Page 20

CHAPTER 20 - ASTRA

T hree men waited for me at the gate, fingers gripping the bars, knuckles white, expressions ready to tear off the door to get to me. Tor rested sideways in his wheelchair, his mouth lifting into a grin like he just defeated the most badass villain. Knoxe’s harsh expression softened into a smile, and Pascal’s gaze didn’t move from mine.

Dad lingered behind them, tossing what looked like a button or coin, and slamming it on the back of his hand. Twitchy, he always needed something to keep his hands busy, usually a knife on a mission, or something non-lethal within the prison.

My heart reformed into its shape and started beating again after the bulldozer crushed it. I waved at the four of them and hurried my steps, fire pulsing in my blood, burning away the iciness of a broken heart.

Hands reached through the grate as the warden and I came to a stop, waiting for security to buzz us through. I brushed their fingertips quickly and retracted my arm when the door rolled open. New nerves crackled to life in my belly, aching for their touch and kiss.

My men muscled for position to reach me first. Pascal got the prime spot at the front, Knoxe the side, and Dad waited in the queue.

“Sharing is caring P-man.” Tor jostled for position and hugged my leg.

I snorted out a laugh and a sob at how good they felt. Solid, warm, protective, and loving. My hands didn’t stop roaming their chests, arms, and faces, and likewise, they stroked me in return.

Knoxe checked me over with his fierce gaze. “Are you hurt?” Such a question from my protective man.

“I’m fine,” I reassured him before he turned into the human equivalent of Raze’s feral beast. “Just some bruises.”

Aaliyah left them to convince the prison authorities of my story, and they slowly lightened in color each day.

“Settle in tonight, Miss Nomical,” the warden interrupted. “Take the next few days off. Attend your psychological appointments and be ready for a mission come Saturday.”

No rest for the wicked.

“Yes, sir.” I hated being beholden to him, the rules, the security checks, etc. when I had a brief glimpse of freedom.

The warden rattled off the rest of his order. “I’ll allow a concession for the next seven days for you to stay with your boyfriends in your cell to compensate for your service and support you through your horrid ordeal.”

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, gratitude fluttering in my ribcage.

Retreating, he instructed the sentries to close the door and lock me in. His footsteps echoed down the stone hall.

The hesitance in my men said they wanted to say more but waited. They broke apart from me, Tor rolling back, Knoxe and Pascal giving space for my father to step up and drag me into his arms.

“I’ve missed you, kiddo.” He kissed my head. “Are you okay?” He didn’t utter a word about who I was with and betray me.

“Doing good, Dad.” He smiled when I called him that, a normal expression replacing his usual crazy glint.

He eyed off each of my boyfriends and cracked his neck. “These three are busting to say hello, and I won’t take up too much of your time and be a burden, but I’d appreciate it if we caught up later at dinner.”

“You’re not a burden,” I said, conscious that he must have been as out of his mind with worry for me as my men were. “And, sure, I’d like that, unless you want to chat now.”

He considered the offer, a flash of danger going off in his blue eyes. “There is one thing I’d like to iron out, and that’s an official introduction.” He ran his gaze over each of my men.

Shit. Three boyfriends at once. Definitely not the norm. The norm for the prison according to Tor. Maybe Loco would be understanding. A big maybe.

I chuckled nervously. “You already know them, Dad. We’ve been out on missions together.”

“Not really. We were thrown together as a team. No proper bonding.” Loco slapped Tor’s shoulder. “I want them to know I’m more than a blood-lusting psycho.”

I cough-choked into my hand. Wrong thing to say. Prison changed my father. Hell, it changed me too. Strengthened me. Gave me courage I’d never find on the outside. Empowered me with resilience.

Loco barked out a laugh and patted my back. “I was just shitting you, kiddo. About the pyscho business, not the introductions.”

When my cough subsided, I gestured to Tor. “This is Victor Helms, my first boyfriend.”

Air cracked in Tor’s fingers as my dad crushed them. “Hell of a strong handshake you have there, Dad.”

My father bristled at the nickname, but took it in his stride, playing nice cop. “What do you do for a living outside of the Guardians, son?”

Good starting question to get to know my men. Hopefully he didn’t commence the third degree.

Tor scrubbed at his freshly shaven jaw. “I’m a qualified physiotherapist. I treat musculoskeletal injuries. I joined the Guild before I went into professional practice.”

Loco wagged a finger. “You got a smart one here, huh, kiddo?”

