Page 24

24: Thorne

The drive back is quiet. Not tense, not weird—just a lot to process. Oregon’s night stretches ahead of us, dark and endless, the headlights cutting through the mist rolling off the roads. The SUV hums beneath my hands, but my grip is tighter than it needs to be.

We should be celebrating. We just walked away from Diablo’s crumbling empire, untouched, taking his best men with us. He didn’t try to stop us. He couldn’t.

And yet, I still feel wired, like we’re not out of the fire yet.

Tori sits in the passenger seat, her head tilted against the window, fingers tapping absently against her thigh. She hasn’t said much since we left.

Since she flipped the script and changed everything.

I still don’t know how to feel about that. We were supposed to stay. To take over. That’s what we fought for. Then, in one breath, Tori made the call to leave it behind. And the crazy thing is, she was right.

The moment I heard her say it, I knew. Taking over Diablo’s empire would’ve meant living in his world, fighting his wars, keeping his ghosts alive. And that’s not us. It’s not her.

California is. That’s where we rebuild. That’s where we make something bigger. Ours .

I pull the SUV into the driveway, cutting the engine. Tori sighs, stretching her arms above her head before pushing open the door .

“Alright,” she says, not looking back. “You can chew me out inside. Let's go talk.”

Blaze, Ryder, and I exchange a glance before following her inside. Gabe lingers for a second, like he’s giving us space even though we know he's not.

Inside, the place is quiet, untouched by everything we just did. Tori drops onto the couch, stretching out like she's the only one who needs to sit. Blaze perches on the arm of the chair next to her, silent, watching. Ryder drops into the seat across from her, spinning a knife between his fingers.

I stay standing. Not because I don’t want to sit, but because I need to move.

Blaze exhales. “So.” His voice is even, controlled. “You sure about this?”

Tori doesn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I am.”

Ryder tilts his head, tapping the blade against his knee. “Not gonna lie, KitKat, you threw us for a hell of a loop back there.”

Tori snorts. “Yeah? Imagine being me.”

Blaze gives her a flat look. “That’s not an answer, Doll.”

She sighs, rubbing a hand over her face. “Look, I went in there, ready to take it all. Diablo’s men, his empire, the whole damn operation. I thought that was the only way to win. But standing there, looking at him, it hit me.” She leans forward, elbows on her knees. “I didn’t want it. Any of it.”

I cross my arms. “What changed?”

She hesitates. Just for a second.

Then, she exhales, and I see it—the moment she settles into her decision, the weight of it fully hers.

“If I took his empire, I’d be stuck in his world,” she says. “His enemies, his battles, his rules. It would never really be mine. I’d just be another version of him, wearing his crown.” Her gaze sharpens. “And I’d rather burn it to the ground than become him. ”

Ryder lets out a low whistle. “Damn.”

Blaze nods once, a slow, measured thing. I can tell he’s still processing, but he gets it.

And yeah. I get it too.

She looks at me, like she’s waiting for me to argue, but I don’t. Instead, I ask, “And California?”

Tori leans back, smirking. “We take our people, we go home, and we build something bigger.”

Gabe steps forward then, voice even. “It’s the right call.”

Blaze glances at him, brows raised.

Gabe shrugs. “I will talk to Juan. Smooth things over. I’ll get him to meet us in California with the other men who are loyal. No stragglers.”

Blaze lets out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright. We do this. We go back.” His jaw tightens. “I’ll call Marcus. If we’re making a move this big, we need him on board.”

Tori almost lets out a giggle. “Think he’ll be excited?”

Blaze snorts. “I think he’ll need a drink.”

That settles it. We’re doing this. And, if I’m being honest? It feels right.

No second-guessing. No unease in my gut. Just the kind of clarity that doesn’t come often.

Tori groans, stretching again. “I swear to God, I still smell like blood and gunpowder.” She wrinkles her nose. “I’m showering before I start feeling like a crime scene.”

She stands, already heading for the hallway. I don’t think about it. I just move. And so do Blaze and Ryder.

She slows when she notices all three of us trailing her, glancing back with an arched brow. “What, you think I need supervision now?”

