Page 42 of Through Any Fire (Any x #1)

W ith a startle, I realize it’s Cal behind the gun.

A black SUV sidles up next to mine, and he looks in the car, noting Alice knocked out in the passenger seat.

He puts his gun away, and through the rain and wind, Cal gestures wildly for me to pull over.

The tight coil that’s been wrapped around my chest loosens.

Pull over, he mouths again.

I look around for the nearest stop and spot a parking garage at the end of the street. I drive toward it, my foot shaking on the gas pedal as Cal falls in line behind me.

The garage is dark, with flickering fluorescent lights that only show how badly in need of repair it is. There are a few scattered cars, but for it being almost two in the morning, it’s fairly empty.

I pull into a spot, throw the car into park, and turn to Alice. She trembles in her sleep, mumbling something under her breath. I press a gentle hand to her shoulder, but she doesn’t wake.

“Alice, it’s okay. We’re safe now. See?”

Alice doesn’t move. Something shatters inside me as I watch her shake and tremble. Doing the only thing I can think of, I crank the heater to warm her. The motel room was freezing, and I don’t know how long they held her there.

My door is yanked open, and Cal’s furious face appears next to mine. His gaze flicks over to Alice, softening for only a moment. When it slices back to me, all his anger rushes to the surface.

“Get out,” he hisses. Steam practically billows from his nostrils as I climb out of the sports car. He shuts the door with more force than necessary, the slam echoing around the quiet garage.

I grab his arm to tug him away from the car. “Was that necessary? She’s been through hell and doesn’t need you scaring her.”

A throbbing vein appears in Cal’s neck, his face flushing with anger.

For the first time since he appeared, I get a good look at him.

He’s soaked, his black T-shirt is filthy and stained in some spots.

Blood . His hair is windblown, like he was in a speed chase.

On his left shoulder, my eyes zero in on a bloodied tear through his shirt.

“What happened?” I ask as I reach for his arm.

He allows me to pull him closer, his chest heaving with rage as I inspect the wound.

“It’s just a graze.”

It’s just a graze , he says as blood drips all over his arm.

“ Again , I ask. What happened?”

“I should ask you the same thing.” His thumb wipes away the drying blood on my temple, and I wince. There’s a low throb, but I ignore it.

We’re a macabre picture: bloody and soaked in the middle of an empty parking garage .

Cal rolls his shoulder, tugging his arm from my grip. Then he crowds into my space, his heated gaze flicking over my face, then my body. His eyes narrow at the rip in my dress, where Peter almost succeeded in his vile plan.

“I think I should ask you that,” he grinds out between clenched teeth.

I stammer, gaze dragging back to the car where Alice lays. “He had her. Peter. He said to come alone.”

Cal tips my head back, and his heated gaze drags over me.

There must be some bruising already showing on my neck, and my temple throbs.

I swallow thickly, and he releases my face.

The past few hours have been an out-of-body experience, and my mouth flops open, but no words follow.

I look back over to the car. “Alice needs a doctor. Right now.”

Cal exhales deeply, his chin dropping to his chest. Then he waves to the SUV. Matthias hops out. His trained eyes scan the garage as his long strides reach us in no time.

“Get Alice and our guest to the hospital.”

Matthias stills. “You’ll be on your own, Cal.”

Callahan just waves him off, eyes never leaving mine. “Did you end it?”

I know what he’s asking. Did I kill Peter? I nod solemnly, but the guilt never comes. I killed a man tonight, and yet…I’m glad he’s dead. My fingers twitch where they held onto the lamp, and Cal doesn’t miss a beat. He grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together and squeezing my palm.

“Park Ave Motel. Room 324.”

Then he looks to Matthias and nods. “We’re fine for now. Get her to St. Thomas. Call Everett on the way and have him clean up the scene at the motel room. ”

Matthias looks between us, a pinch between his brow.

But he turns on his heel without argument and quietly opens the door.

He gently slides his arms under Alice’s trembling form.

Her head lolls backward; she’s completely unconscious as he carries her to the back seat of the SUV.

A woman I don’t recognize hops out to give Matthias room for Alice, and then she slides into the passenger seat.

