Page 35

I don’t remember a single second of the last twenty minutes of the game. The only things clear in my mind are the image of Elliott’s tear-stricken face and her words that rebuilt my heart. How I even manage to finish the last period is beyond me because all I want to do is find her and make her mine.

The team is in good spirits as we leave the ice, our three-nothing win over the Fury just the icing on top of the cake. Our team is playing the best they have in weeks, and our pack is about ready to come face to face with our girl after a tedious three months. That’s the true definition of a win-win.

We’re in and out of the showers in record time, donning our team-required suits despite our hair dripping down onto our freshly pressed jackets. Our teammates wish us luck, patting us on the back and good-naturedly ribbing us about looking like teenage boys nervous for our first prom. Honestly, that means everything. The Heat isn’t just a group of professional athletes, it’s a family, so when one of us celebrates, we all celebrate. It’s what makes this franchise among the best in the nation.

Nixon walks out of the locker room beside me, Raff slightly behind us, and I know we’re all thinking the same thing.

Elliott’s here, and she’s finally ready to be ours.

“Fuck! I feel like my chest is gonna explode.”

Looking over at Nixon, the corner of my mouth quirks up. “That would be a pity when the girl of our dreams is waiting for us on the other side of those double doors.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’re not freaking the fuck out? I keep wondering if I got hit too hard in the head during that play in the second period, and everything back there was just a delusion brought on by a concussion.”

Raff snorts, hitting Nix upside the head. “Nah, bro. Your head’s too hard for that shit.”

Nixon swats him away, Raff’s laughter lifting my already soaring mood. When was the last time I heard that sound? The answer is simple. The night Elliott left.

“Why didn’t you tell her we love her too, bro?” Raff asks, pushing between Nix and me.

Our brother glowers down at him. “I’m saying that shit to her face, dumbass. I want to look her in the eyes and be within grabbing distance when those words leave my lips because my Alpha side is threatening to mutiny if he has to wait much longer to have her in his arms.”

Mine is much the same, tempered only by the simple fact that I’ve had Sy to ease some of the massive hurt I’ve been suffering. We haven’t done more than kiss and sleep cuddled up together, both of us needing the closeness as we dealt with the loss of the single most important woman in our lives. But now that she’s here, I’m ready to move full speed ahead with both of them. If I have my way, they’ll be mine by the end of the night.

We push through the double doors that lead to the tunnel, eyes darting to the couple standing a ways down the space.

“Shit! There she is,” Raff rasps.

Wide green eyes lock with mine, and everything I feel for her comes rushing to the forefront. Suddenly we’re there, feet away from the woman who owns our hearts and souls, and I feel like I can finally breathe again.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I murmur, unable to take my eyes off of her.

She’s wearing a black one-piece pant suit, and the entire top section is made of portions of see-through lace that teases the tan skin and nude bra beneath. Her hair is down, hanging in big waves nearly to her ass. Sy’s hand absently grips the long strands, softly wrapping it around and around his fist. Need shoots to my core before a low rumble rattles my chest.

The Beta smirks.

“Hi, Flint,” she says softly.

It’s so unlike her usual bold attitude that I ache for her. She’s worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, and I realize she’s nervous. While I understand Nix’s line of thinking, it didn’t occur to me that she might think we’ve changed our minds even though that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“How have you been, baby doll?” Nixon asks, his voice low and husky.

“Good. Really good, actually. I…um… Well, I missed you guys.”

Give her something, dumbass, I demand silently.

I’m staring into the worried eyes of our every wish come true, willing her to see just how much she means to us. Hoping she can look past the tense shoulders and hungry stares to the hearts within that are dying without her.

“We missed you too, honey bear,” Raff finally says, shooting us both a glare. “You can’t begin to understand how good it is to see you tonight.”

“It’s good to see you too.”

There’s a few beats of silence, with none of us sure where to go from here, before she straightens her shoulders and steps out of the safety of Sy’s grasp. There she is. My gorgeous, fearless Omega. It’s good to see that spark lighting up her eyes and the strength she so effortlessly exudes peering back at all of us—especially when we’re acting like a bunch of pussies.

