Page 27 of Revived
"Nah, not lost. I did think I'd do you a solid though. Seems you're either dumber than I originally thought, or you have a death wish. See, this here is Elena Rory. Ring any bells?" When River doesn't say anything, he continues. "No, well I guess I'll be friendly tonight. Elle, as we like to call her around the station, is a taken woman. I know that doesn't mean much to you guys over at the cop shop, but at the firehouse we take that shit seriously. So I'm going to step in before my buddy, Lieutenant Byrne, walks in here and burns the whole town to ash. Good talk, buddy." He smirks at the brothers, who are very obviously fuming, before tipping his chin at Kenz and Addy. "Ladies, feel free to come with us. We're having more fun anyway."
With that, he gently takes my elbow and leads me over to the Brasher side. I'm walking up to the table full of people I recognize as Sully's firefighter buddies when I hear the door open and shut. Glancing at the front door, my eyes clash with very pissed off seafoam eyes that are zoomed in on Steel's hand on me.
Here we go.
Chapter twelve
Sullivan Byrne
I'm already in a pissed off mood because Elle has been avoiding me like I have a contagious disease for the past week. I've got eyes on her in the form of our friends and the tracking device I had Mac put on her phone when we were in college, but she's specifically avoidingme. She told Flynn that it's because she's pretty sure us kissing brought her stalker back. I've been as patient as I can be this week, but walking into The Den and seeing Steel fucking Brasher's hand on her body sends my blood boiling, and the mafioso that I keep so well hidden surges to the front.
I've given her the illusion of space for six days, and I'm done with that shit starting right now. I know what's going on in that pretty head of hers. Not only have I known her my entire life, but I also took a couple of psych classes in college. Elle is the poster child for OCD, and not the 'I have to keep everything clean' OCD that everyone says they have. No, the true 'terror grips at me anytime something changes in my schedule, because something bad may happen' OCD. She is bound to her routine. So much so that I'm actually shocked to find her here. It isn't until I see the other two gymnasts trailing behind her that I realize it's girl’s night.
A tradition that they've had for years at this point. One night a month they all get together. They cycle through the girls on who chooses what they do. If I had to guess, tonight was Addy's turn. She'sall about the bar scene. My feet move without me telling them to. I'm stalking across the bar like a manic asshole, and I know it. But I'll be damned if I sit here and watch another man's hand on her. As soon as I'm close enough, I throw his hand off of her and wrap her up in my arms from behind. I hear her deep exhale as she melts into me, like she's been holding it in all week, but now she's safe again. Because she is safe with me, always.
"You been avoiding me, baby girl?" I whisper in her ear. The way her body squirms in my hold tells me my words had their desired effect.
"I guess we've just been missing each other." She half whispers, half pants. She's putty in my hands, good.
"Yeah, something like that." My grip on her tightens, and I notice my buddies from the station watch us with curiosity.
They know she's mine. It's been a long running joke since I joined the firehouse, but I don't think they realized that she'smine.I mean, to be fair I didn't either until the day of Flynn's game. However, standing here right now, knowing my lips haven't touched hers in six days? I need to kiss her more than my next breath.
Without thinking much of it, I spin her in my arms until she's facing me and back us up until we're on the dance floor. There's not many people dancing yet. The night's still early, but I don't care. One of her favorite songs comes through the speakers, and I move her around the dance floor the way we've done so many times. She told me when we were in second grade that when she grew up, her husband was going to dance with her everywhere. He wouldn't care who was watching or what people said. All he'd care about was twirling her around and watching her smile… I started dance lessons the very next week. My Ma actually loved it so much that she made us all take them, even Rowan, who was almost eighteen. So I know exactly what I'm doing when I twirl her around on this dance floor, just like I will on our wedding day.
Her smile is bright and genuine as we dance and listen to Niall Horan sing of putting on a show to go out and hating the weekend because the love of your life isn't calling. She's loved this song since it first came out, and I can't tell you the number of times we've belted it out in my Bronco.
The song comes to an end as I dip her, just like every time. Only this time, when I pull her back up, I seal my lips over hers. She doesn't hesitate, immediately wrapping her arms around my neck and deepening the kiss. My tongue fights hers for dominance until I hear the whistles from my guys.
Shit. I forgot where we were.
I pull away slightly until my forehead is resting on hers. "I don't want to miss each other anymore."
"I don't think I do either." She smiles shyly.
"So we're doing this? Like completely doing this?"
"I want to."
Those three words are like a sucker punch to the solar plexus in the best way. I can't help the way my body lights up at the thought of her being totally mine. I'm going to love this woman better than she's ever been loved before. She thinks she knows me, but just wait until she meets the boyfriend version of me.
By the time we make it back to the table, Steel has a beer waiting for me and a glass of wine waiting for Elle. Addy and Kenz are talking to Sadie and her wife, engulfed in some conversation that I'm not privy to. I tip my chin to Steel in a silent thanks before taking a seat beside Hal. Gently I grab Elle's hips and guide her until she's sitting on my lap. Once she's comfortable, I drape one arm around her waist and watch as she launches into the conversation with the girls.
Hal, whose name is not Hal but actually Hudson, subtly knocks his arm into mine, drawing my attention.
"It's a good look on you, Lieu."
"What's that?" I ask, confused.
"Getting the girl after all this time."
***
I absolutely despised leaving Elena last night. Rules are rules though, which means she went to Addy's in an Uber where I'm sure they all passed out as soon as they walked in the door. They made it to the apartment safely; I know that for a fact because I followed the car to make sure. I thought the girls wouldn't notice, but the way Kenz yelled "Bye Elle's boooyfrieeend" while the door to the complex was shutting told me that I was busted.
I sent coffee this morning and just heard back a second ago. That leads me to now. Standing dumbfounded in my bedroom, staring at this text from Elle.
Boo: You're a lifesaver. I'll do some pretty naughty things to keep the morning coffee a regular thing.
