Chapter 14Hell

Chapter 14

Hell

"I've got some bad news, guys," I said when the chaos died down. My eyes flitted the way I'd come, honing in on the shadows. Everyone looked at me, and dread welled up in my belly. "I'm pretty sure I'm being hunted by a pack of wolves. They've been tailing me since midway through the lower level of the bridge."

Looks of pure disbelief looked back at me, and the silence was thick, until Alex said, "There are no wolves native to this area though."

"They could have escaped from the zoo. It's only like a half hour away. In a year they could have easily migrated to the city where there's more… food. "

Food… as in decaying zombies. It made my stomach roll. I glanced down at Anubis, whose nose was working overtime, and there was a little rumble of a growl building in his chest. I had a feeling he could already sense that something was wrong.

They were on us in seconds, as if beckoned by my warning, rounding the corner to the bridge and coming to a creeping stop in front of us as if summoned. Six of them, dark gray wolves with bloodied maws and wild eyes.

Shit…

Dante was by my side in an instant, his dark eyes scanning the area for potential places to hide, but there was nothing. "They look hungry. There could be more of them out there."

"Alright, let's move slowly," I said in a hushed tone as to not spook the wolves. "Shoot them if you have to, but don't give them your backs unless you're ready to fucking run."

The rest of the crew didn't need any more prodding. Weapons emerged from holsters and sheaths—a cacophony of clicks and unsheathed blades.

The wolves made the decision for us. As a unit, they ran at us.

"Go, go, go!" Dante's command was all the spark we needed. Feet pounded against the cracked pavement, our breaths coming out in ragged gasps as we bolted.

Behind us, the wolves snarled, a sound that promised agony.

"Run in zig-zags!" I shouted, leading the charge through the carcass of what once was a bustling city, now nothing more than a graveyard.

The acrid tang of decay filled my nostrils as we maneuvered through the desolation. This was our life now—running, fighting, surviving, and I'd be damned if some mangy mutts were going to end it for us.

Ret's arm whipped out to the side of me, something pink flashing in my peripheral. I grinned under my mask at the familiar weight of my crossbow landing in my hands. The relief was a living thing, warm and pulsing, as I clutched it to my chest for a brief second. I thought it was gone, thought I'd lost another piece of myself back on that bridge.

"You're a fucking goddess!" I grunted out, lifting my head just in time to see them—six shadows, painted in gore, slinking around from the sides through the underbelly of the city. The wolves moved with predatory grace, their snarls slicing through the stillness, muzzles dripping with the blood of the undead they'd torn apart.

Two of them had run ahead, somehow getting in front of us, creating a trap. Our group came to a halt as we pressed our backs together, making sure to keep the boys in the center of us.

"Shit," I whispered, thumbing the release and slotting an arrow into place. The crossbow felt like an extension of my arm, but as I pulled the trigger, my pinky screamed—pain slicing through me. the arrow flew, straight and true, finding its mark in the soft fur of the closest beast.

"Damn it," I hissed, pain lancing up my arm.

Alex's eyes flicked to mine, then to my hand. "You okay, baby?" his voice was tight with concern. His blue eyes were filled with rage that wasn't directed at me. I could only nod, watching as the wolf fell, convulsing.

"Fire!" Dante barked, and suddenly everything erupted in chaos.

The air was filled with the sound of gunshots, intermixed with the angry growls and thunderous paws of the attacking wolves. We fought back fiercely, unleashing bullets and swiping knives. Some of the wolves were quickly taken down, whimpering as they lay on the ground in agony.

I reloaded the crossbow with clumsy fingers. Beside me, Alex's pistol spat death in measured bursts, his face a mask of detached fury. I noticed, though, that it wasn't his usual gun in his grip. No, this one belonged to my brother Scottie. I frowned in confusion. Where was Alex's gun?

My crossbow hummed as another arrow soared, sinking into the eye of a snarling wolf. It dropped, its momentum carrying it forward before it skidded to a halt, lifeless.

"Nice shot, baby!" Ret yelled, ducking as a wolf lunged for her. Her machete flashed, a silver arc in the dim light, and the wolf's head parted from its body.

"Back! Fall back!" Dante's voice cut through the frenzy as three more wolves we hadn't seen before joined the fray. We couldn't hold this position, not with the pack working up a frenzy.

