotta go back to the clubhouse and check our perimeter security. We opened it up to lure the Krypt but I wanna be sure it’s locked up tight again. And to get ready in case we need to confront whoever it is that’s after Val.”
“You want me to come with?” Jesse asked.
Xander shook his head. “No, rest up. I’ve got Wyatt and can call in a prospect if needed. Keep my spot warm.”
Then he leaned over and kissed Val, then Jesse.
Fuck, he didn’t want to go. All his stress demanded his favorite outlet, sex, and watching Jesse and Val together, in bed, only made it that much harder to leave.
But his only priority was the safety of Val and Jesse. The entire Hellion Hellraiser crew, of course.
And fuck, he’d already started thinking of Val as one of their own.