Page 58 of Redemption (Devil Dogs of the Apocalypse #4)

Dare

Ho-ly. Fuck.

Holy fuck.

HOLY FUCK!

I watch as she makes her way out the door before I have a complete existential breakdown.

Jax.

Hawk.

And Cole.

Those are the three guys?!

HER THREE GUYS?!

This is a joke, right? This can’t be possible.

First, I find out the love of my life is actually alive and came all the way down here just to find me.

Good. Great. Grand. Awesome. Then, I find out that my friends are not only alive and thriving, but are currently banging my entire reason for existence!

Fucking. Hell.

My eyes lift to the ceiling, picturing the heavens just beyond as I silently call upon the assumed mastermind behind the chaos.

Uh... Jesus? It’s me... I know I haven’t talked to you in a while, and I’m not sure if you’ve forgotten about me in all this mayhem we’ve got going on around here, but.

.. Seriously...? What the fuck?! I know.

I know. I shouldn’t be questioning your master plan, but come on!

I survived all that fucked-up shit you threw at me just to see my ex-fiancée fucking around with my fucking best friends? ! FUCK!

I shake my head, unable to fully process any of it.

The mysterious plan. The strings of fate. Our diabolical destinies.

I call mine a steaming pile of bullshit.

A sharp whine comes from the foot of the bed, drawing my focus to the dog.

The fucking dog!

I knew her name might have been common, but holy shit!

Sadie.

Jax’s fucking service dog!

His service dog!!!!

That proves it right there!

I’m such a fucking idiot. I’ve interacted with Sadie numerous times since Jax got her.

And, since we arrived here and could relax for a moment, she’s even settled her aggression towards me, choosing, instead, to seek me out for affection or to offer me support like I’ve seen her do for Jax. It’s almost like she remembers me.

Fucking hell, I should have known.

Sadie’s whine draws out as she continues to seek my attention, but I can’t help but just stare at her.

My mind is blown. Shot. Absolutely fubared.

Still determined, however, her paw comes up, landing on my thigh as her head tilts slightly to the side, her ears perking up as she tries to figure me out.

Flabbergasted. Now there’s a word that’s not used nearly enough anymore.

Refusing to be ignored, Sadie crawls over me and flops down onto my chest, her strong and sturdy body pinning me down to the point where all I can do is wipe my hands across my face until my brain rewires itself.

With her steady weight bearing down on me, my racing heart slows just as Alessandra comes back, retaking her place next to me on the bed.

Ah, shit. This is just awkward as fuck now.

I knew she had three guys she was trying to get back to.

Knew that she was in a romantic relationship with each of them, as well.

I knew it, but it didn’t really sink in when the guys in question were nameless, faceless blips to me.

Sure, I understood they existed, but I didn’t need to acknowledge they did until I actually saw them face to face and confirmed their existence and thus my inevitable removal from the situation.

But these guys?

I know them.

I know what they’ve done.

I’ve even...

“Can you do me a favor?” she asks, her question stilling everything in the muted darkness, including my rambling thoughts and impending panic attack.

With Sadie’s stubbornly relentless weight still pinning me down, I turn my face towards the love of my life, ready to give her mine this very second if she asked it of me. “Of course. Anything. Always.”

Alessandra’s arms pull into her chest as she folds in on herself. “Would you mind singing again? It seemed to help before, and I just think—”

“I’d love to,” I interrupt, more than willing to cater to her needs while simultaneously pulling myself out of this mental rut I’ve found myself in.

She quietly settles in, finding a comfortable position beneath the blankets, while I begin with a soft, lyrical melody.

One that stretches the confines of the room into an infinite universe where worries are a thing of the past and love is abundant.

The ebb and flow of the notes set a pace for her heart to mimic, for her mind to unfold and relax into.

My gentle music continues, the words transcending what I feel for her as they whisper in the space around us.

Minutes go by, and then hours, but I continue serenading her as I have been each night until I hear her breathing slow.

Her body visibly relaxes at the sound of my voice, and that, in turn, relaxes me.

The fact that I can provide her comfort when she needs it most does something to me, filling a void I’ve been missing this entire time.

With one last decrescendo, I finish the song, drawing out the last note like I wish I could draw out tonight. But it’s an endless desire only meant to be cut short by inevitable reality.

When the horde finally decides to leave, my time with her will be over.

But tonight? As she lies here by my side, trusting me to keep her safe?

She’s mine.