"Go, go!" I shoved Alex back as a wolf snapped at his arm, the bullet from his gun missing by inches. He stumbled but regained balance, firing another round.

I loosed three more arrows in quick succession—thud, thud, thud—each finding their mark. But for every wolf that went down, another seemed to take its place, their eyes gleaming with feral hunger.

"Head for the buildings!" Wyatt shouted. The ruins of the city could offer us cover, choke points.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, backing away as I fired yet another arrow, missing this time. Each step was grudging, each inch given to the wolves a sting to my soul.

There was a restaurant to the left of us, and I'd bet anything it was unlocked. Everything was open at the time of the explosions that day, so not much was locked up. We ran for it, even though I was pretty sure we'd be escaping one threat, only to walk into a room full of another.

"Get around the corner, now!" Dante pointed to the crumbling storefront, the sign hanging crookedly above the entrance.

We bolted for it, my boots pounding on the cracked asphalt. The city was a mausoleum of skyscrapers, their skeletal frames looming ominously against a sky choked with fog and the scent of death.

The wolves' guttural snarls echoed through the abandoned streets, ominous and terrifying. I darted ahead, leading the group, my eyes scanning for paths through the debris. Cars lay overturned like the carcasses of colossal beetles, their rusting bellies exposed. We vaulted over them, every muscle coiled and ready.

Then, as if the situation couldn't have possibly gotten worse, Ret's scream cut through the chaos like a siren, shrill and terror-stricken. I pivoted on my heel, my heart thundering against my ribs as I spotted one of the wolves—a matted, blood-soaked beast—barreling her down.

"Beretta!" My voice was a guttural shout as I charged back towards her, the primal fear for the woman I loved fueling every muscle in my body.

No, no, no! This wasn't happening, this wasn't fucking happening!

"Anubis!" I shouted desperately. I had no idea where he was.

The wolf had Ret pinned, its jaws snapping inches from her face. She thrashed beneath it, her eyes wide with raw panic. My crossbow was useless at this range; I needed to get physical.

"Get the fuck off her!" I slammed into the wolf's side with the full force of my body, tackling it with a ferocity that surprised even me. My fingers dug into the coarse fur, seeking purchase as I yanked the creature away from Ret.

It snarled, a feral sound that chilled my blood, but I didn't relent. I dragged it by the scruff, throwing it aside with a grunt of exertion. The wolf hit the ground hard, its legs scrambling to regain footing.

"Move, Ret, move! Get to the fucking building!" Adrenaline surged through my veins, drowning out the pain in my finger as I grappled with the wolf.

"Helana, no! Fuck!" Ret shouted back at me, her voice breathy and choked as she fought to regain her balance.

I sidestepped, driving the blade of my hunting knife deep into its skull. It shuddered under the force of my attack, a grotesque whimper fizzling from its throat. With no time to withdraw the knife, I latched onto the beast's neck, squeezing with everything I had left, which honestly wasn't much.

My muscles screamed, veins popping, as I choked out its life. Anubis ran for us, snarling at the wolf. I released it as my baby latched onto its throat, taking the place of my exhausted arms. I backed off, stumbling as Anubis finished the wolf off.

Briefly, my eyes scanned for my group, and I found Wyatt, Dante and Alex blinking at me with their guns at the ready. They hadn't risked firing on the off-chance they might have hit me instead.

"Damn, bitch, you're like some kind of She-Hulk on crack!" Missy called out, her voice slicing through the chaos of my racing thoughts.

"Better green than dead," I said, managing a breathless chuckle as the massive creature slumped to the ground, its blood dripping from Anubis's mouth.

That's when my limbs began to shake. It happened sometimes when the adrenaline wore off and shock began to set in. I'd only ever experienced it when I was overseas in the military. But it was hitting me fast and hard right now.

Ret spun me to face her, her hands clamped down on my upper arms. Her brown eyes were wide as they flitted all over my face, as if searching for some lethal wound. "You're so stupid…" She slammed my body against hers, her arms encircling me like a vice. "Don't you ever fucking do that shit again, baby. Don't you ever risk yourself for me."

I pulled back, tears pricking my eyes. "You would have done the same damn thing."

"Not the point," she said through gritted teeth. "I can't…" she stumbled, looking away for a split second, as if she was struggling. "Hell, I can't lose you. I don't think I can handle it."

