Hunting season

Chapter Sixteen

Even with her eyes closed, the light was killing her. Christ, why would somebody shine a fuckin’ strobe light in her face.

Neecy forced her eyes open and realized it wasn’t a strobe light but the early afternoon sun that had been irritating the shit out of her.

And, she realized, she was in bed with Will Yager. Not only that, but she got the feeling the cocksucker had tied her up again. She couldn’t move her left arm.

That searing pain, though…where did that come from?

She studied Yager’s face. He was frowning in his sleep, but still looked as sexy as ever.

Her right hand was free, so she reached out and slid her fingertips across Yager’s furrowed brow and down his nose. She smiled.

He really is a cutie.

That’s when his eyes slowly opened. They stared at each other for several long moments. Then Yager smiled. A big, wide, relieved grin that completely turned her insides to mush. Christ, she was turning into such a total wuss because of this guy.

“Hey, baby.” His voice was low, scratchy with sleep. Even with the pain in her back it completely made her nipples stand up and offer a big “howdy” to anyone in the room.

“Hey.”

“How long you been awake?”

“Not long.”

“How do you feel?”

“My back hurts.”

“Yeah. It will for a little while.”

“Why? I didn’t fall off something again, did I?”

His grin turned warm. “No, baby. You didn’t. You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

His fingers brushed her cheek and slid down her neck. “You were in a fight.”

“I was?” She didn’t remember a fight. She remembered waiting for the cab. The cab to take her to the train and the train that would take her to Yager.

“I’m at your house, right?”

“It’s a long story, baby. Don’t worry about it for now. I just need you to rest.”

She really hated when he got evasive on her. But she wasn’t in the mood to fight it. At least, not at the moment. “I’ve gotta pee.”

“Okay.” Quick as a cat, Yager jumped out of bed and came around to her side.

“Let’s get you up, baby.”

“I can do it on my own.”

“Don’t start with me, Neecy Lawrence.”

Before she could start anything, Yager pulled back the sheet covering her naked body and slowly turned her, lifting her up into his arms. She sucked her breath between her teeth as the pain in her back tripled.

Yager immediately stopped. “Are you okay?”

Gritting her teeth against the pain, “I’m fine. Really.” Not really, but her need to pee overrode any pain she may have.

Of course he didn’t remotely believe her, but he was nice enough not to push it.

With her tucked into his big arms, Yager moved easily to the enormous bathroom. Carefully he lowered her onto the toilet. Then he stood back and stared at her.

“Well…go on.”

Her mouth dropped open in shock, but she quickly recovered. “Have you lost your mind? Get out.”

“Come on, Neecy. Aren’t we past this?”

The last of her control snapped. “Out!”

Chuckling, “Okay. Okay. I’m going.” He stepped to the doorway. “And, you know, you can do whatever you need to in here. You don’t have to keep it to peeing.”

“Yager!”

He laughed a little louder and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Arri tapped Didi lightly on the shoulder and she snapped awake, those dark brown eyes swinging her way.

“I…brought you coffee?”

The hard look on the older woman’s face faded. “Thanks, hon.”

Somehow Arri had gone from “That Girl” to “hon” in pretty much a nanosecond.

She didn’t question it too much, but she could read it was a true change. She could see it in her colors.

Didi took the coffee from her as Arri looked around Yager’s living room. The Gathering had taken over the poor man’s house. Completely and utterly. Add in that most of the New Jersey Ravens also showed up and you had a room full of winged people waiting around. Everyone spoke quietly. Any loud noise causing quite the stir.

The only ones not there were the teens or Elders with families to care for. A separate group of Elders from both sides took the teens to go stay with the Philly Crows until things settled down, and it was safe for them to return. The rest of them stayed up the remainder of the night, playing cards, watching bad, late night TV, or just staring. Lots of staring.

Around dawn, they’d all fallen asleep except for those who were on watch.

Apparently, it’d become the role of the Ravens as well as the Crows to protect Neecy. They all felt responsible for her.

Tye walked into the living room from the backyard. He was on his phone, using it as a walkie-‐talkie. “Okay. Okay. Got it.”

