Chapter 33 Reed
REED
I shoved Jack ahead of me, enjoying the way he stumbled but couldn’t catch himself more than I should.
Payton walked ahead of me with Mav and Tarron.
They guided her into the front seat, then rounded to the back, giving me a nod as Tarron opened the back door closest to me and Jack.
“We’ll ride in the back with him.” Mav’s grin had a malicious edge. “You’re going to hate prison.”
Jack twisted and tried to wrench free of my grip on the back of his collar.
I growled and yanked him back, causing him to choke and splutter.
A savage twist of laughter rolled out. I threw him into the car once Mav had slid into the seat and could make sure he stayed put.
It wasn’t an ideal setup, but no way we’d leave the guy here when the police station down the street would be more than happy to take him off our hands.
I climbed behind the wheel and the five of us headed out.
Every time Jack tried to speak, Tarron waved a rag in his face, the warning of being gagged causing Jack’s shoulders to tense.
Payton scrambled from the car as soon as we pulled up at the police station. “I’ll let them know we’re here.”
I didn’t blame her for bolting.
Being in the same car with Jack was a unique form of punishment that had kept us all tense and silent.
Tarron and Mav split up, with Mav going with Payton and Tarron staying behind with me.
I took hold of Jack, using his shirt as a steering mechanism. “I can handle him. You should stay with Payton.”
“We’re not taking any chances. Once he’s behind bars, we can breathe easy. Until then, it’s just another mission.” Tarron gave me a look. “I know you can handle him. I’m more concerned he’ll say some bullshit that pushes you over the edge and you kill him on the police station steps.”
“I’m not that careless.” Laughing came easier as we climbed the concrete steps. “If I were going to kill him, I’d make sure no one ever found the body.”
Jack tensed beneath my hand and tried to make a break to the left.
I jammed my toe into the back of his knee, causing his leg to collapse.
“Take it easy, Jackie boy. You’re not going anywhere except in a dark hole where you belong.” Tarron opened the door, and a rush of cool air dried the perspiration on my forehead.
Five officers waited for us, each one taking in the situation with awed looks.
“Holy hell.” One stepped forward. “I thought for sure you were lying through your teeth, but that’s him. That’s really him.”
Mav’s expression held steady.
“You should have a few warrants for him already. You can add illegal arms dealing, kidnapping, and attempted murder to the list. We’ll provide statements to back up all those claims.”
“All right, show’s over.” A tall man with a handlebar mustache stepped out of the back office. “Officer Donnigan, take Mr. Wilson into holding.”
He turned to face us. “I’m Sergeant Booth. I’m in charge of the case against Jack Wilson.”
He looked us over, grinning a bit when I refused to release Jack until two other men closed in around him. “We’ll take good care of him. Don’t you worry.”
The way he said it, the coldness in his eyes when he looked at Jack, was the only reason I managed to let go and allow them to take Jack out of sight.
The instant the weight of watching over Jack left me, I hurried to Payton’s side and rested a hand on her shoulder.
She patted my arm, then rested her cheek against my knuckles.
The worry that had clamped down on me took flight.
Whatever we faced going forward, we would do it with all four of us together.
“This way.” Sergeant Booth strode ahead of us, ducking through a wooden door and leading the way to a large conference room.
Leather seats sat around a circular table.
He took one and indicated we should take the others with a wave of one hand. “I’d normally separate you all out and take individual statements, but your reputations precede you.”
“Good, because there’s no way in hell we’re leaving Payton alone after what she endured.” I gave him a cold stare. “Not even in your police station.”
“Understood.” He withdrew a phone from his side pocket and showed us the screen. “I need to record your statements. You will also need to write them out and sign them.”
I’d been through this process before.
Payton stared at the wall with a wide-eyed kind of shock that rippled through all of us.
We scooted our chairs closer, surrounding her.
Each of us found a spot to touch her.
A hand on her thigh. Another on her shoulder. I stroked her back in slow, steady motions.
My attention needed to be on giving a fair and accurate statement, but all I wanted was to get Payton out of here.
After the shock of realizing we were alive wore off, she’d turned quiet.
I wasn’t used to a quiet Payton.
It worried me.
I’d be damned if I was going to let her out of my sight.
Mav squeezed Payton’s leg, and she covered his hand with hers, doing the same with Tarron.
We couldn’t seem to stop touching each other. Touching her reassured me that it was real. We’d saved her in time.
By the time we finished our statements and the sergeant released us, my throat ached from talking so much, and my fingertips tingled from stroking the rough fabric of Payton’s shirt over and over again.
“I’m driving this time.” Tarron held out his hand for the keys, and I handed them over without argument.
Payton hugged her arms over her ribs and shivered. “I’m glad that’s over.”
“Me too.” I gave her shoulder a squeeze. She’d lost weight since we saw her at the cabin.
