Page 49

Jaxso n

Onyx sat between Maya and me in the back seat of Levi’s chopper, her ears pricked forward and her tongue lolling out. She loved being in the air almost as much as she loved sniffing out bodies. Thankfully, this time, the bodies of Blade and Viper had been alive.

Riding shotgun beside Levi was Aria. I’d expected her to look overjoyed, maybe even relieved, after we’d pulled her teammates out of that mangled warehouse. But the tension in her shoulders and the shadow in her eyes told a different story.

Something was eating at her. Something dark.

She had insisted that the five of us head straight to Cobra’s schoolhouse as soon as Blade and Viper were loaded into ambulances. And I didn’t need to ask why. Something had been found in those boxes Whitney had salvaged from the orphanage.

Whatever it was, it rattled her. And that told me it wasn’t just her problem. It affected all of us.

The hum of the rotors dulled as Levi eased the bird down, smooth as ever, into the overgrown backyard of the schoolhouse. Aria gave him a thumbs-up as the skids settled into the long grass. Levi killed the engine, and Onyx let out a short, sharp bark, letting me know she was ready to go .

I patted her flank. "In a minute, girl."

“Touchdown,” Levi said, already unbuckling.

We slid the doors open, and the warm evening air rushed in, carrying the sound of cheers and voices. Onyx jumped over me and leapt out first, landing gracefully amongst the knee-high grass, and I followed her.

People raced out of Cobra’s converted schoolhouse, rushing toward us in a wave of relief and emotion. Their voices overlapped with laughter, cheers, even a few choked sobs.

"Jaxson . . . our hero!" Whisper shouted.

I rolled my eyes. “Not me. Onyx found them, and Maya cut them free.”

“Maya. You bloody legend,” Whisper cheered, squeezing Maya in a massive hug.

Everyone either shook my hand or hugged me. It was pure chaos, but for once, it was the good kind. The kind I hadn’t felt in far too long.

As I scanned the crowd, taking in the people who were here when I left, I recognized some new faces, Cody, Billie, and Xander. But there was one person I couldn’t see.

Tory.

The knot wedged in my stomach.

Where is she?

As we all trailed into the schoolhouse, I wondered if Tory had gone home.

Maybe she’d needed space after everything.

Or maybe she had to go home because of her cats; she’d mentioned them a few times.

I wouldn’t blame her for leaving. After the nightmares she’d been through, she probably crashed into bed, and that’s where she’d stay for days.

Still, the thought of her leaving without saying goodbye was damn disappointing.

Shit! No! She can’t go home. Not while Beatrice is still out there.

Whisper appeared at my side with a sly grin. "Looking for someone?"

“Yeah. Tory. Is she still here?”

"She’s having a nap." Her brows waggled like she had a juicy secret to reveal. Knowing Whisper, maybe she did .

Yes! She’s still here! My pulse ticked up a notch. "Good. She needed a rest."

Whisper chuckled. "Yeah, but you know what she needs more?" Her grin widened. "You."

I raised a brow at her. Whisper had a reputation for meddling, matchmaking, and sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Normally, I would brush her off, but a part of me hoped she was telling the truth.

"I don’t want to wake her," I said, keeping my tone even.

Whisper slapped a hand against my chest. "Oh, don’t be a wuss."

"I’m not a wuss," I muttered, crossing my arms. "She’ll be pissed at me for waking her. After what she’s been through?—"

"Stop overthinking, Jaxson." Whisper’s grin turned downright wicked. "She’ll sleep better in your arms."

My chest tightened as images of Tory curled up against me flickered through my mind. My body’s response was immediate and far from subtle. I shifted, clearing my throat, but Whisper’s knowing laugh only made it worse.

As the others headed toward the gymnasium at the end of the hallway, Whisper led me down the hall to a closed door.

She stopped in front of it, her expression softening into something almost serious.

"She’s been through a lot, yes," Whisper said quietly, "but so have you. Don’t mess this up, Jaxson. "

I gave her a small nod.

“I’ll look after Onyx, give her a feed. It’s time you looked after yourself.” She scrunched her nose, eyeing me up and down. "Speaking of that, you might want to hit the showers first. I’ll get Cobra to grab you some clean clothes."

She turned and strode back toward the others, leaving me standing there.