Smart and good with his hands to ease overworked muscles after a long day of training. Yeah, keeping that one to myself to save Tor’s life… and Knoxe’s for over-training me.

Loco gave Tor’s arm another thump, as if giving him his sign of approval. “Be good to my daughter.”

Tor saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

Besides the crunch from Tor’s tendons, this wasn’t as bad as I expected. Civil. Friendly. Calm. Very calm. Maybe too calm. Nerves bunched in my stomach that Loco might pull a shank when I introduced him to Knoxe.

Loco smiled and shifted his attention to Pascal, hinting for me to continue. “And who do we have here?”

My cheeks heated. This wasn’t how I anticipated my reunion going, but hey, there was nothing normal about being in the same prison as your father.

“Uh, this is Pascal, my second boyfriend.” I scratched the back of my head, uncomfortable with the conversation and wanting it over ASAP.

Loco shook Pascal’s hand firmly, the way a soldier would to a higher officer. “Pascal, what do you do, son?”

Of all my men, he was the least I worried about. Tor’s antics and Knoxe’s lady ball busting gave me heartburn.

“Nice to meet you, sir.” Pascal nodded, and my heart swooned at his adorable manners and respect. “I’m a retired soldier and I compose music for movie and game soundtracks. Though, I haven’t done that in a while.” He met my father’s gaze briefly before shifting his brilliant emerald eyes to me.

“This place breaks a lot of dreams.” My father clapped Pascal’s arm and also glanced at me, sending another round of ice shards through my heart for all the Christmases, birthdays, Father’s Days, and anniversaries he missed.

The moment broke when he cleared his throat and moved onto the last man standing, his gaze darkening like that of a wolf wanting to tear into a competitor.

Please don’t kill him.

I rubbed my sternum and cut to the chase. “This is my third boyfriend, Knoxe.”

Knoxe extended a palm when my dad didn’t make a move to greet him in the same fashion as the others. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

My father’s good mood went up in flames. “You ever sabotage my daughter’s appeal again, and I’ll slice your throat.”

Oh, shit! Alert. Alert. Where the hell did he get that detail from? Vartros?

Wary of any shanks suddenly appearing to scar Knoxe’s face on the opposite cheek, I got between them, pressing my palms to their chests to prevent the outbreak of war.

To his credit, Knoxe remained calm. “I did it to protect her, since the gangs have contacts outside of the prison. My instinct proved right, sir.”

Loco huffed and curled his lip. “I’ll reserve my judgment on you, boy, until you prove yourself.”

Shank alert. Clear out!

No such weapon appeared, and Knoxe went on with a level voice and expression. “I’m not as smart as Tor or as gifted as Pascal. I don’t have a college degree or training in any field. I’m just a soldier and damn good at what I do. And I’ll protect and love your daughter until my last breath.”

That seemed to calm my father’s lethal glare.

It also made my heart flutter. Move over, Luna, there’s a new princess in town with her dark knights!

“Good.” He lifted two pronged fingers to his eyes. “I’ll forgive this for now, but I’ve still have my eye on you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Knoxe stood his ground, and I didn’t dare take a breath, ready to de-escalate if necessary.

“Nice to meet you, son.” Dad sealed his earlier promise by offering his palm, and Knoxe accepted it, earning an even harder crack of tendons.

Phew. Hatchet buried. Shank firmly in the pocket. For now…

My father sighed and released him, glancing at me, and smiling. “I’ll see you at dinner, kiddo.”

The spark in my chest ignited into a flame at his kind gesture to leave me with my boyfriends—alive and breathing.

“See you then, Dad.” He stopped at the name, glanced over his shoulders, flashing one of his crazy smiles, then striding off with a proud step.

“That went better than expected,” I said on a rush of air from my lungs.

My men reforged their previous alignment, wrapping around me, pulling me close, squeezing me, and I breathed for the first time in an hour.

“I’ve missed you, Songbird,” Pascal whispered into my temple, his palm cradling my head, and I banded my arms around him so tightly I probably made his breathing hard.

He didn’t twitch, didn’t retreat, his entire focus was on me, and nothing other than holding me mattered.

“I missed you all so much.” I fisted the collar of his uniform, my hands shaking with gratitude.

Missed mine and Pascal’s nightly music sessions, dinners, comic book breakdowns and geeky science chats. The same went for Tor, minus the music. And I missed laying back with Knoxe, or playing cards or chess to wind down after a long day of training.