Didi sipped her coffee, then looked up at Tye. “What?”

He smiled. “She’s awake. She’s already yelled at him twice.”

As one, the Crows all jumped to their feet. Laughing and cheering, they hugged each other. Arri closed her eyes, the sudden burst of light nearly blinding her.

But her sense of relief was so intense, she could barely breathe.

She didn’t want to think about life among the Gathering without her friend.

Neecy had become her family; she wasn’t ready to lose that.

She’d never be ready to lose that.

Yager hovered outside the door. As soon as Morgan came up to check on Neecy, she’d tossed him out. Which he didn’t appreciate one damn bit. He didn’t like the idea of being too far from her. At least not until he knew Neecy could protect herself. Except for still having a vicious tongue, his woman looked small and weak…well, as small and weak as a six-‐foot, one-‐inch woman could look.

Even bruised, battered, bloody, and cranky, Neecy Lawrence was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. And he felt like a total shit, because he didn’t just want her to get well for her own sake…he wanted her to get well so that he could have her in his arms again. So he could feel her underneath him, moaning his name as she came. It was one of the few ways Neecy let Yager show her how much he cared.

But that was about to change. He was going to take care of her while she recovered whether she wanted him to or not. He didn’t want to hear any shit from her about it either.

“Ow!”

Yager heard Neecy’s barked exclamation of pain and he refused to let her or Morgan shut him out any longer. He threw open his bedroom door and both women looked up at him. Morgan had Neecy’s hand and seemed to be checking it. Yager worked hard not to think too hard about the fact that Neecy looked damn adorable in his sleeveless Knick’s basketball T-‐shirt. Although she looked even better naked.

“What’s wrong?”

Neecy rolled her eyes. “Oh, this is going to get really old.”

“I heard you cry out in pain.”

“I must have bent my finger back during the fight is all. Morgan was just checking it to see how bad it is.” The vision of Neecy fighting some unknown enemy all alone made his blood run cold every time. Whereas she acted like it was really no big deal. “So feel free to leave now.”

“Forget it, Lawrence. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Will Yager!” Morgan dropped Neecy’s hand. “I know I raised you better than that!”

“No, you didn’t.”

Smirking, Morgan turned back to Neecy. “You might as well forget it, honey. I know that determined look in those steely grey eyes.”

“Yeah. Me, too,” Neecy muttered as she eased herself back against the bed’s headboard.

Morgan grabbed her coat from off the foot of the bed. “Your finger’s not broken.

Maybe a little sprain, but I don’t even think it’s that bad. Just rest it and try not to mess with it. Try ice if it really starts to hurt.”

She tugged on her coat. “Now I know I don’t have to tell you not to push yourself, right? As a Crow, you’re healing faster than anyone on the planet, but I still want you staying quiet for the next couple of days.”

“Yeah, but…”

“No ‘buts,’ Neecy Lawrence! I don’t want to hear it. Didi and the rest of the Crows can handle anything that may come up. You don’t need to fight every battle.”

“So I’m just supposed to sit here? Doing nothing?”

“Wow. You do understand me.” Morgan headed toward the door. “But I’m sure this man right here,” she patted Yager’s shoulder as she walked past, “will be more than happy to keep you occupied for a little while. Right, Will?”

Morgan walked out, the door slamming behind her.

Yager looked up to find Neecy staring at him with narrowed eyes.

“I didn’t tell her to say that, ya know. So just get that look off your face.”

“Is there anyone here that doesn’t know we’re fucking?”

“Is that really all we’re doing, Lawrence? Just fucking?”

She tried to fold her arms across her chest, but quickly remembered the left arm tied tight against her body, her fingers close to her throat. She growled in frustration.

“This is going to make me nuts!”

He’d never seen Neecy so openly agitated before. He had to admit—he kind of enjoyed it.

“You leave your arm alone.” He strode to the bed. “It’s to help your wing heal.”

Neecy looked away from him so quickly, he almost didn’t catch the look in her eye. Panic?

“What is it, baby?”

“Stop calling me that!”

