Page 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

VOODOO

F inding Grace curled up against me when I opened my eyes was a damn good way to greet the day. Waking her with slow kisses before eating her out until she was screaming was an even better way. Finishing it off by sliding into her was the crowning glory.

Her brilliant blue eyes were drowsy, but pleased. I really liked that look on her face aloung with the flush in her cheeks. Nuzzling kisses to her cheek, I slid a hand through her hair. “I need a shower and some coffee,” I murmured. “Want to grab your own shower and meet me downstairs for the second?”

“Are you trying to tell me I stink?” Playfulness wound through her voice and I snorted.

“Definitely not getting me with that one.” I winked. “But I do want coffee.” Trailing a finger down her nose, I savored the way her lips widened into a smile. “If I take a shower with you, that’s where we’re going to stay and then right back to this bed.”

As plans went, I could get behind it. Frankly, I hadn’t planned on the extended absence. I wanted to make it up to her.

She caught my hand and pressed a kiss to it. “That’s my job,” I told her, before I lifted her hand return the favor. “And if I don’t start moving, I won’t.”

“I’m finding it challenging to encourage you… even though I know we need to talk today.”

Yes we did. Right. Hammering all of this out was important for her and for us. Still reluctant, I forced myself to get out of bed. After dragging on my jeans, I scooped up my abandoned shirt before I leaned back down to kiss her again.

“Come find me downstairs in fifteen,” I told her, stroking a hand through her hair. “I’ll make your coffee.”

“Might take me a little longer than fifteen minutes.”

“That’s okay,” I said with a grin as I headed for the door. “I will wait.”

Once in the hall, I ran a hand over my jaw. Leaving her and her room took a heroic effort. Blowing out a breath, I headed straight for my room. It took me ten minutes to shower, dress in clean clothes, and head downstairs.

Lunchbox and Alphabet were already in the kitchen. The combined scents of fried potatoes, bacon, and coffee proved incredibly alluring. I didn’t even make it all the way into the kitchen before a fist slammed into my face.

The move staggered me. “What the fuck?” I blocked the next punch and glared at Lunchbox. He was usually the steadiest of us so this was some unexpected shit.

“We get back and the first thing you do is head straight to her room and fuck her?” He delivered the accusation in a low, ice cold tone. I stared at him.

“And?” I rubbed my jaw. The blow definitely hurt. “Since when do you care?”

“Don’t be a dick,” Lunchbox said with a cutting look.

“I didn’t think I was being one,” I muttered as he stalked back into the kitchen. I followed with a little more caution. Lunchbox didn’t usually snap . Alphabet sat at the table, coffee in hand and a faint smirk on his face. “You planning on hitting me?”

“If I decide to do that, you’ll be the first to know.” He toasted me with the coffee cup.

Snorting, I headed for the espresso machine. I’d barely reached for the portafilter when Lunchbox said, “She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need to just be used for sex.”

Facing him, I raised my brows. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. She’s been through hell. She’s not here to service us.”

The comment flicked a switch on my temper. “I love you like a brother, but I will take you the fuck apart if you ever say that again. I am not using her.”

“Then why the hell did you just go dive into her bed?” The snap in his tone crackled like fire licking over wood.

“I don’t owe you any explanations. The only person with right to that information is Grace. She’s the one that matters.” I wasn’t going to bring up what I saw her doing or how fucking hot it had been to watch. I’d gone up there to be there for her dreams and instead, she was pleasuring herself. “So maybe take the stick out of your ass before I yank it out and beat the shit out of you with it.”

“You want to go a few rounds?” Lunchbox took two steps forward. This shit was new. I expected crap like this from Bones. I talked him down or we went a few rounds. Whatever was eating at Lunchbox needed dealing with, because this was an escalation that went from zero to a hundred.

It was also not him.

“Lunchbox is jealous,” Alphabet said in a tone that was at least partially amused and undeterred when Lunchbox switched his glare to him. “He doesn’t like that you and Gracie have hit it off so well.”

“Too fucking bad,” was my only comment on it. “If this is going to continue to be a problem then we solve it right now. We’re not doing this to her and she doesn’t deserve the vitriol or the bullshit.”

“Oh, that’s what she doesn’t deserve.” Right, all that anger came lasering back to me. “But after she was kidnapped by some trafficking ring, abused, and we know it was sexual, and there’s no way she wasn’t raped, you just drag her into bed and what…?”

“First,” I said, keeping my tone level and my own temper in check. “I didn’t drag her anywhere. Nothing was done with Grace that wasn’t done with her consent. Maybe you missed the memo, but she’s an adult. We might be keeping her here and restricting her movements, but we don’t own her.”

That last seemed to rock him back on his heels. Good, maybe I could slap some sense into him without violence. Particularly because I hadn’t had a cup of fucking coffee yet and she could be down here any second. This morning was the first time I’d seen her truly relaxed since we’d met her.

I wasn’t going to let anyone fuck that up for her.

“Second,” I continued, holding my ground. “Since when do you lump me into a category with rapists and abusers? Because if you are and do, then we have a much bigger issue.”

None of them had been in that hotel room with her that night. None of them had seen how broken and desperate she’d been.

Lunchbox held my gaze for a long moment, then bowed his head. “Fuck. I don’t lump you into that category. I know you’re not.” He raked a hand through his hair then stalked over to the stove.

“Like I said,” Alphabet commented. “He’s jealous.”

“Fuck off,” Lunchbox snarled at him over his shoulder, but some of the heat in his tone had definitely bled away.

“Nope,” Alphabet answered with a grin, but he sobered as he looked at me. “You know he has a thing for her too.”

“So do you,” I said, completely aware.