I exhaled, and running a hand through my greasy hair, I headed down the hallway to the restroom.

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I stepped into the locker room. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror over the sink and groaned. I looked like crap. I felt like it, too.

When was the last time I’d actually laid down ?

Cobra showed up with a bundle of clothes in his hands. “Figured you could use a change,” he said.

“Appreciate it,” I muttered, taking the clothes.

He gave me a nod and disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stepped into the scalding hot shower and scrubbed away the grime. My heart pounded as my thoughts drifted to Tory . . . her smile, her warmth, the way she’d look at me like she saw past all the walls I’d built. I rinsed off, killed the water, and grabbed a towel.

With the towel slung over my shoulder, I caught my reflection again. I looked halfway human now, but that didn’t stop the nerves crawling under my skin.

After dressing in Cobra’s shorts and T-shirt, I felt like a damn teenager sneaking out past curfew as I peeked into the hallway.

No one was there.

Good.

I moved quickly, my bare feet making almost no sound as I padded up the hall to Tory’s door. My heart was beating way too fast for a guy who’d faced down worse odds than this. I stood there, hesitating, until I realized I was overthinking again.

Just knock, Jaxson.

I tapped lightly.

No answer.

I waited, then cracked the door open, guilt already pooling in my gut.

“Hey, Tory,” I said softly. “It’s Jaxson.”

The room was dark, but the faint scent of soap and something sweet and familiar floated in the air . . . Tory.

A muffled sound came from the bed, and I stepped back.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, retreating.

“Jaxson?” Her voice was groggy, soft, but unmistakably friendly.

I froze in the doorway. “Yeah, it’s me. I, uh . . . just wanted to check if you’re okay.”

In the dim light, she sat up, her hair falling over her shoulders in loose waves. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and before I could take a step closer, she crossed the room and wrapped her arms around me.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, and something inside me shifted, something warm, unexpected, and long overdue.

Holding her felt right, like it was exactly where I was supposed to be.

The knot in my chest unraveled, and for the first time in forever, I didn’t just feel okay, I felt damn near invincible.

“You okay?” we both asked at the exact same time.

She giggled softly, and damn, her laughter was like a balm I hadn’t known I needed. It was light, a little breathless, and completely disarming.

She reached for my hand, her fingers sliding into mine, and gave a gentle tug.

“Come here,” she said, leading me back to the bed.

My damn mind skipped to the part where we tore off each other’s clothes and got messy all over again.

I forced myself to focus and stay in the moment, but it wasn’t easy .

. . not with her sitting so close our thighs brushed, her fingers still laced with mine.

And then there was her scent; soft, clean, and utterly her.

It wrapped around me, making it damn near impossible to think about anything else.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said, keeping her voice low. “We saw the footage of the warehouse. It must’ve been terrifying in there.”

I shrugged, downplaying it. “Onyx and I have been through worse.”

Her fingers tightened around mine. “Maybe, but still . . .”

I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. Instead, I nudged closer, draping my arm over her shoulder and pulling her against me.

I felt like a damn high school jock on his first date; awkward, overthinking every move. I had never felt this way around a woman before, and it rattled me. Then again, Tory wasn’t just any woman.

She was something more.

She was in my bones.

She tilted her head up, and the faint light spilling through the gaps in the curtain caught the golden flecks in her eyes, but there was something deeper there, something that made my pulse race .

Desire.

It wasn’t loud or obvious, but it was undeniable. Her gaze locked onto mine, and the room seemed smaller, like the world had narrowed down to just the two of us. She didn’t say a word, but the way she looked at me like she was begging me to kiss her, made my cock thump like a jackhammer.

I leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if I’d misread her. She didn’t. Instead, her lips parted slightly, and her breath made the faintest hitch.

When our mouths met, the world fell quiet. Her lips were soft, warm, and tasted faintly of the mint tea she must have had earlier. The kiss started gently, like a question. Something inside me cracked wide open, and I deepened the kiss, pouring everything I couldn’t say into it.

It wasn’t just a kiss. It wasn’t just about desire, though God knew that was there too. This was so much more. Raw and terrifying and amazing all at once. It was the kind of kiss that made me feel like she’d reached into me and found the parts I thought I’d buried for good.