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We need to get out of here.
I turn away from Jasper, he can help himself up, and head for the closest stairwell. This one is on the opposite side of the building from where I came up. I have to dodge fallen sections of the ceiling both above and below me. There are sections that have fallen loose from the explosion and are dangling precariously over the former hall. Then there’s chunks of not only ceiling, but walls and furniture as well littering the ground. It digs into the soles of my shoes with every step I take.
Urgency to reach my woman rides me to run. To full on dash for the stairwell and out the building, to pull her into my arms, and wrap them protectively around her. To never let her go, forever knowing she’s safe from harm… I can’t rush though. There’s so much smoke filling the air, it’s hard to see more than a few feet in front of me. Not to mention all the obstacles strewn over the ground.
One step at a time. It’s all I can concentrate on with the weight still sitting on my chest. The only thing that will relieve the pressure pressing in on me is seeing Remington with my own eyes. To see that she really is alive. And if she isn’t, I’ll rip Jasper to shreds before finding out exactly what happened and burning the world to ash to make sure the person responsible for her death pays for it. Even if that person turns out to be me.
The sounds beating down on me mask Jasper’s approach. I only know he’s joined me because of the hand he places on my shoulder. We silently make our way around the obstacles in this part of the building. It sustained the most damage from the explosion. The farther we get from Remi’s office, the less damage there is, but the smoke and fire don’t lessen. It actually grows worse with each second passing where measures aren’t taken to smother it.
Finally making it to the stairwell, the smoke slowly becomes thinner, the air easier to suck in. Even with it being easier to breathe, it doesn’t lessen the coughing, it actually gets worse. Jasper, having not been in the smoke as long as me, quickly takes the lead. He better be taking me to where Remington is, or so help me god… There’s nothing in this world that will convince me to take it easy on him. He deserves every ounce of my wrath. If he wasn’t helping me keep her safe all this time, then I would have already killed him for the threat he creates against the only person I care about.
As if he knows my thoughts, the bastard throws a smug smile over his shoulder as he pushes the door open into the main floor hallway. It’s only a few more steps until he’s pushing another door open and we’re entering the server room where Cole was supposed to be working his magic, according to Remington.
The moment I walk in, a hand smacks into my stomach. I barely feel it, my muscles tensing on instinct having seen it rushing for me. But before I can do anything about it, a black ball of fury is in my face. “What the fuck were you thinking going up there? I had unpleasant sensations in my chest because of you. We already talked about this! You aren’t allowed to make me think you died again. The idiocy…”
I open my mouth to cut her off but her finger is pressed against my lips before I can utter a sound. “Don’t think I wasn’t watching you on the cameras when you decided to crawl into that office. Don’t you know what the room was coated in?” She keeps yelling at me, but I stop listening, too overwhelmed with joy at seeing her whole, and alive. Not a single mark on her. I can’t take it any longer. I need to have her in my arms more than I need my next clean breath of air.
Taking a step forward, I close the distance between us. She doesn’t pause for a second, my towering form rising above her does nothing to sway her anger. Leaning closer doesn’t make her falter, my grin only makes her eyes narrow. The others are watching us with amusement, enjoying the show, but I don’t let their presence affect me.
As if she’s my prey, I pounce on her. Wrapping my arms around her and pulling her flush against my body, at the same time I slam my lips on hers. She keeps trying to talk, refusing to let me silence her. She’s such a fucking brat. I love how much push and pull we have between us. Things are never dull with her around.
My fingers push through her silken strands, tightening at the base of her skull. Fisting her hair, I tilt her head, forcing her chin up and a gasp from her lips. I take advantage of her momentary distraction, and thrust my tongue into her sweet mouth, tasting heaven. I tease my tongue along her lips, and it doesn’t take long for the fight to drain from her body. She practically melts in my arms, her lips pressing back against mine as she returns the kiss. I’ve missed the flavor of danger her lips always bring.
