Chapter 24 #2
“I’m driving you both home,” he announced firmly. “Justice, leave your car here tonight. I’ll bring you back in the morning. You’ve been through enough.”
Justice’s lips parted as if to protest, but exhaustion seemed to sweep over her suddenly. Her shoulders sagged, and she nodded wearily, surrendering without argument. Tyler reached for her hand, his fingers threading naturally through hers.
He held his breath for a second, wondering if she’d pull away, but instead, she tightened her grip. Her mouth curved into a small, tired smile as she lifted her face toward his, their gazes connecting warmly beneath the gentle glow of streetlights.
The drive home was quiet, the silence comfortable rather than strained.
Tyler had always been the kind of man who appreciated quiet reflection, and tonight’s circumstances certainly lent themselves to introspection.
In the back seat, Jack was quiet as well, likely wrestling with the unsettling possibility that his own brother, in a moment of bitter resentment, had targeted Jack’s livelihood.
Tyler glanced to his side, his gaze softening when he took in Justice’s profile.
Her eyes were gently closed, her head resting against the seat, her expression etched with exhaustion.
Dark smudges marred the delicate skin beneath her eyes, and lines of tension drew tight around her mouth.
It pained him to see her so completely drained.
Years of dangerous missions had taught Tyler firsthand about the fierce surge of adrenaline and the harsh toll it could take when it finally subsided.
He remembered seeing Justice earlier, her hair damp, the fresh scent of her skin hinting at a restful, indulgent evening planned and abruptly taken from her.
The interruption bothered him deeply, and a protective ache tightened his chest.
Pulling into their driveway, Tyler parked smoothly, exited the vehicle, and walked around to Justice’s side.
Jack had already stepped out, offering a small nod of gratitude to Tyler.
Opening Justice’s door, Tyler extended his hand to her, a quiet warmth spreading through him when she slipped her fingers trustingly into his grasp and stepped down.
Together, the three of them moved toward the house, each bearing their own quiet weight of the night’s events.
Once inside, Jack turned to Tyler, extending a firm, heartfelt handshake.
“Thanks for the ride tonight, Tyler,” Jack began earnestly.
“For getting me to the shop, and for being more than just a neighbor—truly standing by us. Having Lighthouse Security step in was above and beyond. I appreciate it more deeply than I can express.”
Then, with a tenderness that touched Tyler’s heart, Jack enveloped Justice in a warm embrace, murmuring gently yet gruffly, “I’m going upstairs to bed, sweetheart.
I’m tired but fine. This whole mess is just surface damage and can be fixed.
The important thing is nobody was hurt. Let’s leave this in the hands of the law and Logan’s people.
” He pressed a gentle kiss to Justice’s cheek. “See you in the morning.”
Jack turned toward the stairs, his steps measured and careful but steady, evidence of recent health challenges yet also a testament to the quiet strength he carried. Tyler watched him ascend, respecting the older man’s resolve and resilience.
Uncertain if Justice would want him to stay or give her space, Tyler waited. But as he was quickly learning, Justice didn’t leave him to wonder. She raised her eyes to his, her gaze searching and vulnerable. “Can you stay with me for a while?”
His lips curved softly, warmth blooming in his chest. “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Sitting together on the couch, he prepared himself to offer whatever she might need—peaceful silence or comforting words.
But Justice surprised him by shifting quickly onto his lap, her hands capturing his face, her lips pressing fervently against his in a kiss that was raw, desperate, and achingly real.
He knew instinctively that part of her passion was driven by the shock and stress of the evening, but his response was equally fierce and heartfelt.
Falling sideways onto the couch, he pulled her close, bodies pressed flush together, legs intertwined, holding her tightly in his embrace as if she was everything precious he’d ever wanted to protect.
They had shared heated kisses before, but nothing like this.
This was a collision of need, hunger, and unspoken emotion.
She ground her hips against him, and he hissed at the friction as his body hardened painfully fast. His hands slipped beneath her shirt, fingers gliding along her rib cage before finding her breasts, kneading them gently, feeling the hardened peaks through the thin fabric.