Matthias drapes Alice’s unconscious body along the seat, her head laying gently on Cohen’s lap.

He looks down at her with such sadness that my own heart breaks.

I have so many questions. I don’t recognize half the people in the car, but no one looks like they need medical attention. So, who is Cal’s guest ?

Matthias jumps into the driver’s seat. The tires squeal as he peels out of the parking lot.

When we’re alone, Cal takes another step into my space, forcing me to take a step back.

He hunts me, predatory and calculated, until my back presses against the cold concrete wall.

Cal lifts a bloodied hand to sweep a lock of wet hair behind my ear.

I suck in a breath. I knew he’d hate that I left, that I went on my own to meet Peter, just like I know he’s going to unleash his fury on me any moment.

Cal leans forward, and the heat of his body warms my exposed skin. My nipples pebble under my satin dress, scraping against the fabric as his chest grazes mine.

“I’m not even going to ask why you did it,” he starts, voice low and rumbling out of his chest, “because I know why. There’s little that would stop you from protecting those you care about.”

I nod, never breaking his eye contact. His hand lands on the wall next to my face, caging me in and offering no escape from his fury.

“But that doesn’t mean you should’ve gone alone. You should’ve called me, Ren. Why didn’t you call me?” His eyes plead with me for an answer, but I don’t have one.

“He gave me twenty minutes to get to the motel. There was no time.”

“There is always time. When it’s your life on the line, I will always make time. I would’ve let the entire mission fail, lost every single one of my men and every single one of those women, burned every single bridge I had to ensure your safety.”

His breaths come out heavy and hot as the air heats between us.

“Cal,” I whisper, the words trembling out of me. “I’m okay. It was touch and go there for a second”—his nostrils flare, but I continue anyway—“but I did it. I’m not the girl you used to know. I can take care of myself.”

Cal scoffs, but I see the pride warring with concern behind his brown eyes.

As much as he must hate to admit it, I’m not the fragile teen he once knew.

Then his gaze dips to my lips and over my body.

He tsks as he takes in my satin dress. It’s short, torn at the hem where Peter almost ripped it off.

Callahan’s jaw clenches, and his hands slide down my body, landing on my thighs.

The memory of Peter’s grip burns, but Cal’s touch already chases it away. My lower lip trembles, and Cal catches the movement. His brow furrows. The sudden realization of how close I came to giving up, to giving in…

Cal must sense that I’m about to break—in a blink, he whirls me around. My hands fly to the concrete wall to steady myself, and I twist my head over my shoulder. Cal’s hands squeeze my thighs, bunching the material.

“And this is the dress you wore? In your twenty minutes to get to the motel? ”

It works. His jealousy over the dress I picked out for him distracts me from my panic, and the thought sends a spark of electricity down to my core.

I arch my back the slightest degree. The adrenaline rush, coupled with the kiss we shared earlier, melts into a heady combination, and the low heat between my legs turns scorching.

Cal chuckles, fully aware of his effect on me. A firm hand draws circles on my inner thighs, chasing away more of Peter’s touch. Cal pushes me further against the wall of the parking garage. His body crowds mine, the heat from his attention intoxicating as my head tips against his shoulder.

“Are you trying to kill me?” The words slip out on a pained groan as one massive hand grips my waist, pulling my ass against his firm cock.

It’s a delicious tease, feeling the promise behind his combat trousers. I huff a laugh. “If I wanted you dead, I would’ve smothered you in your sleep already.”

His grip tightens on my hip, and he laughs. The sinful sound reverberates throughout the garage while the rain patters outside.

“Loren, you’ve been tempting me with death since you were sixteen. And I’m tired of pretending like you haven’t.” With each word, his hands travel between my legs, finding that aching spot and circling with a rhythm that rapidly builds the pleasure curling inside me.

I burn for his touch, arching my backside, silently begging him not to stop.

He doesn’t. Instead, his lips find my neck, and he lathers kisses until he reaches my ear. Gentle nibbles on my lobe drive me wild, and his heated breath groaning in my ear as I whimper only serves to spin me higher.

“God, you drive me crazy. ”

I bite my lip and try to hold back my groan, but it still threatens to slip out.