Ryder grins. “Nah, baby. Just making sure you get real clean . ”

Blaze shakes his head, muttering something under his breath, but he doesn’t stop walking.

Neither do I. We’re going home. But right now?

Tori comes first.

Tori doesn’t stop walking. She doesn’t speed up either. Just keeps moving, her pace measured, but I see it—the way her shoulders tense, the way her fingers twitch like she wants to reach for something, like she’s already bracing herself for us.

She knows what’s coming.

She wants it.

I can feel it in the way her breath hitches, the way her heartbeat isn’t slow, isn’t calm.

We follow her through the hallway, the air thick with something more than just post-battle adrenaline. It’s need. It’s the unspoken truth that we made it out of that war alive, together, and now we need to remind ourselves—physically, thoroughly, deeply—that we still have each other.

Tori reaches the bathroom and flicks on the light, the brightness spilling into the dim hallway, casting sharp shadows against the walls. She moves to the tub, turns the faucet, lets the water run.

I close the door behind us, locking it. All the while, she watches me in the mirror, her lips parting slightly, her eyes dark and knowing.

Ryder’s the first to move, his hands firm on her hips as he presses against her. His voice is low, teasing, but there’s heat beneath it, a dark edge of possession. “Are you up for some company, KitKat?”

Tori’s grin is sharp, a challenge in itself. “I let you follow me in here, didn’t I?”

Ryder smiles against her neck, nipping at her skin. “Yeah. You did.”

I'm next, my fingers trailing up her arm, my touch barely there but enough to send a shiver down her spine. My lips brush just below her ear. “You still smell like blood. ”

Tori exhales, letting her head hang as she starts to unwind. “Then clean me up.”

She barely has time to react before I grip her chin, tilting her head toward me as I crash my mouth against hers. She opens for me instantly, her fingers sliding into my hair, gripping, holding on. Her breath catches sharply, a tiny gasp escaping between our lips.

Ryder tears her away from me, turning her as he palms the back of her thighs and lifts her onto the counter in one smooth motion, knowing exactly what she needs. He leans in, teeth grazing along her collarbone, leaving a trail that makes her shiver.

Tori's eyes are hooded and heavy, a soft sigh slipping through her parted lips. Ryder doesn’t waste the invitation, his mouth brushing against her exposed neck, leaving a slow, teasing trail of kisses along her skin.

“I think I like this new strategy of yours,” Ryder murmurs against her skin, pure amusement coloring his voice. “You know, taking down crime lords, stealing their armies. Sexy as hell, KitKat.”

She rolls her eyes but leans into him anyway, fingers brushing absently over his forearm. “Glad you approve.”

Blaze moves quietly as he sets his gun down on the counter with a soft click before heading to the tub to shut the water off. He shifts closer, his eyes dark and intense, studying her in a way that screams he wants to pleasure her just right.

He steps in closer, positioning himself to the right of Ryder. His fingers slide beneath the hem of her shirt, dragging it upward inch by slow inch. Tori lifts her arms without protest, the fabric hitting the floor beside us. Ryder’s hands instantly slip over the exposed skin of her waist, teasing her in a way he knows will drive her fucking crazy.

“Impatient, Ryder?” Blaze murmurs, voice low, amused, eyes locked on Tori’s flushed face .

Ryder shrugs, eyes shimmering with mischief. “Just trying to help her unwind. It's been a stressful day and all, you know?”

She snorts softly. “Understatement of the year.”

My fingers brush along her jaw, thumb trailing across her lower lip. She tilts her chin up to meet my gaze, her eyes still lit with fire. “You know,” I murmur quietly, “you might be the first person ever to walk out on Diablo and leave him speechless.”

“Yeah, well, he thinks too highly of himself,” she whispers back. “One of us had to show him he was wrong.”

I lean in closer, voice dropping lower. “And you did it beautifully, Vic.”

Ryder makes a disgusted noise along her neck. “Can we not bring up her dad before we're about to fuck? I'd like to stay rock hard.”

Blaze shakes his head, mouth twitching into a half-smile. “And here I thought your erectile dysfunction wouldn't start till later in life.”

Tori chuckles softly, relaxing more into Ryder’s embrace.

