Page 85 of Surrender

"I'm sorry, sir. Rules are rules and if I don't follow them, I don't get to put food on my table."

I don't blame the old man, but fuck. I punch the marble counter until my hand bleeds, the old man looks mortified, and Cas pulls me back.

He threatens to call the police, but a few seconds later, the doors burst open and ten men wearing black pour through them. Once they're off the street, they draw their guns and spread through the foyer with military precision. They've done this before. Rico and his second, Santiago, head towards me.

Head hanging low in shame and still vibrating with anger. I point to the orderly. "I need the penthouse card to access the elevator and door."

Santiago points a pistol at the man's head and pulls back the hammer.

A small part of me feels bad for making the man wet his pants. A bigger part of me would burn this city to the ground to get to my woman.

With a shaky hand, the man thumbs through a binder and finds the right key.

Rico, Santiago, Cas and I run to the elevator. Daniel stays to soothe the older man, while Harrison stays to keep the mafia in line, I'm guessing.

The ride up is painfully long, and I'm shifting my weight like a boxer. My hands itch with the need to get to her. To hold her. To keep her safe. I need to know she's safe.

Every muscle in my body needs to know she's safe.

Finally, the elevator lurches, pings, and the doors slide open. I'm through them sideways, before they've even opened enough to fit an adult male's body and lose a few buttons in the process, but I don't fucking care.

I run through the small entry room to the front door, slamming the card against the reader.

Within half a heart beat a number of things happen. The door clicks to unlock. I throw it open. I rush in blindly. I stop a few feet into the penthouse. Santiago pistol-whips the blonde, Rico draws his weapon, and I take in the glorious picture in front of me.

My woman, feet placed wide, strong, is standing in just her bra and underwear. But that's not the glorious part. The glorious part, is that she has Volkov on his knees in front of her, one hand wrapped around his tie and the other with a knife to his throat.

"Give me my phone...." she was growling at him when we burst into the room.

Both of their heads turn towards us, and on hers I read relief and some trepidation. On his I read embarrassment and anger. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, asshole.

"I didn't do anything. You have to know I didn't do anything," Serenity says in a rush, tears pouring from her eyes. She looks equally heartbroken and hopeful.

"I know," I reply.

I walk toward her and wrap her in a hug. With Rico and Santiago having guns on Volkov, I'm not worried about him anymore. I wrap my arms around Serenity, pulling her against me, where she belongs.

The knife falls to the floor.

"You got my message..." she says on a sigh and wraps her arms around my waist, holding me to her.

I nod against her hair. "I did. Clever girl."

She looks up at me, lower lids wet with tears. "I hated the thought..." Her lower lip trembles and her body follows, so I hug her tighter.

"Cas. Her clothes?"

Cas tries a few bedrooms before she finds them and hands them back to Serenity, along with her phone. Now shy, she looks at the two new men.

I guide her to a guest bedroom so she can get dressed in private. But I can't quite let go of her, so even as she dresses, I have to touch her. Her arm, her hand, her leg, her hair. I don't fucking care.

She dresses quickly, and seems to need to touch me that much, too, because her hands rarely leave me.

I feel my heart find its regular rhythm again, now that I can see her and touch her and protect her. A deep need for her sits low in my belly, and I know I'm going to push her. Something like thiscan never happen again. The need to steal her away and lock her up in our bedroom gnaws at me.

Once she's dressed and we've exchanged a handful of comforting kisses, we walk back out into the living room where Volkov is still on his knees, face stormy.

"What do you want to do with him?" Rico asks. Both Rico and Santiago have their guns pointed at his head.

---