I stepped closer, placing my bloodied hand against her cheek. "Something you should know about me is that I'm a lot harder to kill than I look."

She let out a small laugh, breaking the heavy tension that had been building between us. I quickly wiped away any tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Ret gave me a nod and I returned it, silently acknowledging our mutual understanding. We both knew that no matter what promises we made, if it came down to it, we would risk everything to protect each other.

The others were a blur of motion around me as I snapped back into action. Dante swung his makeshift club with a grunt, connecting with a sickening crack against a wolf's temple. Alex fired shot after shot, and slowly, we gained the upper hand.

We moved like a unit, a machine. As the last wolf fell, silence thundered louder than gunshots. Ret and I moved through the street back to back, our eyes everywhere all at once. Missy and Nina were right on our heels.

"Everyone okay?" I gasped, scanning the faces of my makeshift family. We were still standing—battered, but together. "Those shots are going to draw out every zombie in the city. We need to get out of here before anything else decides we're dinner."

Panting, I slumped against the cold concrete, my boots slick with blood. I needed to pause for just a moment and catch my breath. We were alive, but the air was still thick with the stench of death. The pack lay strewn about us, their lifeless eyes staring at the fog covered sky. They were only hungry. I'd felt that kind of hunger before, in the first year of the end of the world. It was consuming, and agonizing. It made you desperate.

"Those weren't normal wolves," Wyatt said, reloading his gun with steady hands. "They've clearly got a taste of dead flesh and just remembered they prefer the living."

Something coiled in my stomach at that. For the last year, they'd probably been hunting the streets of the city with nothing to eat but people's pets that managed to get out of their homes, and zombies.

"As if we weren't already on the bottom of the fucking food chain…" Alex muttered, wiping his blade on his pant leg. His ice-blue gaze met mine, then, roved over my body from my boots to my head, searching for wounds.

I gave him a nod, letting him know I was alright. His shoulders slumped in relief.

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Dante said, his dark eyes scanning the horizon. He checked each of us in turn, his medical instincts kicking in despite the adrenaline coursing through him.

We moved through the city's corpse, its once towering skyscrapers now jagged teeth against the sky. Windows gaped like hollowed-out eye sockets, and every shadow seemed to twitch with hidden threats.

"Watch it!" Nina's voice cut through our silence. She swung her machete with a grunt, connecting with a zombie clad in the tattered remains of a business suit. Its head snapped back, and it crumpled to the ground.

It'd come out of nowhere, and I'd been so preoccupied thinking about the wolves that I hadn't heard it. Stupid, stupid…

"Thanks," I breathed out with relief. "It would have been embarrassing to get taken out by a business-man-zombie after fighting off a pack of ravenous wolves."

Both she and Missy let out a snort. I couldn't resist glancing at Alex and Wyatt, who were walking together, clearly not impressed. Their eye-rolls said it all. I allowed myself a small smirk in response.

Rubble crunched underfoot as a zombified man ambled around the corner. I nearly choked on the laugh that spilled out. Dante whistled as we halted. The man's skin was mottled and gray, and he was missing one whole arm and part of his ribcage, but he still wore a black leather harness and a pair of bright pink furry handcuffs. That's… all he was wearing.

"At least he died doing what he loved," Dante mused as he approached the zom. It took almost no effort for him to sink his knife through its eye socket.

The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and red, its dying rays filtering through the shattered windows of Coit Tower. We knew we couldn't risk traveling at night, not with the city crawling with the undead and god knows what else. This was the most logical place to wait out the night before heading to the ships in the morning.

The tower's interior was a mess of debris and scattered remnants of a world long gone. Faded murals adorned the circular walls, their colors muted by time and neglect. The tower was tall, reaching into the sky, pretty much a hollow tube with several floors that cut it in half.

We spread out, claiming our spots for the time being. Ret and Missy dragged a dusty bench to block the entrance, an extra layer of security. Wyatt and Dante set about boarding up the windows with whatever they could find - planks of wood, metal sheets, anything to keep the horrors of the night at bay.

I watched as Nina gingerly lowered herself onto a moth-eaten armchair, wincing as she pressed a hand to her side. Damn it, she was hurt. Not badly, but we'd have to have Dante check her over just to be safe.

