Everyone’s face goes pale, and Hale stands up to walk over to the body. He pulls his gun out and fires rapidly into the already dead man until his chamber clicks empty. Brazen’s grip becomes almost painful, and I lightly tap his hand to remind him its still attached to my side.
“Why?” Grayson muses as he glares at the dead man.
“Because he found out what my blood can do for full bloods. He watched us, and he saw Brazen stand in the sun. He staged the ambush during the prison run. He’s been seeking revenge ever since we had him ejected from here,” I grumble, and then my lips find Brazen’s before he has time to feel guilty.
“He fucking watched us?” Hale gripes. “How did he know about your weakness to electricity?”
I pull back to face the man acting as if he’s feeling tortured right now.
“He studied me. He more than likely read everything he could get his hands on if it had my name in it. He was a man with a vendetta, and tonight he planned on using me before dispersing me. Judging by his wording, he probably hasn’t told anyone else,” I say to comfort the troubled minds.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I should have just taken you with me,” Brazen soothes.
“No. Don’t do that to yourself. This wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine. I shouldn’t have come back here at all,” I mumble.
“Why did you come here?” Brazen muses.
I swallow hard, and my eyes drift toward Hale before replying, “I needed some of my things, and I wanted to clean up. I should have already taken my stuff to your place.”
Hale shifts his eyes downward to hide the guilt he now feels, and I feel horrible for having accidentally cast my eyes his way.
“I’ll get your stuff, baby. You don’t have to do shit like that. Damn it. I should have been here,” Brazen growls.
“No you shouldn’t have. I don’t want to sit here convincing you this wasn’t your fault. I feel bad enough for having put everyone through this,” I grouse.
“Baby, you didn’t do this,” Brazen coos as my last bone snaps into place.
I sigh out in relief as I feel my completely healed body, and I wrap my arms around him while burrowing my head in his glorious chest. His comforting embrace becomes tighter once he feels I’ve healed, and Hale leans his head back in frustration.
“We should get some sleep. It has been an eventful night, and I’m sure Araya is exhausted,” Clay murmurs gently.
Very exhausted.
Brazen keeps holding me to his chest as he stands up to carry me bridal style out of the room. I keep my arms wrapped around his neck as I turn to look at Nicholas.
“Thank you,” I utter softly, and tears fill up in his eyes as his lips tighten.
Then I turn to see Grayson patting Hale on the back comfortingly as Brazen makes it to the door with me still in tow.
“Thank you too. Both of you,” I mutter to them, but my eyes lock with Hale’s.
“You don’t have to thank me, Araya,” Hale sighs out.
I offer him a forced smile before Brazen whisks me out of the room. His lips caress mine so tenderly, and I feel us crossing the threshold to his apartment as he carries me to the bedroom.
He pulls back to murmur, “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”
“No. I just want to curl up in your arms and go to sleep.”
He smiles so sweetly while lying down beside me, and I wiggle free from my shirt without him noticing my bottom half had been bare. I move over to almost be on top of him, our breaths exchanging mouths.
“That sounds good to me, baby,” he coos while gently running his fingers through my hair. “No more going off anywhere without me.”
“He didn’t just have an energy gun. He had another gun ready to be fired. You would have been killed if you had walked in with me. He hated you almost as much as he hated me,” I choke out, and fresh tears rush down to stain my cheeks.
“Shh,” he coos. “It’s okay now, baby. You’re okay.”
His lips collect mine from their puckered position, and he turns to almost be on top of me as he tucks my head against his neck and slides his arms all the way around me. His leg wraps partially around, and now I feel covered, protected, and safe. He always makes me feel safe.
My eyes feel heavier with every second, and I’m finally able to concede to their folding grace.
