Page 138 of Thunder's Reckoning

I eased her back into the mattress, careful of the bandage on her shoulder but otherwise losin’ any sense of control I thought I had. My hands mapped her skin, greedy, reverent, terrified and starvin’ all at once. She whispered my name against my mouth, and I groaned, teeth catchin’ on her throat, draggin’ a gasp from her that shot fire straight through me.

Clothes? They didn’t stand a chance. My hands were clumsy, hers impatient, both of us pullin’ and tearin’ until there wasn’t nothin’ left between us but skin slick with heat.

“Zeke,” she breathed, her voice tremblin’ like she was both scared and needin’ at the same time. “Please.”

That broke me wide open.

I pushed into her slow, deep, watchin’ her eyes go wide, her lips partin’ on a cry that was half pain, half salvation. My forehead dropped to hers, breath shudderin’ out as I filled her. Felt like I’d been wanderin’ blind my whole damn life, and she was the only place I was ever meant to land.

Her legs wrapped around me, draggin’ me closer, and I moved, slow at first, then harder when she met me with the same fire. Every thrust was a vow, every groan a prayer I didn’t know how to speak. She clung to me, nails draggin’ down my back, gasps spillin’ into my mouth as I took her over and over, starvin’ for every sound, every tremor that proved she was alive.

“I love you,” I growled against her neck, my voice so rough it barely sounded human. “Ain’t nobody takin’ you from me again. Not him. Not the fire. Not the goddamn past. You hear me?”

“Yes,” she gasped, archin’ into me, eyes shinin’ with tears that weren’t fear anymore. “I hear you. I’ll always love you.”

I damn near lost it then, but I held on, drivin’ her higher, lettin’ the rhythm slow when she broke apart beneath me—body shakin’, voice cryin’ my name like it was the only word she knew.

I followed her down, hard and fast, my release rippin’ through me so fierce I buried my shout in her neck, holdin’ her tight enough to bruise. It wasn’t just lust. It was survival. A claim carved deeper than skin.

We stayed tangled, my body coverin’ hers, our hearts poundin’ wild together like war drums finally easin’ into somethin’ steady.

I kissed her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth, softer now, slowin’ down like I was afraid to spook her. She stroked my hair back, her touch gentle where mine had been rough, and it near undid me all over again.

“You’re safe now, darlin’,” I whispered, lettin’ the words spill against her lips like an oath. “I’ve got you. You’re home.”

For the first time since the fire, I felt her body ease against mine, not afraid, not fightin’, not just survivin’.

Just alive.

I didn’t move for a long damn time. Couldn’t. My chest was still heavin’, my body wrung out, and yet I felt like if I shifted even an inch, I might shatter whatever fragile peace had just settled between us.

Her hand stayed tangled in my hair, fingertips pressin’ soft against my scalp, anchorin’ me there. Her skin was damp, warm, alive. I listened to the sound of her breath, steadyin’ by the second, and let it stitch me back together piece by piece.

Christ, she was still here.

I rolled us gentle, pullin’ her on top so I could see her face in the low light. She was so fucking beautiful. My woman. The mother of my heart’s only family.

“You hurtin’?” I asked, brushin’ my thumb across the cut on her shoulder, careful as hell not to press too hard.

She shook her head, hair spillin’ over her cheek, lips curvin’ soft. “Not anymore.”

Those two words near broke me worse than the fight ever had.

I cupped her face, lettin’ my calloused hand frame her softness, and kissed her slow this time. Not desperate. Not wild. Just steady. Like I had all the time in the world now that she was safe in my arms.

She sighed against my mouth, meltin’ into me, and for the first time since the nightmare started, I believed we would actually make it through.

Her eyes fluttered shut, lashes brushin’ my cheek as she pressed close, and I felt her weight get heavier, her body finally givin’ in to the exhaustion she’d been fightin’.

“Sleep, darlin’,” I whispered, strokin’ her back in long, easy passes. “Nobody’s hurtin’ you now. Not while I’m breathin’.”

Her lips moved against my chest, the faintest murmur of my name—Zeke—like it was a prayer. Then she went quiet.

I stayed awake. Couldn’t do otherwise. Just lay there with her curled into me, starin’ at the dark ceiling, listenin’ to the faint sounds of the clubhouse, boots on the floorboards, muffled voices, the world still turnin’.

But in that room, it was just us.

I pressed my mouth to her hair, breathin’ her in, lettin’ the scent of her skin wash out the smoke and blood that still clung to me. My chest ached somethin’ fierce, but it wasn’t fear anymore. It was the weight of realizin’ just how close I’d come to losin’ the only woman I’d ever truly loved.