Alex's hand on my shoulder startled me from my thoughts. His blue eyes were intense, a storm brewing in their depths. "We need to talk. Upstairs."

I nodded, my throat suddenly dry. I knew that look. Alex was in one of his brooding moods again. I just hoped to fuck this had nothing to do with Jessa.

The spiral staircase loomed before us, its metal steps worn and rusted. My boots clanged against each one as we ascended, the sound echoing through the hollow tower. Alex was a silent presence behind me, his brooding energy palpable.

As we reached the top, I paused, taking in the scene before me. It was clear this place had been used as a FEMA base at some point. Tables and chairs were scattered about, some overturned, others stacked haphazardly.

Old supplies littered the floor - empty cans, tattered blankets, a broken radio. A large tarp tent had been erected, covering the entire top of the tower, shielding us from the ever-present fog that choked the city.

I stepped forward, my fingers trailing over a dusty table. "Looks like they bugged out of here in a hurry."

Alex grunted in response, his eyes scanning the room, always alert for any potential threats. I turned to face him, leaning against the table, my arms crossed. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

He stalked towards me, his movements predatory, purposeful. My heart rate spiked as he drew closer, his icy blue gaze boring into mine. "I nearly lost you today," he said, his voice low, rough with emotion.

"But you didn't," I countered, tilting my chin up defiantly. "I'm still here."

"Barely." He was in front of me in an instant, his hands gripping my waist almost painfully. "You can't keep doing this, Hell. You can't keep throwing yourself into danger like you're fucking expendable."

I met his gaze unflinchingly. "I did what I had to do. Ret was in trouble. I couldn't just stand there and watch."

Alex's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath the stubble. "And what about me? What about Wyatt and Dante? Are we supposed to just stand there and watch you get yourself killed?"

I pushed off the table, forcing him back a step. "That's not fair and you know it. We're all in danger every single day. Any one of us could die at any moment. That's the reality we live in now."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration emanating from every pore. "Fuck, Helana, I know that. But it doesn't make it any easier to watch the woman I love constantly put herself in harm's way."

My breath caught at his words. The woman he loved. Even after all this time, hearing him say it out loud still made my heart stutter.

I softened, reaching up to cup his face, my thumb brushing over the scar on his cheek. "Alex, I'm not trying to be reckless. I'm just trying to keep our family safe. That's all I've ever wanted."

He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing briefly

His hand came up to cover mine, his calloused fingers intertwining with my own. "I know, baby. I know. But you gotta understand, losing you would destroy me. It would destroy all of us. I was ready to jump into that water after you. It would have been better than living a single fucking day without you in it."

Emotion clogged my throat. I swallowed hard, blinking back the sudden sting of tears. "It's over now, Alex. The bitch couldn't kill me. She seems to be oddly inept at taking lives, actually… like, stormtrooper inept."

A ghost of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "You're nothing if not stubborn, I'll give you that." He tugged me closer, his arms encircling my waist, his forehead resting against mine. "Just...promise me you'll be more careful. That you'll think before you act."

I wanted to argue, to tell him that in the heat of the moment, thinking was a luxury we couldn't always afford. But I saw the raw pain in his eyes, the fear that lurked beneath the surface. So I nodded, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. "I promise I'll try."

He kissed me then, his lips fierce and demanding against my own. I yielded to him, my body molding to the hard planes of his. The kiss was a brand, a claiming, a silent vow exchanged between us.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing hard, he rested his forehead against mine once more. "I'm trying to be a fucking gentleman right now, but all I crave is to be inside you."

I felt the heat of his words rush through me, igniting a fire in my veins. God, how I wanted him. Even in the midst of all this chaos and danger, my body craved his touch like a junkie craved their next hit.

"Then take me," I breathed, my fingers tightening in his shirt. "There are no such things as gentlemen in the apocalypse."

A low growl rumbled in his chest as he captured my mouth again, his tongue delving deep, tasting, conquering. His hands were everywhere at once, tugging at my clothes with urgent, almost desperate movements.

I matched his fervor, my own hands making quick work of his belt, shoving his pants down his hips. He kicked them aside, along with his boots, never breaking the kiss.

Cool air hit my heated skin as he divested me of my own clothes, leaving me bare and wanting before him. His gaze raked over me, hot and possessive, as if he were committing every curve and scar to memory.