“I meant every word I said out there. I’m sorry. For everything. If I could take it all back…” She exhales harshly, shoring herself up before she continues, a solitary tear rolling down her cheek. It damn near wrecks me. “Honestly, I wouldn’t. Literally everything that happened up to this moment right here is what needed to happen to make me whole. I am who I am, and I’ve come to accept that my flaws are just as much a part of me as my sarcasm or the mole above my lip. But I am sorry that you all got caught in the crossfire of my own demolition and reconstruction. You didn’t sign up for any of that, and it literally kills me, knowing that I caused you even a millisecond of pain. I wouldn’t blame you if you said that whatever you felt for me no longer exists. I wouldn’t even blame you if you said you never wanted to see me again. I’d deserve it all, but I’m just hoping that you might be willing to give me a second chance. Let me prove to you that I’m worth it. That I’m?—”

“Elliott…” Nixon barks. She stares back at him, her big eyes full of apology and worry. “You’ve always been worth it, baby doll. That’s never been in question.”

“I just want the chance to make things up to you. Want to show you that I’m in this one hundred percent—if you’ll take me back, that is.”

“Sweetheart, there’s no taking you back…” I step toward her, needing to ground myself by touching her soft skin. I reach for her hand, tangling our fingers together. “We never let you go in the first place.”

“But—”

“No buts, honey bear. You're ours now. You said it yourself in front of an arena full of fans. Can’t renege now.”

Raff’s large hand wraps around the back of her neck, pulling her mouth to his in a rough kiss. She makes this sound in the back of her throat that has me wishing we were anywhere but in this hallway right now. Her scent is rich and sweet, more vanilla cream than orange, and I swear I’m on the verge of doing something seriously stupid right here in the tunnel.

“We need to get out of here,” Nixon mutters, his desperate eyes meeting mine.

“I’ve got the keys to the Range Rover. Should we take our Omega home?” Sy suggests with a pointed glance at each of us.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” I agree, eyeing my Beta with approving eyes.

I didn’t miss the fact that his hair is tousled and his lips are slightly pink. Guess he and Elle had their own little make-up session before we got here. Makes me wish we were already somewhere with a soft bed and privacy so I could officially take what’s mine.

“I’ve got dibs on the Omega,” Nixon snarls, pulling Elle from Raff’s arms and tossing her over his shoulder.

He heads for the exit, and from where she hangs, Elliott’s stunned but amused eyes meet mine. “I should complain right now about how barbaric and sexist this is, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to work out in my favor. So, by all means, please proceed.”

Raff chuckles. “Oh, babe. You have no idea what you’ve got yourself into here. You’ll be lucky to make it out of the car without a bite mark.”

Her mouth drops open, and I wait for the panic or fear to come. But it doesn’t. Instead, she looks so fucking sure that my heart is ready to leap out of my chest and hand it over to her right here.

“That may not be the most romantic proposal I’ve ever had…”

“What? Being bonded in the middle of the freeway in the cramped seat of an SUV doesn’t sound romantic to you?” Raff jokes.

She chuckles. “But I’ll take it if it means I get to be yours.”

Nixon and Raff both growl, the larger Alpha swatting her ass hard. “You’ll be lucky if we even make it out of the parking lot at this rate.”

He carries her out the door, the click of the locks audible in the quiet of the lot. Nixon easily maneuvers Elle off his shoulder and into his arms as he climbs into the back. Raff is already closing the door behind him on the passenger side as Sy heads for the driver’s seat. Before he can get in, I grab his hand and close the distance between us.

His eyes connect with mine. “I’ve got this. Go be with them.”

I stare at my Beta, the man who somehow managed to hold us together even when we were thousands of miles apart. Who’s willing to drive a bunch of horny Alphas home so they can claim their girl. Who is so selfless and caring that he’d put himself last.

Damn, I love him.

And I need him to know how much.

“Don’t think Elliott’s the only one getting bonded tonight. If you have any hesitations, better tell me now because the second we get home, you’re both mine.”

He smiles, stepping into me. “I’ve been yours this entire time. Why would I stop you from making it official?”

“I fucking love you, Sy.” Smashing our lips together, I kiss him like it’s the first time all over again.

“I love you too, Alpha,” he murmurs against my lips.

With a sigh, I withdraw so I can meet his eyes. “I’m sitting up front with you. I’ll never be able to keep my teeth off her if I’m back there, and I want to bond you both together.”

“Yes, Alpha.” He drops one last kiss on my lips. “Now get in the car before we get arrested for indecent exposure.”

In seconds, I’m climbing into the passenger seat, and Sy starts the car. The SUV pulls out of the parking space before I hear the tear of fabric in the backseat. When I glance over my shoulder, I groan.

Hopefully Sy breaks every speed limit there is between here and home because with Elle’s naked ass inches from my reach, I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold back much longer.