Grief trickled through my veins at the team and my heart being incomplete without Raze. I decided to turn my heartache around and channel it into reuniting our pack permanently.

“Welcome back, Supergal.” Tor’s arms were a firm, loving, blanket of support, and I let one arm fall from Pascal’s back to brush my man’s hair.

“Hi, Superguy.” My voice came out muffled because I buried my face in Pascal’s broad chest, inhaling his scent, which mingled with the amber and spice of Knoxe and the sweet cinnamon and hazelnut of my Candyman. “I got all your texts and loved them.”

Tor grinned. “You snorted, did you?”

I twisted my mouth to the left and stayed silent on that one.

“I knew it!” His hand brushed my hair.

Pascal clasped my chin, tilting my head back to take his kiss, soft and warm, lifting my heart into a lighter beat. After a long kiss and cuddle, he reluctantly relented and released me to my next man.

Knoxe’s embrace swallowed me. “I’ve been a wreck without you, Sunset.”

Same here. Sleep came in restless fits even within my big, bad wolf’s embrace. To be honest, I missed the comfort of being surrounded by all my men, all their hands on me, two bodies snuggled on either side, the five of us squished into two single cots, lying on our sides. The sound of their breathing at night, the creak of the bed as one of them shifted, waking in the morning to adoring kisses and affectionate strokes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come back with you.” I clutched Knoxe’s biceps, never wanting to let him go, wanting to stay locked in his embrace.

“Don’t be.” Knoxe crushed me tighter. “We were terrified our brother might hurt you if we moved wrong.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” I held back tears. “He was electrocuted and his nervous system was out of whack.” I said the last part low for privacy from the guards.

“Is he good now?” Knoxe tucked my head under his chin and brushed the back of it.

“Yes,” I replied.

We went silent after that, no talk of Raze. Strict protocol to protect him from eavesdropping sentries or cameras picking up sound.

Tor switched beats and introduced more amusement into the conversation. “Excuse me, babe. You’ve been lovesick and mooning over Supergal’s absence. It’s Cupid’s fault.”

I sniff-laughed and added to the tease pile on about to unload. “Aw. Love my big softie.”

The shift of Knoxe’s body screamed he gave Tor a middle finger.

“Aw, fuck it.” Tor continued his winding up of Knoxe. “He’s been a grumpy, sappy bastard, and won’t cuddle me.”

I snorted into Knoxe’s chest. “Is that true, my Viking warrior?” I leaned back to take him in. All muscle, bulk, raw power, ferocity, and protection.

“A little,” he admitted, leaning down to place a ghost of a kiss on my forehead when I needed more.

I shoved at his chest and played along. “That’s all you’ve got after I’ve been missing for almost a week?”

Knoxe wasn’t a man to admit his feelings, showing his affection through his actions, and only when it mattered. Each of my men were different in their expressions of affection, and I wouldn’t change a thing when they were all perfect for me.

This time, oh, boy, did he show me, lifting me from the ground, bringing our mouths level, and injecting a new fire into my veins as he crushed me against the wall. He pinned my hands above my head, locking them in place with his grip and running his palm along my sides, all while doting on my mouth with his.

“How’s that?” He teased, running his lips along my brows. “More in line with the welcome you were expecting?”

I blinked and reminded myself to take in air. The man knew how to kiss and fuck me into a daze where I forgot my name.

“Ten romance stars,” I mumbled, reaching up to sink my fingers into the hair on his neckline.

“Ten?” Tor teased. “Damn. I’ll have to up my game.”

“Me too,” Pascal went along with the joke, and I glanced at my man, winking and smiling.

Knoxe released my wrists and tugged at his collar, spiking it skyward, and blowing on his fingers. “Beat that, suckers.”

We all laughed, and the warm, honey sound from Pascal filled me with a mellow fire.

“Is that all the welcome I get?” Tor’s joke broke up the fun.

Knoxe reluctantly let me go with a kiss.

I lowered myself into Tor’s lap, draped an arm over his shoulder and rested my head in the crook of his neck and shoulder. “How’s this?”

“Worthy of five romance stars,” Tor quipped.

Oh, my Superguy was asking for a tickle, and I jabbed into his armpits, making him wriggle.

“Okay. Eight stars,” Tor fake relented.

I kept it up until he awarded me nine. Life was always fun with him, and I loved and missed him the most when he made my whole body smile.