"Fuck, baby," he rasped, his voice rough with need. "You're so goddamn beautiful."

I reached for him, my hand wrapping around his thick, hard length. He hissed through his teeth, his hips bucking into my touch. "I need you. I need to feel you everywhere.

In a flash, he had me up on the table, the cold metal a stark contrast to the heat of his body as he settled between my thighs. I gasped as his fingers found my core, stroking, teasing, stoking the fire within me to an inferno.

"You're so wet for me," he groaned, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. "Always so ready."

I arched into him, my nails digging into the hard muscles of his back. "Always," I panted, my hips rolling against his hand, seeking more, craving everything he had to give. "For all of you."

He claimed my mouth again as he positioned himself at my entrance. With one hard, deep thrust, he seated himself fully inside me, stretching and filling me in the most delicious way.

I cried out, the sound muffled by his kiss, my inner muscles clenching around him. He stilled for a moment, allowing me to adjust, his forehead pressed to mine as we shared the same breath.

"Mine," he growled, the word a primal declaration. "Always mine."

"Yours," I agreed breathlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist, urging him deeper. "Now move, damn it."

He obeyed with a guttural moan, his hips snapping against mine in a relentless rhythm. Each powerful thrust sent shockwaves of pleasure rippling through me, building, coiling, tight.

I met each of his thrusts, my body rising to his, our flesh slapping together obscenely in the stillness of the tower. The metal table creaked beneath us, a staccato counterpoint to our harsh breaths and muffled moans.

"Helana..." Alex's voice was strained, my name a reverent prayer on his lips as he drove into me, over and over, pushing me higher, taking me to the edge of oblivion.

I could feel my climax building, a tidal wave threatening to crash over me. My nails scored down his back, my heels digging into his ass, urging him on. "Alex, please... I'm so close..."

His hand snaked between our sweat-slicked bodies, finding my clit. He circled the sensitive bundle of nerves with expert precision, sending me hurtling towards my peak. "Come for me, baby."

His words were my undoing. With a keening cry, I shattered around him, my body convulsing as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over me. Through the haze of my pleasure, I felt Alex stiffen, a harsh groan tearing from his throat as he found his own release, spilling deep inside me.

We clung to each other as we rode out the aftershocks, our hearts pounding in sync, our breaths mingling. For one blissful moment, the world outside ceased to exist - no zombies, no wolves. No bitches throwing me to certain death.

For a long moment, we simply held each other, our ragged breaths the only sound in the stillness of the tower. Alex's arms were like steel bands around me, holding me close, as if he were afraid I might disappear if he let go. I understood the feeling all too well.

Slowly, reluctantly, we disentangled ourselves, the chill of the evening air a shock against my heated skin. Alex handed me my clothes, his fingers brushing mine in a tender caress as I took them.

Alex pulled me back into his embrace, his chin resting atop my head. "I meant what I said," he murmured, his voice a low rumble against my ear. "I can't lose you. None of us can."

I nodded against his chest, my throat tight with emotion. "I know. And I meant what I said too. I'll try to be more careful. But you have to understand... In this world, there are no guarantees. We could walk out of this tower tomorrow and get torn apart by a horde of zombies. Or mauled by another pack of rabid wolves. Or hell, even get taken out by another group of survivors."

I pulled back slightly, my hands coming up to frame his face, my thumbs brushing over the stubble on his jaw. "The point is, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. All we have is right now, this moment. And I don't want to waste a single second of it by regretting things."

Alex's eyes searched mine, a myriad of emotions swirling in their icy blue depths. "You're right," he said finally, his voice rough with feeling. "It's enough for me if it's enough for you…"

He leaned down, capturing my lips in a kiss that was both tender and fierce, a silent promise sealed between us. When we broke apart, he rested his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin.

"We should head back down," he murmured reluctantly. "The others will be wondering where we disappeared to."

I smirked, my fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Let them wonder. We deserve a little alone time, don't you think?"

Alex chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "Woman, you're insatiable."

"Only for you," I purred, nipping playfully at his bottom lip. "For all of you. How the fuck did I end up with three boyfriends and a girlfriend? I don't have enough holes…"

He groaned, his hands tightening on my hips. "Keep talking like that and we won't be leaving this tower anytime soon."

I grinned, stepping out of his embrace with a wink. "Is that a promise or a threat?"

