“Alright, Hollis. Lead us to the finish line,” Briar remarked.
We pressed on through the night, with only the moon’s glow lighting our way. My eyes adjusted eventually, and with the Grey siblings at my side, the shadows didn’t seem as intimidating as they had when I was alone.
I really needed to thank them when we got back, or maybe before we did. Who knew what the next trial would bring, or if I’d even get the chance to see them again? The thought made my stomach clench, but I tried to push it down.
I had Ezra, and whatever was going on with the red-headed cameraman. I briefly wondered if he was the one receiving the feed attached to my chest. Was he listening in, watching over me, editing my journey into something Jax would be proud to see? For some reason, I trusted him to do that for me.
But the point was, I didn’t need two more sexy strangers confusing my mind or stirring up thoughts I didn’t need. And yet, they still did.
It must’ve been two or three a.m. when Briar's hand landed on my shoulder, freezing me in place. Her eyes scanned the darkened surroundings, her ear flicking, as if she were listening for something only she could hear. It was the familiarmotion she made when she was hunting, but this time, a cold realization settled in my chest…we were the ones being hunted now.
She pressed a finger to her lips, signaling us to stay quiet, though I didn’t need the reminder. The air seemed to thicken with tension, my breath catching in my throat as fear slowly crept in. Thorne’s grip tightened around my hand, his fingers warm and strong, and before I could even process the comfort, he was pulling me back.
Briar didn’t move, her stance unwavering, her attention fixed ahead. Thorne guided me silently, leading me away from her, away from whatever danger lurked nearby. I wanted to call out to Briar, to urge her to join us, but the fear in my gut told me that if we made any noise now, it could make things worse, but it didn’t help the pull I felt the further we got from her. Thorne obviously trusted her to take care of herself in the face of whatever was out there, but worry clenched my heart.
When we reached a massive tree, Thorne pulled me behind it, his body shielding mine. He pressed me into the rough bark, the coolness of it seeping through my clothes, and then he caged me in, his chest coming flush with mine. My heart thundered in my chest, so loud I could barely hear anything else. Our faces were inches apart, our breaths mingling in the small space between us. His warm exhale brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.
We both tensed, listening, our bodies so close that I could feel the fear radiating from him. His muscles were tight. He was terrified. I could feel it in the slight shake on his body. The coil of his muscles. I lifted a hand, resting it on his chest and I could feel the quick beat of his pulse beneath my fingertips. His eyes locked on mine and I felt his fear slowly dissipate.
Thorne’s hand moved to the side of my face, cupping it gently. He wasn’t even aware of it, but the simple touchgrounded me, slowing my racing heart. His thumb brushed softly against my cheek, and I let my eyes drift closed for a moment, finding a strange comfort in his closeness, in the heat of his body pressing against mine.
I focused on him, on the rhythm of our breaths, trying to block out the rest of the world, and the worry I felt for Briar. His eyes were dark, intent on me as we listened for his sister.
I could feel the heat of his body, his closeness starting to affect me in ways I didn’t expect. My chest ached with something deeper than just anxiety, and I found myself leaning in slightly, drawn to him in a way I couldn’t explain.
“Okay, I think we’re clear,” Briar whispered-yelled, and Thorne and I exhaled simultaneously. I expected him to step back, but he didn’t. Instead, he pressed his hips forward and the evidence of how my closeness affected him was clear as it pressed against my stomach. His eyes flicked to my lips for just a brief moment, a glance so soft and fleeting that I almost missed it. Enough to send my heart into a frantic beat.
Thorne brought his hand up between the two of us, switching his camera off first, then doing the same to mine. My breath caught in my throat. Whatever he was about to say or do, he didn’t want an audience for it.
I could almost taste the air between us, the anticipation heavy and thick, and I wasn’t sure who moved first. But then, just as I thought he would lean in, a sudden movement tore him away from me. It was violent, sharp, and in an instant, I was left standing there, breathless and confused.
“Get the fuck off of her,” a voice growled, and a sob of relief broke free from my chest.
“Ezra!” I cried out, rushing forward. But before I could reach him, he had already pinned Thorne to the forest floor. Panic gripped me. “Stop, let him go, Ezra!” I shouted. The two men were locked in a furious struggle, rolling and fighting. “Ezra,stop, please!” I screamed again, my voice desperate, as Briar finally arrived and ripped him off of her brother.
Ezra was thrown back, but in a heartbeat, he surged forward again. I stepped in between them, raising my hand to press against his chest. His breath was ragged, his body tense with fury and anger. For a fleeting moment, a painful thought crossed my mind, that maybe he hated me for finding comfort in someone else.
The thought hit me harder than I cared to admit.
But then his eyes, those familiar, intense eyes, flicked from Thorne to me. And in them, I saw nothing but relief, admiration, and something softer, something caring. It melted the knot of panic in my chest.
“Ezra,” I whispered, my voice trembling as I rushed forward. Without a word, he pulled me into his arms, lifting me off the ground as if I weighed nothing at all. He held me tightly against his chest, his body steadying mine as I felt the weight of his relief too. He inhaled deeply, like he was trying to absorb every part of me, pressing a comforting kiss to the side of my neck.
His touch was grounding, and in that moment, I finally felt like I could breathe again.
“I’ve been looking for you,” Ezra said, pulling his head back to look at me. His voice was rough, eyes scanning me with that familiar intensity. He looked just as worn as the rest of us, tired and dirty, but there were no signs of injury. A smile tugged at my lips as I met his gaze.
“I thought he was hurting you,” he added, his eyes darkening with anger as he glanced over my shoulder at Thorne and Briar.
I took a step back, shaking my head. “Not at all,” I replied, trying to steady my voice, turning to face the two men. “They helped me survive, Ezra.” I injected as much sincerity into mywords as I could, hoping he’d understand. “They saved my life.”
Thorne and Briar exchanged a glance and nodded, soft smiles gracing their lips. I turned back to Ezra, watching as his eyes shifted between them, his expression unreadable at first, then softening as he processed what I said.
“Thank you for protecting her,” he whispered, his voice quieter now.
“We’d do it again,” Briar answered, taking a step closer to me, her presence a comfort.
“Yeah, I was actually using my body as a human shield when you so rudely interrupted,” Thorne teased, stepping forward and casually wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