He craved more. Wanted skin against skin, tangled limbs, and whispered names.
Before he could act, she slid downward, deftly unzipping his jeans and freeing him. His cock jutted out, aching, throbbing, and when she took him into her warm mouth, he nearly lost all sense of himself.
His head fell back against the couch, a groan rumbling from his chest as her tongue flicked and swirled, one hand cupping his balls while the other wrapped around the base of his shaft.
His fingers threaded through her silky hair, massaging her scalp as she worked him skillfully, her pace both tender and demanding.
For one heart-stopping moment, he feared she was acting out of desperation, seeking escape through sensation alone. But then her steady, burning gaze lifted to his, and every doubt vanished.
“Sweetheart,” he rasped, his voice fraying at the edges. “I’m close—”
She simply grinned around him and kept going, determined to push him over the edge.
When he came, it was with a stifled groan, his entire body tightening as pleasure rocked through him. She swallowed him down, taking every drop, and when she finally released him, she crawled back up his body, her lips glistening and her smile mischievous.
“Christ Almighty, Justice,” he barely managed to say since his breath hadn’t returned to normal. His hands smoothed over her back, pulling her against him. He could have stayed like that forever, sated and blissfully wrecked. But he wasn’t about to leave her wanting.
With a growl of intent, he flipped her onto her back, settling between her legs. In a swift, fumbling motion, he pushed her jeans down, freeing one leg enough to give him access. Pushing the denim aside, he feasted his gaze on her.
He didn’t hesitate. He lowered his head and licked a stripe along her center, savoring her taste like a starving man finding salvation. Her hips arched off the couch, a whimper spilling from her lips, her fingers tangling in his hair.
He watched her face the way she’d watched his, every gasp and moan another piece of her laid bare for him.
When her body tightened, trembling on the brink, she clapped her hand over her mouth to hold in her cry.
He held her through it, savoring the way she shattered against him.
After kissing his way back up her body, he gathered her close, both of them a tangle of limbs, half dressed and utterly undone.
“Fucking amazing,” he managed, his voice rough with emotion.
“Uh-huh,” she breathed, her smile lazy and content.
They both chuckled, the sound light and free.
“I haven’t made out on someone’s couch while their dad was upstairs since high school,” Tyler said.
Justice laughed softly, her hand tracing lazy patterns over his back. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done something like this too.”
“Next time,” he murmured against her hair, “we’re making it to my house.”
She grew quiet, and Tyler lifted enough to peer down into her face, catching an expression he couldn’t immediately define. Knowing she would always be honest with him, he asked softly, “Is that not what you want?”
Her hands clutched his shoulders, then slid tenderly to his neck and jaw, anchoring him. She kissed him lightly, a brush of lips that spoke volumes. “You think we might make it to your house sometime?”
He chuckled low in his chest, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “Absolutely.”
She hesitated, vulnerability shimmering in her eyes. “I thought maybe this was just... a stress reliever from this evening.”
Seeing the depth of her fear, Tyler kissed her again, slow and deliberate, trying to pour all his truth into the connection. “Oh no, sweetheart. I don’t know exactly what we’re starting, but we are starting something. And I plan on building it, growing it, and seeing everything we can become.”
Her smile widened, and at that moment, Tyler swore he had never seen anything more beautiful. She shone like a beacon in the darkness, her light pulling him closer.
“That sounds perfect,” she whispered, nodding against him.
“Yeah, it does,” he agreed, his voice rough with feeling.
For the next half hour, they lay tangled together, kissing and making out like teenagers, their laughter and soft murmurs blending into the night air. When they finally righted their clothes and she walked him to the door, Tyler kissed her deeply, needing one last taste of her before he left.
“Sleep tight,” he murmured, brushing a final kiss against her forehead. “I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
Driving the short distance to his house, Tyler entered with a smile still curving his lips. And as he glanced up at the dark ceiling, he could almost swear he felt Gramps grinning down at him again.