Alex's eyes visibly darkened, and his cock hardened against me. My body lit up, heat racing through me. But then there was a knock against the door to the stairwell, and Ret pushed through a moment later, coming to a stop with a sudden curse. "Shit, I'm sorry, I…"

"You can come in, babe," I said with a chuckle. "The more, the merrier, right, Alex?"

Alex raised a black brow at me. "I'm not fucking Ret."

I slapped him on the chest right as Ret made a gagging sound. Alex shot her a look. "I take offense to that."

"You said it first, weirdo," she sneered.

"Are you guys gonna make me cum or not?" I interrupted, and both of them went instantly still, their eyes meeting over the distance.

Ret closed the door behind her, sliding the massive steel lock into place. The sound echoed through the room.

Ret stalked towards us, a predatory glint in her dark eyes. "Oh, I'll make you come, baby girl. So hard you'll forget your own fucking name."

Alex's grip on my hips tightened possessively. "Is that a challenge, Beretta?"

Ret smirked as she reached us, pulling her shirt over her head. "More like a promise. Think you can keep up, big man?"

I shivered as I glanced between them, my body already aching, craving their touch. The air was thick with tension, electric with anticipation.

Alex's hand tangled in my hair, tugging my head back to expose my throat. "Let's find out, shall we?"

His lips descended on my neck, teeth grazing, tongue soothing, as Ret circled around and captured my mouth in a searing kiss. I moaned into her, my hands clutching at her shoulders, pulling her closer.

Alex laid me out on the table like an offering to the gods, sinking his cock into my wet core again. I writhed beneath their dual assault, back arching as Ret's tongue swirled around my nipple.

I tugged at the buttons of her pants, needing them to disappear immediately. She laughed, pulling back and dropping them in a fluid motion. The supply table was too high, so Ret climbed on top of the table while I guided her hips, until she was straddling my face.

"Holy fuck…" Alex groaned. His pace picked up, his fingers digging into my hips. He fucked me harder than before, until the table was shaking.

I buried my face between Ret's thighs, my tongue delving into her slick folds. She tasted divine, like honey and sin. Her hips rocked against my mouth as I lapped and sucked at her most sensitive spots, drawing wanton moans from her lips.

"Just like that," she panted, one hand fisting in my hair, holding me in place.

Alex pistoned into me, each powerful thrust hitting that sweet spot deep inside, sending jolts of electricity zinging through my nerve endings. The dual sensations were overwhelming, almost too much to bear. I was drowning in pleasure, lost to the exquisite torture of their touch.

My fingers dug into the supple flesh of Ret's ass as I feasted on her, my tongue swirling around her swollen clit. She cried out, her thighs trembling, hips undulating desperately against my face. I could tell she was close, hovering on the precipice.

"Don't stop," she gasped, her nails raking over my scalp. "I'm gonna...fuck, I'm gonna come..."

I doubled my efforts, sealing my lips around her clit and sucking hard. At the same time, Alex changed his angle, hitting a spot so deep it had me seeing stars. The combination of our moans sent Ret careening over the edge with a guttural groan, her essence flooding my tongue as she shattered above me.

Her climax triggered my own, and I came with a muffled scream against her flesh, my inner muscles clamping down on Alex's cock like a vice. He cursed, his rhythm faltering as he chased his own release, hips snapping against mine in frenzied desperation.

Ret collapsed beside me, her chest heaving, a sheen of sweat glistening on her bronze skin. I turned my head, capturing her mouth in a languid kiss, letting her taste herself on my tongue.

Alex's thrusts grew erratic, his breathing harsh and labored. "Fuck, baby... I'm gonna... oh fuck..."

With a guttural groan, he spilled himself deep inside me, his cock pulsing, flooding me with his warmth. I clenched around him, milking every last drop, savoring the sensation of being so thoroughly claimed by him.

Alex slumped forward, his forehead resting between my breasts as he struggled to catch his breath. I ran my fingers through his sweat-dampened hair.

Ret propped herself up on one elbow, her dark eyes glinting with mischief as she surveyed our tangled bodies. "Well, that was fun. We should do this more often."

I laughed breathlessly, the sound echoing in the cavernous space of the tower. "God, yes. I'm gonna need all the orgasms I can get if we're gonna make saving people a habit."