Page 32

Maxen twirls and dances around the man, his blade flashing in the light, an extension of his arm.

His movements are fluid and brutal as he plays with his kill.

Maxen opens small cuts on the man as he goes until the man eventually drops to the floor, either from pain or blood loss.

The man’s fingers grasp at the gravel and sand as he tries to drag his body away.

Maxen watches me as he skewers the man trying to crawl away, his eyes locked on mine as he twists his sword into the flesh beneath him.

The man's death cries fill the air as does the scent of piss and shit. Maxen’s hair streams past him and in this moment, I lose myself to the warrior that is Maxen.

When I offer no judgement or protest, just simple acceptance, his stance loosens and he prowls towards me.

Blood smatters one cheek and a cut weeps on his pec.

His hair curls around his shoulders, darkened with his sweat from battle.

His obsidian eyes darken with need as I stay rooted to the spot.

I've never seen anything so glorious, so formidable and he's all mine.

When he reaches me, he grabs my waist, and uncaring about the blood, smashes his lips to mine ferociously.

I wrap my legs around his waist and grab his hair, pushing my fingers through the long locks as I give as good as I get.

My cheek hurts as our faces hit together, the pain and pleasure mixing together as he grips my ass and massages.

He shoves his tongue in my mouth as we duel for control.

Pulling back, he nips at my lip and lowers his head to mine, leaving our swollen lips inches apart. His wild eyes watching me.

“Fuck, if I had less control I would throw you to the ground and fuck you right now.”

My pussy clenches and I’m tempted to dare him to do it but Thorn’s yell interrupts. I sigh and unwrap my legs. He lets go, letting me slide down his body to the floor, his hard, slick muscles sliding seductively against me.

“Later,” I promise.

“Later.”

We both turn to the others to see Thorn yank the arm of a boy no older than eighteen from inside the darkened pass. He throws him on the ground in disgust in front of me.

“The rest are dead, I found this one hiding like a coward in the tunnel.”

The boy cries, snot and tears mixing on his pale face. Ruby red hair sticks up in a small mohawk and he has both eyebrows pierced. His green eyes meet mine in desperation as his bottom lip trembles. Sighing, I crouch in front of him. He flinches back, watching me like an executioner.

“Why did you attack us?” I ask gently. Killing men who attack me is one thing, but I can't kill a scared boy just because he was part of it. Especially when he is offering me no violence.

“S-sor-ry.” He cries before scrubbing at his red puffy eyes. He’s shirtless and I can see the ‘R’ carved above his heart. Fucking Reeves.

“Why are the Reeves after me?” I add a threat to my voice, hoping I don’t have to carry through.

“Tt-hey aren’t.”

Getting annoyed, I snarl. He jumps back and lets out a cry.

“Fuck kid, I'm not going to hurt you okay? I just need to know why you attacked us.” I scrub my head before sitting down, crossed legged in front of him.

“You-u won’t h-hurt me?” He asks.

“No. ”

“Why?” I sigh. Why indeed.

“Because you’re a kid. Because I'm betting this wasn't your idea. Because you could have tried to kill my man there but you didn’t.”

“There's a bounty on your head.” His words rush out and then he waits like a slave waits for the whip to crack.

“Shit. The Reeves took the bounty?”

He shakes his head and watches me, calming slightly when I don’t move.

“No. T-Man said Reeves wouldn’t find out about it. We were warned not to fuck with you or with Berserkers, but Reeves is on his way to The Ring and T-Man wanted to make some money.” I’m guessing T-Man was the leader of this little group.

“So Reeves has nothing to do with this?” he nods as I gesture round at the bodies. “And these are the only ones who took the bounty?” he nods again.

“The rest are loyal to Reeves or you. T-Man always wanted more yanoe.” He rubs his fingers together, not bothering to finish his sentence.

“Okay, kid, anything else?” He thinks about it, his eyes clouding in concentration before shaking his head.

“Okay, head to the Ring and tell Reeves what happened. Tell him to clean his clan up before I get back or I will.” He jumps up, nodding as he goes, his lanky body swaying.

“No problem.” He scuttles away before stopping. “Oh, erm I wasn't supposed to hear but the Berserkers are heading to Seekers territory looking for you, so you should be okay this way.” I smile at him before he sprints to the closest bike and speeds away.

“Well, at least one thing is going our way.” I heave myself up and turn to my men.

“We grab anything we can use and keep going. We aren’t stopping until the sun sets.

” Drax groans, but winks at me. Jax walks towards me as the others pack up some food and weapons and load our bikes.

He slides his finger along the cut on my cheek gently.

“Too close, way too close, little warrior,” he says softly.

I place my hand over his, making him hold my face. I nod, shaken now that the adrenaline has left my body. He’s right, it was too close and this was supposed to be the easy bit of the mission.

We’re all wound tight the rest of the journey, the landscape changing as we ride cautiously.

The kid might have lied to us or maybe he was telling the truth, either way, I'm not taking the chance. We ride past buildings, destroyed bridges, even what once was a loch. Exhaustion courses through my body, but I push on until the sun dies and the moon and stars shine. The temperature cools enough to be comfortable and with a grumble, I pull up next to a broken building. From what I can see, the roof is completely gone and one of the outer walls has a huge hole in it, but it’s better than sleeping outside.

