Page 47 of Desolation
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Sliding over, I rest my cheek against his smooth chest, enjoying the warmth emanating from him. I’m more grateful than they can imagine that they let me off so easily and that we’ll be dealing with this whole shitshow together. As a unit.
My exhaustion quickly catches up with me, relaxing as I’m pulled into the coma I had been yearning for.
I hope you’re proud of us, Mom.
Chapter Eleven
Lana
As sunlight assaults my eyelids, I groggily open one eye, ready to decimate whoever dares to interrupt my slumber. My glare lands on Hale’s well-toned back as he ties back the curtains.A girl could get used to waking up to a view like this.
As he turns around, I quickly drop my eyelid shut again, pretending to sleep. Maybe he’ll leave me alone and I can get some more shut eye.
He scoffs. “Good try, Lana. You snored all night like you need a CPAP breathing machine. I know you’re awake now that it’s blissfully quiet. Get your ass up.”
Groaning, I kick my legs out, displacing the comforter, throwing a small temper tantrum at being caught. He’s no fun. He could have at least pretended to go along with it for a few minutes.
“I’m going to go grab us coffee from the buffet area so get dressed and I’ll meet you there,” he says on his way to the bedroom door. He swings it open. “Or I’ll bring it back for you if you don’t show up.”
Bolting upright, I loudly proclaim, “I love you, you beautiful man!” Instantly, I gasp and fling my hands over my mouth.
I’ve done this before but that’s not allowed now, right? I shouldn’t just casually throw it around anymore.
He halts in his movement. “I knew coffee was the way to your heart butdamn, I didn’t think it’d score me that many points. Sweet.”
The door shuts behind him and I’m relieved that he didn’t make a big deal of it or say it back. That wasn’t how I intended that to come out.
Flopping back into bed, my mood instantly sobers. There’s so much to do today. We need to head to the hospital to identify Beth’s body before they’ll allow us to plan a funeral for her. I guess it’s policy to make sure they’re giving us the right person but I don’t want to see her like that again.
Time to put on my big girl pants, again.
Begrudgingly, I throw the covers off of my body and get up. I grab my duffel and throw it on the bed, unzipping it and rummaging around. I grab a green, V-neck shirt and a pair of faded, blue shorts.
Grabbing all the essentials, I head to the bathroom and change quickly, wanting to get to the coffee as fast as humanly—Fae-ly? —possible.
As soon as I’m dressed, I glance in the mirror and say athank you, Goddessto the sky. The natural waves of my hair have never looked this smooth and healthy. I decide not to bother with the small assortment of makeup the guys dumped into the duffel for me. I’ll just ruin it by crying and I don’t think makeup is called for when going to identify your mother’s body.
Shaking my head at myself, I quickly brush my teeth and hair before heading out into the lobby to hunt down the elixir of life and the warrior who wields it. I zone out and don’t see where I’m going when I walk into Leo, who’s standing with his door closed, waiting for me.
When I look up, he offers his hand to me. I smile sadly at him and take his hand, still feeling ashamed about the incident in our house yesterday.
“I’m sorry for what I said yesterday, Lana. I know you were grieving and though you didn’t handle it the best way either, I feel like I need to apologize for calling you a bitch at least.” With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he bows and kisses my hand, much as he had yesterday at the lake.How was that only twenty-four hours ago?It feels like I’ve aged twenty years in the time that’s passed. “Will you accept your loyal servant's apology, my Queen?”
Deciding to meet him where he is, I tease back, with the truth ringing behind my words. “Your Queen accepts your humble apology … and admits she was being a horrid bitch yesterday.” Squeezing his hand, I say, “Will you forgive me?”
All traces of playfulness drop from his face, leaving me facing a serious man that I’m not quite sure what to do with. My heart drops for a second.Did I say something wrong?But before I can agonize, he grabs me by the back of my head with his other hand and stares intently into my eyes.
“I forgive you, Lana,” he sincerely states. “I willalwaysforgive you.”
Slowly, he leans forward, clearly intending to kiss me but giving me a moment to say no.Bring it on.
Not wanting to wait on his sloth speed, I place my hands on his chest and reach up on my toes to meet him halfway. Contentment ropes itself around my soul, knotting our connection together, as our lips touch for the first time. In this life,a part of me says. I wonder now how I lasted this long without his kiss.
Getting lost in his lips, I walk him back and push him back against the wall, need overcoming me. His back hits the wall, his breath whooshes out of him, and I reclaim his open lips greedily sucking and licking as Hale had done to me. Being the aggressor in this situation fills me with a sense of accomplishment, reminding me that I have the confidence to take what I want.
I feel safe with all my guys and it shocks me that it doesn’t matter if I’m the dominant one or the submissive one—nothing any of them has done has triggered a flashback.