Seriously, this was the best reunion to elevate my low mood. My men knew exactly how to comfort me in trying times, and I couldn’t love them any more than I did in this moment.

“Never leave again, Supergal.” Tor rocked me in his arms.

“Speak for yourself.” I pumped his arm. “You three might get out before me and forget about me.” A real possibility if the biker Castor didn’t come through or the appeals lodged by Nightfire Academy’s headmaster failed.

Knoxe and Pascal dropped to their knees on either side of Tor’s wheelchair and claimed my hands, kissing them.

“Not happening, Supergal.” Tor reassured me of his love and commitment with the determination in his words. “We’ll blow a hole in these walls and earn another sentence just to stay with you before we ever leave you behind.”

Talk about a declaration of love. Out of all my men, Tor was the most likely to stick to his guns too.

“You better.” I snuggled harder into him, relishing the tender kisses on the back of my hands.

Tor went for a change in topic to erase any residual dark thoughts. “Just because I’m throwing these sappy suckers under the bus, P-man’s been composing sentimental love songs to get him through the days.”

Ah, trust Tor to steal Pascal’s limelight and announce it. Though, the brotherly pride was absolutely adorable when Pascal didn’t make a big deal about those things when they were huge.

“You have?” I couldn’t lean over and kiss him at this angle and had to resort to clasping his hand and running my thumb over it.

Pascal grinned and didn’t flinch for once. “Tor said they’re not bad.”

“Tor’s the standard for what’s good,” I teased.

“That’s right.” Tor pretended to scratch a record on a DJ turntable.

Pascal laughed at our jokes, and not a fake one, and a warm gooey caramel melted in my chest.

I didn’t want to point that out in front of the others, so went with, “Play them for me later?”

Every night after dinner, I looked forward to our time together, where he played music to fly my mind to a place where the prison, its walls, coldness, and isolation didn’t exist.

“You don’t have to ask, Songbird.” He squeezed my hand like he didn’t want to let go. I was spinning in a giddy gaze that he managed to maintain contact this long.

“I’m proud of you.” I gave him a pump. “Not just for the music.”

Tor clapped Pascal on the shoulder. “He can touch Knoxe for a full thirty seconds and me for over a minute. We were working on it while you were gone.”

Contact within the gamut of sex was different, and Pascal’s inclinations faded to the back of his mind.

“That’s incredible, White Lightning.” I used his superhero name because that was what he was to me. My hero.

I shifted my hand to his chest, reveling in his strong and steady heartbeat. Pascal’s smile was as beautiful as a meteor show.

Tor gave Pascal’s shoulder a shake. “I keep saying he ought to sell his tunes to big name songsters and earn millions. He’s that good.”

Pascal already won an Oscar for a movie soundtrack for a Christmas movie and had the contacts to do it.

I snaked my palm from side to side over his chest. “I second that motion.”

Tor pretended to cover his mouth. “Opps, sorry, P-man. I’ve planted the seed. Our girl’s gonna expect you to get rich and spoil her. We’re all relying on you now.” He raised two palms like a man under arrest. “Sorry, but I’m a reformed man now and can’t sell contraband anymore.”

I snorted. Hardly. These past nearly two years, I got used to living off tinned tuna and crackers as date treats. I doubt I’d go all diva and demand jewels. Collectible pop culture items, most definitely. I’d need a room in our mansion for the collection I planned to obtain when we got out of here.

I grabbed Tor’s collar this time and pulled it tight. “As for your reformed ways, yeah, right .”

“Guilty as charged.” He winked. “That’s what you love about me, isn’t it, Supergal? My bad boy charm?”

Knoxe shoved Tor’s arm. “Don’t encourage him.”

I kissed my Superguy’s nose. “You’re my bad boy for life. I don’t want you to change a single thing. You’re perfect just the way you are.” I glanced at Pascal and Knoxe. “You all are.”

Knoxe scooped me off Tor’s lap into his arms. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. What do you want to do? Eat? Shower? Play cards?”

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I couldn’t stomach breakfast this morning and I’m starving.”

“Sexy time, it is.” It was Knoxe’s turn to wind me up, and he steered me to my cell, then hung a right at the last moment, carrying me to the cafeteria.

My men bartered with the chef, paying him one hundred bucks to whip us up something special and off the menu. I was the luckiest girl in the world to have men that showered me with me special privileges.

Knoxe sat me on his lap while we waited for our meal, and I curled his orange ponytail around my finger and tugged him down to my lips. “This is why I love my bad boys.”