A Thorn Scorned

chapter 24

Waking up with dried cum between your legs is not fun, but the delicious ache between my thighs reminds me that all the tension with the guys and I have been cleared up. I keep replaying the events of last night while I shower... alone.

"Your grandfather just called," Nate murmurs as he leans against the bathroom counter. His eyes raking over my body as hot as his hands were last night and I shiver despite the hot water cascading down my body. He kept his word and worshipped my body like I was his queen. I bite my lip as I rinse off and shut the water off and step out of the shower. "Everything squared away then?" I ask, taking the towel from his outreached arm and drying myself off. Nate nods and I take in the marks I left on his body that's exposed by the collar of his black button down shirt with a grin. "I like this," I reach up and run my fingers over a love bite on his neck, goosebumps forming under my touch.

"You should, kitten, because I love leaving my mark on this sexy pale skin of yours," he pulls me into his arms and my hands snake around his neck into the short dark strands at the nape of his neck, bringing his face closer to mine. "Are you sure about this?" Nate asks, his eyes searching mine for any trace of doubt. Only when I reach up and peck his lips does he relax and buries his fingers in my hair to kiss me deeper. My towel slips on the floor as our kiss grows deeper and it's only when the impatient knocking on the door pulls us apart before Killian opens the door with an arched brow, "Really? You fucked her all night long and now you want morning dibs?"

"Don't be an asshole, Killer," I groan, stepping out of Nate's arms and into his. "I promise you can fuck me unconscious after we take care of this shit," he sighs when I pull him down to kiss him, his tattooed arms snaking around my waist to pull me into him, no doubt so that I could feel the hardness in the black jeans he's wearing. "Enough. Go get dressed before we decide to tie you to the bed for real this time," Killian growls against my lips and slaps my ass. I moan and dart out of the way of the hungry looks on both guys' faces.

Deciding on a Rolling Stones graphic T-shirt, black leggings, a denim jacket and my doc martens, I decided on no makeup and by the time I walked into the kitchen there were bagels and coffee waiting. "It's not much, but we're on a time crunch," Nate said, handing me a cup of coffee. Stealing a bagel, I grab my bag from Killian who looks better despite how fucked his ribs must be and his face has taken on a yellowish hue. We walk out towards Killian's jeep and Nate hold the door open for me and I turn and kiss him. "I'll be in Philly by the morning. I'm assuming you're stopping by Luca's?"

His dark hair flies into his face as a gust of wind passes by and he tucks my own behind my ears. "Yes, hopefully the little shit hasn't overworked himself." His jerks his head towards his second. "Give this one some meds and send him to bed, yeah?" The tattooed blond flips off his best friend as he slides into the driver's seat. "Fuck off and I took some ibuprofen so I'll be good for right now. Let's move, baby girl."

After one last kiss, the jeep heads down the woodsy roads and back into the city. It took us a solid hour to make it back to my grandfather's estate and the place is crawling with reporters and police cars, all anxiously awaiting the return of Alex Carson. "Dad said we should pull around the back. Archer's got security at the hidden gate." Killian growls, easing the jeep through the chaos ensuing at the main gate.

We left our bags in the jeep and took the service garage into the house where my grandfather, uncle, Jules and my grandfather's most trusted all stood along with a few of the men in blue's on the Collective's payroll. Or at least my grandfather's that is.

All of them turn in my direction and a man who looks to be in his later thirties with piercing green eyes, brown hair neatly trimmed and away from his face and a deceptively lean build steps forward, his hand extended. "Alexandra, my name is Davis Marshall, Silas sent me in." His jaw is set, and his body language gives off military vibes. My gaze flicks to my uncle and he nods, indicating for Davis to continue. "I work with a security firm that has a high profile clientele. Most of our clients have either been in abusive relationships, kidnapped, stalked or been victims of other traumatic occurrences. My job is to assist them in publicly dealing with the fallout of those situations."