Why can’t I give myself to her fully? I’ve spent most of my life living for her. Working toward being the very best option to send after her when the time came. And once I was sent to be her bodyguard five years ago, I’ve had to fight against my soul falling in love with her. I know she might never feel the same way about me, but it never stopped my heart from abandoning my chest and finding a new home with her.
And yet… every time I convince myself to drop the shackles holding me back, I’m caged once again. The phone call I got not even an hour ago pulls at me from the back of my mind, reminding me that there’s consequences to going against the Don.
Her tongue flirts with mine, and I shut my thoughts off, wanting to sink into this moment. Even if it’s only for a short time. I give myself to her completely. Cupping her cheek, I pull her even tighter to me, as if I could crack my chest open and push her inside of me, ensuring we’d never be separated again. Remington will be the death of me some day. But until that day comes, I’ll love her with everything I have.
A meaningful cough sounds from where the others are watching us. I can’t be sure who it was, but it reminds me of the disaster zone several floors above us. Emergency services should be here any minute now, if they haven’t already. We need to get out of here.
I’m loath to pull away, but I do it anyway. Her eyes are closed and I can’t help but press one more kiss to her forehead. “I thought it was you in there, Reginetta. I wouldn’t have been able to live without you if it was. There’s a punishment in your future for scaring me like that,” I whisper against her soft skin, my lips brushing it with each word in a gentle caress.
It’s now that I realize the silence around us. The alarm isn’t blaring in here. No wonder my thoughts were allowed to wander for so long. There’s nothing distracting going off. Her eyes flutter open in shock, the blue depths of her gaze slicing into me with her objections. But before she can voice them, Cole speaks up. “We need to leave if we want to make a clean escape. I’ve got everything we need.”
Remington isn’t the touchy-feely type. At least she hasn’t been in the past, who knows with how much she’s changed lately. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, Grayson has been good for her humanity.
I’m normally not one to seek affection either, but right now, I need the comfort of her touch. I thread our fingers together and file from the room after the others without a word.
She must either know I need her, or maybe she feels something similar, because she doesn’t object to holding hands. In fact, she tightens her hold on me, her hand solid in mine. A hold keeping me together when I still haven’t recovered from the pain of believing she was dead.
Jasper guides us through the building to a door leading out the back of the structure. A blue cloudless sky greets us, the sun shining down, the heat of its rays nothing compared to what I felt being near the fire. I wouldn’t be surprised if I find singed hairs when I have a moment to rest.
“I guess we don’t have a getaway car since Vander decided to ignore my message,” Remi quips. I swear she’s asking for a spanking. I’ve been dreaming about giving it to her myself since I watched Jasper turn her ass cherry red.
“You need to check your prissy at the door. I never got a message from you,” I growl, my irritation being stoked by her attitude. Her hand tugs at mine, but I don’t release it. She has another thing coming if she thinks she can get away from me right now.
“Grayson?” she questions, turning her attention to him. Her features soften slightly. Every time I see it, I can’t help but wonder at how wrong we all were about how good he is for her. I love everything about this version of her, but I miss the sweetness she used to show as a child. It would be nice for her to find a hint of who she used to be. It would be beneficial for her. But no matter what, I’ll love who she is in any given moment.
Fuck. I’ve become a sap.
“I told Cole. He said he sent it,” Grayson replies with a slight wince as he glances at me.
“I sent it,” Cole mumbles, typing away on his phone. I’d say he had an addiction to his devices if I didn’t know how far his talents reach. He’s always working on something.
Remi turns the full weight of her baby blues on me, raising her brow in a challenge. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I tap the screen and find several messages I missed. Well fuck.
I don’t want to do this… Gritting my teeth, I gaze up at the sky while we turn a corner, finding a spot to better hide us from all the employees watching the building burn. “Clearly, I didn’t get them. You know I was on a call, and then your fucking office was exploding. Excuse me for not thinking to check my phone before trying to get to you.”