“Not denying it. But also not pushing anything.”

I nodded. “Fair enough. Now, if we’re done with this…”

A door closed, but it wasn’t Grace striding toward us. It was Bones. He had definitely showered and shaved. His eyes were cool as he surveyed the room upon entering the kitchen. “Problems?”

Letting Lunchbox take that one, I returned my attention to the espresso machine. I’d promised her coffee. I was going to make it.

“Nope,” Alphabet said behind me. “We’re just great. How are you?”

Silence greeted his comment and the grinder sounded almost abnormally loud in the room.

“Really?” Bones did not believe him. Well, never let it be said he couldn’t read a room.

“Yes, really. We’re fine,” Lunchbox said into the silence before cracking some eggs to get them going. “Just tired and want to get this debrief on so we can get shit sorted out.”

The silence thickened as I pulled the shots and it grew even harsher when I retrieved the milk from the fridge. I caught Bones’ speculative look.

“Maybe we should ask you,” I said, easily enough. “Problems?”

He shook his head. “You three are fighting over Grace.”

“Hey,” Alphabet said, pointing bacon at him. “Point of order, I am not fighting anyone. Neither are they.”

“That’s why Voodoo has a bruise and Lunchbox’s knuckles are red.” The blunt assessment was on the nose. “If you’re not fighting over her, what are you fighting about?”

The hiss of the steamer rose filled the quiet. Then Lunchbox flipped the eggs. “We were having a disagreement over eggs.”

“Eggs.” The level of doubt Bones managed to infuse into that single syllable almost made me laugh. Cause, seriously, eggs?

“Yep,” Lunchbox said. “It’s settled. So don’t worry about it.”

“You want coffee?” I asked Bones as I finished prepping Grace’s. It was a damn miracle she hadn’t walked into this stupid conversation yet.

“Sure, as long as I don’t have to debate eggs with you.”

Not missing a beat, I nodded. “I’ll let you off—this time. No guarantees for tomorrow.”

There was a snort of laughter from Alphabet and a huff from Lunchbox. With Grace’s coffee ready, I made Bones’ before I started on mine. Lunchbox bumped my shoulder and I glanced at him.

The apology was there and I just lifted my chin. We were good. He nodded, then there was the sound of a door closing again. This time, the light steps that followed told me Grace was on her way down. The shift in the room was palpable.

When I turned, she paused in the entryway to the kitchen and she swept her gaze over all of us before coming to me. “Problems?”

The distinct echo of Bones’ earlier question was almost funny.

“Not precisely,” Bones said. “However, I would like to have a discussion with these three before we debrief with you fully.”

“She can have breakfast first,” I said, carrying her coffee over to her.

“It’s okay,” Grace said, taking the coffee and smiling up at me. “I’ll just take Goblin outside for a few minutes, then come back in.” She rose up on her tip toes and I dipped my head so she could brush a kiss to my jaw. “Thank you.”

“Grace,” Alphabet said. “Voodoo’s right, you don’t have to go anywhere. Whatever Bones needs can wait.”

“Maybe,” she said, though her smile was undiminished. “But I actually don’t mind giving you the time. And I like going out with Goblin.” Something passed between the two and I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

After a moment, Alphabet nodded then murmured something to Goblin. The dog rose and bounded over to Grace. Good boy.

“I can start your breakfast while we’re talking,” Lunchbox said. “What do you want?”

“Right now, I just want coffee. Then maybe some yogurt and fruit. But coffee first.” Her lips twitched at Lunchbox’s fierce frown.

“What about some fried potatoes or bacon? I have some ham I could slice and fry too…”

She squeezed my arm lightly then brushed her hand against Alphabet’s shoulder on her way to Lunchbox. His whole posture shifted at her approach.

“Let me have the coffee, then maybe the yogurt and fruit. If I’m still hungry afterward, we can talk then, okay?”

Everything about his posture said he wanted to argue, but he only blew out a breath and nodded. “Fine. You need more than just yogurt and fruit.”

“So you’ve said,” she told him with a grin. “Also, if I haven’t said it. Welcome home. Alphabet and Goblin took very good care of me and I tried to take care of them while you were gone.”

“She did a great job,” Alphabet volunteered. “Notice, we didn’t burn down the kitchen or anything.”

Her laughter just made me smile. Yeah, she was definitely feeling a little better.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you boys work out whatever it is Boney Boy wants to work out.”

I almost laughed out loud. The Boney Boy moniker wasn’t going anywhere. With that she turned and headed for the backdoor with Goblin trotting alongside.

“Not going to say anything nice to me?” Bones asked as she passed him. “Give me some assurances? Or comfort?”

The snark filled his tone with challenge and he tossed it down like a gauntlet.

She paused, lifting her chin and focusing on him. I couldn’t see her face. None of us except for Bones could. His eyes narrowed.

“I don’t care if you have a pulse, much less a nice anything, Boney Boy.” The comment was delivered in the same light tone she’d used when she spoke to the rest of us. “In fact, I don’t have much to say at all. Enjoy the fact I’m leaving you to chat since you didn’t want me in here for that.”

With that, she sailed outside into the cooler morning with Goblin racing alongside, leaving Bones to stare after her with a scowl.

I chuckled as both Alphabet and Lunchbox cracked up. Goddamn, I really like feisty Grace. She was every bit the firecracker I knew she could be. Her serving notice to Boney Boy would be good for him.

And entertaining for me. I passed him his coffee. “Spill, because she has waited on all of us long enough.”

Bones’ sigh carried a wealth of meaning, but he didn’t deny the observation. “I spoke to Vienna and Fletcher late last night… We have another problem and it involves Grace.”

Son of a bitch.