Page 93 of Ice
By the time we reached their… I don’t know what to call it… compound?... I was exhausted from the constant chatter, but Ithanked him, and followed him inside. He banged on an office door and told me to wait there, but disappeared with my bags.
“Lissa, welcome back.” Reacher’s response when he opened what appeared to be his office door was a surprise, but we’d worked on burying the hatchet while he’d visited me, so perhaps it shouldn’t have been.
“Thanks for letting me back, and for the ride here.”
He grinned. “Let me show you to Ice’s tech suite. He’s working on something for Has, but I know he’s desperate to see you. Remember to tell him that I said he’s ‘whipped’. He has that coming in spades.”
It was like meeting a different man. He was no longer a terrifying reminder of my own father, but more like the jovial stepfather I’d ended up with.
“Is he doing okay?”
Reacher led the way, glancing back as he walked.
“I think so. Doc checked in with him earlier and said he wasn’t showing any signs of severe withdrawal, so I’m taking that as a good sign.”
I hoped it was. “And he and Has-Been have sorted out their differences?”
He stopped at the first floor, and looked at me.
“I fucking hope so. They say they have, but honestly I’m not convinced. I won’t be surprised if we’re right back at defcon one in a week. Hell, maybe you can help them work on that shit if it implodes again.”
He grinned slyly, stepping away from the door he’d approached, his voice low and secretive.
“Why don’t you surprise him?”
God yes. I reached out and grabbed Reacher’s hand, wondering what the fuck I was doing, but his look of surprise relaxed into a smile.
“Thank you. I can’t wait to see him.”
“Welcome to the family, love.”
I watched him walk away, and then turned back to the door he’d stopped at, suddenly feeling nervous, because I had no idea who else was behind that door, or how he’d react.
I took a deep breath and grabbed the handle, pushing the door inward.
“What now?” Ice sounded exasperated, not even bothering to look up as I stepped inside. Even cranky, his voice flowed through me, easing away some of my fear, and replacing it with warmth.
I paused for a moment.
“Honestly, I’ve had better welcomes.”
His head lifted instantly, and his eyes found mine. I watched as a smile lit up his face, and he eased up out of his chair.
“Fucking hell, Lissa. You have no idea how much I missed you.”
He was moving in my direction, but I closed the distance fast, running into his outstretched arms, and sighing with relief, as his arms tightened around me at long fucking last.
Ice nuzzled my neck, taking a deep breath.
“I missed how you smell… even your smell is sweet, Lissa.”
“Being away from you was hell, Ice. I don’t want to do that again. Please don’t make us be apart again.”
He pulled back to look at me.
“You know I didn’t do that, and Jessica is nobody, babe, I promise. Like I fucked her a few times a while back, but that was all it was. You’re all I want.”
I nodded. “Believe it or not, Reacher made that very clear. We’ve talked a bit since I went home, and I guess he’s not so bad. Certainly not like my father.”