“Woah, you and I both know that's never going to be a thing I suffer from,” Ryder mutters, somewhat offended despite the teasing way Blaze said it.

Tori reaches back, threading her fingers through Ryder’s hair, gripping tightly enough to shift his focus back to her. “Shut up and kiss me already.”

“Your wish is my command,” Ryder murmurs, his mouth capturing hers without hesitation.

She melts against him instantly. Blaze and I exchange a glance, heat sparking between us, familiar and addictive. My heart pounds harder in my chest, adrenaline fading into something else entirely.

Desire. Need.

Blaze’s hand slides along her spine, slowly unhooking her bra as Ryder deepens the kiss. Tori breaks away briefly, breathless. “Are we really doing this in the bathroom again? ”

Ryder chuckles. “Come on, KitKat. We’re traditionalists at this point.”

Blaze’s brow arches. “Four times makes a tradition?”

“Sure as hell does.” Ryder’s voice dips low, mischievous as always. “Besides, bathrooms are basically our brand now. You wanna disappoint the fans?”

Tori laughs quietly, rolling her eyes as she reaches for Blaze’s shirt, tugging him close. “What fans?”

Blaze doesn’t wait. He claims her lips fiercely, cutting her off. My pulse spikes again at the sight. God, I’ll never get tired of watching her like this—how completely she gives herself over to us, trusts us, loves us.

Loves us enough to walk away from Diablo’s power to build our own.

My hands settle on her waist, tracing the curves of her hips. She shivers beneath my touch, heat rolling off her in waves.

“You sure about leaving it all behind?” I murmur against her shoulder, my lips brushing lightly against her skin. “It was all yours.”

She leans her head back against the mirror, eyes half-closed, breaths coming faster. “I don’t want his scraps. We’ll make our own empire. Better. Stronger.”

Ryder smirks as always, but there's something new dancing in his gaze. “You sure you’re not quoting some cheesy movie now?”

“Oh hush,” she murmurs, pulling back just enough to glare at him. “I most definitely am not.”

Blaze inches forward, leaning in until his lips brush against her jawline. “Trust me, Doll, we’ll make sure he shuts up.”

Ryder grins wickedly. “Promises, promises.”

Tori eyes each of us one by one with a challenge in her eyes. “Great. So how about less talking, and more doing.”

She’s fucking perfect.

Blaze's eyes darken dangerously. “Whatever you say, Doll. ”

Her legs hook around Ryder's waist, pulling him even closer. He moves his mouth to her collarbone, grazing it softly with his teeth. Her eyes flutter shut briefly, her pulse hammering visibly at her throat. When she opens them again, her gaze locks onto mine—fierce, defiant, hungry.

“Are you just gonna watch, Thorne?” she challenges softly.

I lean in, my lips brushing lightly against her ear. “Maybe I like the view.”

She scoffs, fingers gripping my shirt and pulling me closer. “Join in, asshole.”

I grin, sliding my hand into her hair, gripping gently to tilt her head back toward mine. “Careful what you ask for, Vic.”

Her lips curve slowly, wickedly, irresistibly. “I’m not asking. I’m demanding.”

And fuck if that isn’t the hottest thing she’s ever said.

Blaze lets out a low chuckle, his voice rough, amused. “Didn’t we already learn that Tori always gets what she wants?”

“Smart man,” she says, hooking her legs tighter around Ryder’s hips, pulling him even closer. Ryder doesn’t resist, pressing forward, his mouth claiming hers fiercely. She sighs into the kiss, fingers curling into his shirt like she’s never letting go.

Ryder breaks the kiss long enough to tug at her pants, helping her slide them down her legs, revealing smooth skin and leaving her clad only in panties. She huffs impatiently, kicking the fabric aside as Ryder’s lips return to her throat, teasing and nibbling softly.

Blaze moves closer to Ryder’s right, his hand tracing possessively over her thigh, fingertips grazing slowly upward, teasing along the soft skin at her hip. Her body trembles under his touch, hips shifting restlessly.

I step closer to Ryder’s left, tracing my fingers gently along the inside of her thigh. Her skin is warm, silky beneath my touch, and I watch the instant reaction—the way her breath catches, her body tensing and moving subconsciously toward my fingers.