We park our bikes out back and silently unload, all of us lost in our thoughts.

I slide inside, the moon allowing me to see.

Rubble and debris fill the floor apart from one sheltered corner.

I drop my bags there and lean against the wall.

“Okay, I want two on watch at all times. One at the hole, one at the door. We can have a quick meal. No fire to cook anything, as we don’t want to draw attention, then we bed down, switching every three.

Get as much sleep as you can. We leave at first sun's rays.” With that, I drop to my ass and pull the food from my bag.

We sit in a circle and share it between us, the glances heating and the touches prolonged until my body screams at me to rest. Thorn must sense it as he smiles gently at me.

“Maxen and me will take first, then switch out with the twins.”

I go to protest when he covers my mouth with his hand.

“You're injured, let us do this one thing for you.” Stopping myself from licking his palm, I nod and he smiles brightly at me.

“Get some sleep, sweetheart.” He kisses me gently before heaving himself up and disappearing to the front door.

Maxen stands and stretches, my eyes automatically checking him out.

He winks before leaning in and kissing my head.

“Be good, Mi Alma.” Then he disappears as well.

I roll my eyes and pull my jacket from my bag and use it as a pillow.

Jax and Drax move about, getting ready as I curl on my side facing the opening and close my eyes.

A body slips behind me and one in front.

An arm from behind slips under my neck and one around my waist pulling me close.

A hard warm body meets my back. I squint my eyes and look into Drax’s.

He winks before turning over, giving me his back.

He wiggles closer and sighs when I bury my face in it.

Draping my arm around his waist, I hug him to me.

“Good night, little warrior,” Jax whispers into my hair. I fall asleep smiling.

I’m so tired that I don’t even wake fully when they change over, only enough to roll off Jax's arm and onto Maxen’s waiting chest. Thorn leans on my back, his head heavy in a good way as I sprawl on Maxen.

“Go back to sleep, Mi Alma.”

“What does that mean?” I ask groggily. He kisses my head and hums .

“It means ‘my heart’.” A goofy grin breaks out and I bury my face in his wide chest to hide it. He laughs and Thorn groans before smacking my ass.

“Sleep.”

And I do.

Sun shines into my eyes, stirring me from a nightmare-less sleep.

I blink as Thorn’s snoring face comes into focus in front of me, his skin shimmering in the beam of sunlight making its way through the hole.

My head is cushioned on Maxen’s arm where he's wrapped around me. Thorn’s legs are trapping mine and our hands are entwined over my heart.

I know I should move, we need to leave after all, but I find myself watching him, until he swallows and his eyes crack open, I know I should be embarrassed watching him like a creeper but maybe Dray’s ways are rubbing off on me.

He smiles sleepily at me, his eyes almost closed and my breath catches. He's beautiful, not something I would call a man but it suits him. Even the scar in his eyebrow doesn’t detract from that, only making me more attracted to him.

“Mornin’, baby girl.” His voice is rough from sleep.

“Morning,” I whisper.

He drags me out of Maxen’s arms who moans and rolls over, giving his back to us. Our faces are inches away as we look at each other, smiling.

“I'd be happy waking up every day to your beautiful face. You're in here,” he thumps his chest and then holds my hand over his heart “deep, Tazanna Worth.” The openness on his face almost undoes me and I remember Jax’s words.

He said Thorn was my softness. Maybe he's right because suddenly words spill out of my mouth.

“You found the heart I didn’t even know I had anymore. I have rough edges, big guy. I'm angry, sarcastic, and always see the worst in people. How can I be good enough for you four, for each of you?” My insecurities raise their ugly head but I know I need his answer.

“You might be all of those things but you’re also kind, caring, and you try to save everyone, even when you know you shouldn’t.

You let us in despite everything you’ve been through and fought through nightmares so bad most would die or give up.

You're so strong and so brave. It's us who aren’t good enough for you, but we will never give you up. Your ours, baby. We never want anyone to hide behind us. Seeing you there next to us, riding into battle with you leading us. Your dad was wrong. You’re not a princess, you’re a fucking queen.

Your darkness is how you survived and you don’t see yourself clearly at all.

I'd happily die for you, Taz, but more importantly, I’d live for you. ”

Noah’s sorrow and death come to my mind, how angry I was that he didn’t fight anymore. That he could leave me so easily. Looking into Thorn’s eyes, I know he’s right. He would die protecting me, but he would always fight with everything in him to get to my side again. Something Noah would never do.

“You're just now letting yourself feel, to find out who you really are after you’ve been hiding it all your life.

I can't wait for that day where you embrace every part of you, darkness and all. You'd be unstoppable, a woman who knows when to give mercy, but also when to take it. One willing to fight, or to die for her friends and people. Feeling fear or happiness doesn’t make you weak, they make you stronger than ever.”

Leaning forward, I brush my lips over his. We keep the kiss soft and light. I pull back and look into his shining eyes.

“Thank you, for staying with me.”

He kisses my forehead, each cheek and my lips softly.

“Always, baby girl.”

After mine and Thorn's heart to heart, I wake Maxen and we all have a quick breakfast. I can see the lack of sleep weighing on the guys, but they are in surprisingly good moods and so am I.

We laugh and joke through breakfast and even as we pack up.

When I sit astride my bike, they all drop quick kisses on my lips before mounting theirs. With a smile, we set off for day two.