“We’re alone now, Bunny. Let me hear you.” Another suckle on the soft skin behind my ear, and I follow his command, a rough moan echoing in the garage. His fingers circle faster, my pulse quickening as I near that edge.

As I ramp up to throw myself over, Cal freezes.

The burn between my legs sputters out as my eyes rip open.

I try to turn myself around, but he pins me in place, ruffling up my dress so it’s shucked around my hips.

I hear a clink of a belt buckle and the rip of a zipper moments before the blunt tip of his cock slides over my thong.

It’s soaked through, and he smears my wetness over his cock, shoving the material aside and slamming into me to the hilt.

I groan, the fullness stretching me in a way I hadn’t felt in so long—too long.

“God, you’re so tight.” He groans. “Fuck, I’ve missed you.” His words are said with reverence, as if I am the only deity he worships.

I lose myself to his rhythm, forgetting altogether that we’re in a goddamn parking garage, as Cal thrusts into me.

A hand slips the strap of my dress down, exposing my left breast to the chilly air.

He circles my pointed nipple with an expert touch, tugging on it and flicking the nub until he grasps my entire breast in his hand, using it as a handle as he rides me from behind.

“Cal,” I whimper, the ache between my legs spurning me higher and higher.

He hears my plea and slips a hand through the trimmed hair on my pussy to strum my clit.

The palms of my hands scrape against the concrete wall with each snap of his hips as he rocks into me, but I can’t find it in me to care.

It only takes another few thrusts before I’m quivering, ready to explode on his cock.

“Ren.” My name is a prayer on his lips, and it’s all it takes for me to burst, coming on his cock with a cry as his hips sputter.

Two more pumps, and he explodes inside me, falling on top of me as we press against the wall together.

His heavy breath washes over my heated face, and I can’t help but smile.

A breath later, he pulls himself from me with a hiss. I look around to the car that’s several feet away and groan.

“Not ten seconds after I’ve finished inside of you, and you’re upset with me. Seems to be a record.”

I turn around and roll my eyes, but Cal isn’t focused on my face.

His predatory gaze swipes over my flushed skin, the sheen of sweat on my collarbone, my exposed breast and rosy chest, and lastly—the cum dripping between my legs.

I gesture toward the trail of his orgasm.

“That’s why. And we didn’t even use a condom.

” If it weren’t for my surgically implanted IUD, I’d be worried about the risk of pregnancy, but knowing his colorful history—my stomach sours—an STD isn’t entirely ruled out just yet.

“I need a tissue, please. Are there any in the car?”

A gleam shines behind his brown eyes, and he takes another step into my space, head tilted and smiling deviously.

“You are my wife , Loren. If you think I’m letting you clean my cum from your skin, you’d be wrong.

” As he speaks, his hand slides up my thigh, rubbing his orgasm into my skin like it was lotion.

“And if you think I’m taking this pussy any way but bare, you’ll be sorely mistaken. ”

A flurry erupts low in my belly at the possessive motion, and I gasp. With careful steps, he guides me back to the Corvette. He only stops to lift me onto the hood. It’s warm against my thighs, but I welcome the heat.

Cal slams his lips to mine, raising his hand to the apex of my thighs and circling my clit once again.

The leftover tremors from my earlier orgasm have me extra sensitive, my body putty under his command.

He works me higher and tighter, fusing our mouths together all the while.

When I’m about to come for the second time, he pulls away from my face, still circling my clit.

I’m panting on top of the Corvette, eyes drooping with lust as Cal licks his lips.

He kisses me again. “Tell me,” he whispers against my lips, pushing his cum back inside me with his sinewy fingers. “Tell me who this pussy belongs to.”

I gasp, the sensations too much for me to handle. I squeeze my eyes shut as my hips thrust into the palm of his hand.

“Tell me, wife .” His words are hissed through clenched teeth, and my eyes part to find him wholly focused on my every whimper.

“You. It belongs to you,” I groan.

Cal curls his lips into a sensual smile. “And who am I?” His touch never slows, never falters.

When I fly off the edge, the only words I scream are, “My husband.”