Her eyes flutter open again, meeting mine with that fierce heat, a spark that never fades no matter how many times we find ourselves here.

“You good, Vic?” I murmur softly as my fingers slide higher, brushing lightly over the sensitive skin near her center.

She narrows her eyes at me, defiant even now. “Are you?”

“Always,” I whisper, letting my fingers glide gently over her covered heat, teasing her slowly, deliberately, drawing a quiet gasp from her as her grip tightens on Ryder’s shoulders. She arches against him, hips pressing eagerly forward.

Ryder inhales against her throat. “Drop the tough-girl act, KitKat. You love when we drive you crazy.”

She laughs breathlessly, her gaze stubbornly challenging despite the way she squirms. “You know what I’d love even more? If you all would stop playing and actually do something.”

Blaze’s expression darkens with desire, his fingers hooking into the edge of her panties, slowly drawing them down her hips and thighs. She shifts impatiently, hips lifting to help him discard them completely.

“You’re impatient tonight, Doll,” Blaze murmurs huskily, his voice teasing and deep. “Did taking down Diablo leave you worked up?”

"For God's sake," she groans, one hand reaching out to grip my shirt, pulling me closer. “Less teasing, more doing.”

Ryder chuckles deeply, gently biting her shoulder. “Whatever you say, KitKat.”

My fingers slip back between her thighs, finally stroking her bare skin, feeling her warmth and wetness as she moans softly. Her head falls back, eyes closing as I slide a finger inside her, teasingly slow .

She gasps sharply, hips pressing down against my hand, craving more. I ease the rhythm, deliberately slow, watching as frustration and pleasure battle across her beautiful features.

Her fingers tighten around the hem of my shirt, and she jerks me toward her, our lips meeting in a rough kiss. It's hungry and fierce and full of fire. I slide another finger inside her, her body responding instantly, clenching tight around me. She moans, her nails scraping lightly against the skin of my stomach where she's bunched up my shirt, her breath hitching and her lips trembling against mine.

Blaze's fingers curl tightly around her hips, and he moves close, his breath hot against her throat. He presses kisses against her heated skin, moving slowly down her neck, over her shoulder, his fingers teasing up her inner thigh.

I feel Ryder shift in front of her, his own lips brushing against her breasts. She shivers, and her hips roll, her body pressing back against the mirror and then forward toward me.

I smile, leaning closer, kissing her again, harder, hungrier. She kisses back fiercely, her lips moving against mine with a desperate passion, and I can't get enough of her. My thumb brushes over her clit, and she moans sharply, her body writhing in their arms, so much need and desire.

I work her up, getting her closer and closer, but never there, easing the movement of my fingers when I feel her right on the edge of coming.

“Don't tease," she groans.

"But you love when we do," Blaze murmurs, his hand sliding between her thighs, grazing against my own as I pump my fingers in and out of her again.

"Not tonight," she pants, her head falling back once more, her breathing ragged. "Please."

"You want it rough tonight?" Ryder asks, confidence thick in his tone .

"Yes," she hisses, her hips rocking against my hand, a desperate plea. "Now."

"So bossy. So fucking sexy," Blaze mutters, a smirk curling the corner of his mouth.

"God, you're beautiful, Vic," I murmur, watching as Ryder moves back, just enough to give me room.

"She's perfect," Ryder whispers, his voice husky.

"Fucking perfection," Blaze growls.

Her eyes lock onto mine, dark, unyielding, a challenge.

I slide another finger inside her, curling them, stroking her.

She arches her back, her eyes fluttering closed. "Thorne."

"Come for us, princess," I whisper, my thumb circling her clit, teasing her, drawing her closer to that high.

Her fingers curl around the edges of the counter, knuckles white, her breath coming faster, the pleasure building, rising.

I lean in, my breath feather-light against her ear. "Come for me."

The order comes out a command, a demand, and it sends her over the edge. She gasps, her entire body shaking, her hips rocking against my hand. I keep going, letting her ride out the wave, her pleasure crashing over her in waves.

She slumps back against the mirror, breathing hard, eyes closed, her skin flushed.