Page 23 of Retaliation

She slid off the bike and stared up at the six-story building, hands on her hips.

“Is this where you kill me?” she teased with raised eyebrows.

He, leaning his forearms on the handlebar, shook his head slowly from side to side.

“This is my… safe space,” he said, watching her reaction.

“And…” she seemed to search for the words. “And you brought me here?”

Something shattered around his heart at the sight of understanding in her eyes. He had a feeling she would understand. You didn’t live the lives they led without seeing some serious shit. And sometimes, you needed a place away from it all to clear your head. This building was his escape for so many reasons.

Getting off his bike, he took her hand and led her through the side door, locking it behind them with a deadbolt. He admired the fact that she didn’t even flinch as the sound echoed through the empty ground floor.

She took a step, but he held her back, his ears strained and eyes searching through the darkness. She glanced at him, and she must have realized what he was

doing as she froze and copied him.

Could it be that easy? Had he found someone who understood him so effortlessly? Her eyes said she did. She might have teased him about his need for security, but without questioning, she followed suit. She didn’t pry, she didn’t question, she just… understood.

Only when he was satisfied that they were alone, did he lead her to the steel stairs on the other side of the open space.

Neither spoke a word as he led her to the office. He only retrieved the cooler Gunnar and Dennis had left there earlier, thankful that they had. She waited by the door for him, his heart aching when she held out her hand again for him to lead the way. He laced his fingers through hers, which felt like the most natural thing, yet the contact set his skin on fire when his calloused hand cradled hers.

He led her all the way up the six flights of stairs, and only when they exited through the rooftop door did she break the silence.

“Wow,” she whispered, staring at the city stretching out before them.

The city lights blinked like a million little stars in the night sky. He walked her to the old couch at the edge of the roof. Sitting down, he patted the cushion next to him, but to his surprise, she crawled onto his lap. With her back against the armrest, she stretched her legs across his legs to the cushion he had just offered her.

For a long while, they just sat in each other’s presence and stared at the city. He finally allowed himself to look at her. He could see how her mind raced, but still, she didn’t pry, giving him his space.

“I come here,” he heard himself say, his voice alien, needing to break the silence. “When things get to be too much. When I just need to escape.” His throat felt raw, and he tried to swallow the emotions away.

“I get that,” she whispered, eyes locked on the distant horizon. “I have my own rooftop, so to speak.”

“I used to come here with my brother when we were kids.” He didn’t know why he was sharing so much of himself. He had never told anyone about his brother, but he wanted to tell her. “Now I share it with my chosen brothers.”

She turned to him and placed a palm on his face. Leaning into her touch, he closed his eyes and savored the heat of her skin.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she murmured.

He opened his eyes and found hers an inch away, their breaths mingling in the intimate space between them. The unspoken understanding in her eyes was almost too much to bear; the pain, the loss, the longing—they mirrored his own. He didn’t need words to convey what he felt; she simply knew.

He leaned in, his heart pounding in his chest, and pressed his lips to hers. It was as if the world around them dissolved, leaving only the searing heat of their connection. Her lips parted for him, and he deepened the

kiss, losing himself in the taste of her, the feel of her. Every rational thought evaporated, replaced by a primal need that surged through him like wildfire.

His hand found the curve of her hip, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. She responded with equal fervor, her arms winding around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair as she pressed herself against him. The soft moan that escaped her lips was a symphony, driving him further into madness.

He needed more—more of her touch, her taste, her very essence. He craved her in ways he couldn’t put into words. Their tongues danced, and she welcomed him deeper, her body shivering in his embrace. A growl rumbled from his chest, an involuntary response to the sheer pleasure of her submission.

With a desperate need, he slid his hand up her leg, his fingers caressing the soft skin of her thigh. He pulled her closer, their bodies melded together, and the fire inside him blazed hotter. Her soft gasp sent a jolt of electricity through him, and he felt the last vestiges of control slip away.

Scooping her into his arms, he stood, carrying her effortlessly as he moved toward the door. The world around them was a blur; all that mattered was the woman in his arms. He only broke the kiss long enough to open the door, his gaze never leaving hers. The intensity of his desire was reflected back at him in her eyes.

He carried her down the stairs, his steps steady despite the storm raging inside him. The cooler by the couch, the mundane details of the world—they faded into insignificance. She was all he wanted, all he needed, and he couldn’t bear to wait another moment.

At the bottom of the first flight of stairs, he paused, allowing her to slip from his arms but keeping her close. He cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek as he captured her lips once more. This kiss was different, slower, filled with a tenderness that contrasted the urgency of moments before.

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