“I did a check of your story about Travis, and it checked out. He was willing to sell his sister to that piece of shit to skip out on his debt, and even if you didn’t kill him because of that, he still deserved to die for it. I told her tonight, and she didn’t take it well, so tread carefully.”
I reach for the card, but he pulls it back at the last second.
“I hope it goes without saying that I will kill you if you hurt her again. I’m helping you because I genuinely believe you are what is best for her, but don’t mistake that for weakness. Ember means the world to me, and I will end anyone that fucks with her.”
I bite down on my cheek to stop myself from snapping back at him. Even with the threat, he’s giving me a chance to get my girl back, and he’s not going to stand in my way.
“Thank you,” I say.
Max smirks. “I’m giving you the key, but you have to know our girl is going to fight like hell.”
I chuckle. “I fucking hope so.”
He turns toward the elevator but pauses. “Oh, and Orion?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll send you my address for that Van Gogh.”
I don’t waste any time arguing with him, quickly swiping the card against the reader and slipping into the dark room. He can have the fucking painting. I only bought it to fuck with him, anyway.
The faint glow of the moon streams in through the opened window, and I can’t help but smile.
Before Ember walked into my life, I can think of only a handful of times my lips quirked up in a true smile, but somehow the little spitfire drags them out of me without even trying.
She loves to sleep with the window open. She once told me that when she wakes up and the first thing she sees is the sky, it starts her day the right way. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I haven’t closed the curtains once since she left.
My little flame is bundled up in the center of the large bed, and before I realize I’m moving, I find myself at the end of the bed, staring down at her.
Her dark hair is a little longer than it was when she ran from me, but I like it. I have a feeling I’ll be just as obsessed with her when she’s old and gray as I am now. I just have to get back into her good graces first.
Without hesitation, I strip out of my jacket and shirt, dropping them both to the chair in the corner before moving onto my pants.
Once I’m down to my boxer briefs, I move quietly around the side of the bed and slip in beside her.
The tension bleeds from my muscles as soon as she’s near. After months of worrying, of having no way to protect her, to keep her safe, my body is exhausted. I’ve barely slept in the time since she disappeared, and just having her beside me is enough to have my eyelids drooping.
I should keep my hands to myself. It’s enough just to be close to her right now, but before I can stop myself, I wrap my arms around Ember’s soft body and drag her against me.
Waking her up will only end one of two ways, but I’m enough of an optimist to risk it. Or at least that’s what I tell myself as I bury my face in her hair.
Be damned with the consequences, because even a few seconds of holding her are enough to settle my frayed nerves.
CHAPTER TWELVE
EMBER
Getting used to sleeping beside Orion was one of the worst things I’ve ever done, because ever since I’ve returned to sleeping alone, I’m always cold.
It doesn’t matter how many blankets I pile onto the bed or how many layers I fall asleep in. I’m freezing. According to my new therapist, it’s likely all in my head, but that shouldn’t really come as a surprise at this point.
Except as consciousness slowly drags me back to the land of the living, I realize I’m not cold at all, which sets me on high alert.
It’s only when I try to roll onto my back that I notice the arm plastered around my middle and the very hot body pressed against my back.
Those details are quickly followed by Orion’s scent, and my entire body stills as the reality of the situation rolls over me.
He’s here.