I’d noticed it earlier, but it became more with her arms crossed like that. I narrowed my eyes, raking a look over her entire body.
Even disheveled and recently kidnapped, she was gorgeous.
“What can we do?” I ran a hand through her hair.
She closed her eyes and sighed. “Take me somewhere safe.”
“On it.” Tarron jingled the keys, and we climbed into the car.
An hour later, we pulled up outside our penthouse apartment.
The doorman raised a brow at the beat-up monstrosity of a car, but he didn’t say a word once he recognized the three of us.
Payton’s steps faltered as she craned her neck to look up at the building. “You live here?”
“Yes.” Mav nodded at the doorman, and he and Tarron bookended Payton.
I took up the rear. Jack was no longer a threat, and the sergeant reassured us they’d picked up the rest of Jack’s lackeys at the abandoned apartments.
Still.
We couldn’t turn off the need to protect her.
“This way.” Tarron took Payton’s hand and led her to the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed around us, the tension turned from protective to relaxed.
We all took big breaths and let them out.
Payton glanced at all of us, her lips twitching in a slight smile. “Guess we’re all glad that’s over.” She rubbed her cheek over her shoulder and frowned. “Ugh, I smell like a sewer.”
“That might be me.” I raised my hand in a partial wave. “Pretty sure I stepped in something on the way out of the building.”
Payton laughed.
Not the polite laughter of someone giving attention, but a genuine laugh that transformed her face into a brilliant smile.
She leaned into Tarron’s chest, her locked arms relaxing while her laughter built and built.
The release of fear and tension brought an edge of hysteria to her laughter, and she swiped at her eyes when tears began to fall.
“I’m okay.” She met my eyes and sniffled. “I thought I was going to die.” Her chin quivered, but she straightened her shoulders. “I’m not going to let him steal one more second of my thoughts.”
“Agreed.” The doors opened, and Mav stepped aside to let Payton go ahead of him. “You don’t stink.”
He grinned at her with a little bit of a puppy dog look in his eyes. “But if you want to shower, the best bathroom is through there.”
“Best bathroom? How many do you have?”
She rose onto her tiptoes and looked around the expansive living room/kitchen area.
The open floor plan gave her a view of the entire living area, including the open bedroom doors on the other side of a wall of windows overlooking Central Park.
“Four,” I answered her and held out a hand. “Want a quick tour?”
“Please.” She took my hand, grinning when I reeled her slowly into my chest. “What are you doing?”
“Holding you.” I settled my hands on her hips and brushed my lips over hers. “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She breathed the words with a slow exhale. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
Never again.
I skimmed her lips again, then enjoyed a longer, deeper kiss that left us both breathless.
“I thought you were giving her a tour? A tour of what, your mouth?” Tarron barked out a dry laugh when I flipped him off.
Payton snorted and turned to Tarron. “Are you jealous?”
“Never. Just waiting my turn.” He dipped his head for a taste of her lips.
“Shower or bath?” I headed toward my bedroom, which really did have the best bathroom in the apartment. “I have one of those rainshower heads, too. And a giant clawfoot tub.”
“Big enough for all of us?” Payton had her arms around Tarron’s neck, and her cheek pressed to his chest. She bit her lower lip and peeked at Mav through her lashes. “Are you…are you well enough for that?”
“Hell yes.” Mav toed off his boots and removed the outer layer of gear. “Reed, I think the tub would be best today.”
“On it.” I took my time, walking backward to watch Tarron and Mav spend a few minutes alone with Payton.
My adrenaline hadn’t quite crashed yet, and the thought of spending time in the tub with Payton brought a new rush of euphoria.
I tossed aside my clothes on my way to the bathroom, leaving a trail to clean up later.
Mingled laughter rode the air behind me, followed by the soft thud of footsteps and clothing falling.
I’d designed my bathroom, and the black and chrome bathtub was a special order that took up a quarter of the space.
I twisted the knobs until I had the temperature perfect and sat on the edge, waiting for Payton.
Her leggy stride caused her hips to sway when she sauntered in, naked, with desire flushing her skin.
She barely paused to look at the room, walking right into my arms and looping hers around my neck.
I took a taut nipple into my mouth and kneaded her ass until she moaned.
We needed this.
Seeing and touching each other was one thing, but this…this brought peace and closure we all craved.
Payton shifted her legs so she straddled my lap.
My cock stretched long and thick, my desire for her throbbing with every heartbeat.
She held me with one hand and guided my cock into her pussy. “I need this. We’ll get in the tub in a minute. I just…” she trailed off as my cock filled her. “Fuck, yes. I need this so damned much.”
Her toes rested on the floor, barely giving her any leverage to move.
I sucked harder on her nipple and slid a hand between us, finding her clit and grinding my knuckle into the soft flesh.
She screamed her pleasure into the room. “Harder. Fuck me hard, Reed.”