Grunting in annoyance, Yager got onto the bed next to her.

“Look, let’s get some things straight, okay? I’m going to call you baby, because I like it. And you like it too, you just keep being difficult.”

Her head snapped around to glare at him. “How the fuck do you know I like it?”

“Because when I’m inside you and call you baby, your pussy practically turns into a river. That’s how I know.”

Neecy stared at him for several seconds, then shook her head. “Jesus, Yager. I was hit in the back with an ax. I look like utter shit. I’m covered in frikin’ bruises and scrapes and open wounds. And you still…”

“Want you? Yeah, baby. I still want you. Which is why I need you to get better.”

He brought his hand up to cup her chin, forcing her to keep looking at him. “You rock my universe, Doctor Lawrence. And I almost lost you.”

“Yager…” He gripped her chin tighter as she tried to turn away.

“I’m not letting you avoid this, Neecy. Avoid us. I’ve let you get away with it this long, but not anymore. Life’s too short, baby. So get over your bullshit.”

She opened her mouth to probably yell at him or tell him to get away from her.

But before she got the chance, he kissed her. He’d been wanting to since she woke up, but he knew it had to wait. Now, though, he saw she needed a little reminder of what they did to each other. What they’d always do to each other…

They’d always drive each other crazy.

His tongue swept inside her startled mouth and she moaned, her head tipping to the side so that their mouths fit together better. Her free hand lay across his chest, her fingers digging into his T-‐shirt and muscle. Their kiss went from sweet and warm to hot and wet in seconds, and his inner voice kept yelling at him to stop. She was still recovering. Not ready for him to throw her down on the bed and fuck her until she agreed to marry him. His body, however, just wasn’t listening and neither was hers.

Tye and Didi walking into the room…well, that stopped it. Especially when Didi yelled, “Good Lord, Yager! How about waiting until she’s off the freakin’ critical list before groping her like a hooker!”

How exactly did the man keep doing this to her? With only a kiss he could make her all wet and needy. It was shameful.

She yanked away from him. So fast, she caused a shock of pain to race down her back. But she refused to let it show because Yager and Didi would be all over that.

“Well, you seem to be doing well, Neecy.”

Neecy looked at Tye. Not bothering to hide her sarcasm, “Much better, thanks, Tye.”

His low chuckle made her want to slap his face. Christ, what was wrong with her? She actually liked Tye…usually.

“So, what do you want?”

“You are the worst patient.” Didi sat on the bed. “You going to keep being this miserable?”

“Yes. Any other questions?”

“Oh, man. You’re in for a time, Yager. Sure you don’t want us to take her cranky fat ass…”

“Watch it.”

“…back to the Bird House?”

Suddenly fear he may send her back to Jersey filled her system and she hated herself for it. She couldn’t stay here and let this man take care of her. It was one thing for the Gathering to care for her, they did it for each other. She’d nurse many of them through things as simple as summer colds to the more complex open wounds following knife fights. But, no. She couldn’t stay and take advantage of the man’s hospitality any long…

“Not on your life, Didi. She stays here.”

Neecy’s head snapped around. Yager sounded so adamant. Like he was willing to fight Didi on this, and few people fought Didi on much these days.

“Okay. Okay. Calm yourself. Just trying to let you off the hook. I know how difficult and evil she can be.”

“I like her difficult and evil.”

“Ya know I’m right here,” she snapped.

They both looked at her and then turned back to each other. “Look, Yager, you wanna keep the evil heifer, be my guest,” Didi joked while standing up. If she were any closer Neecy would wrap her hand around the woman’s throat. She didn’t care her leader was kidding. Calling her “heifer” and talking about her fat ass in front of Yager, however, was not cool.

“Okay. I’ll keep her…I mean, you don’t want her back or anything, right?”

“Nah. Keep her.”

Now they were just playing with the piranha. Pricks.

“I hope you don’t mind, Yager. The Gathering has made themselves kind of at home. Until our little Neecy can walk herself out of her, we plan on sticking around. Hope that’s okay.”

“Sure. You guys are always welcome.”

“Come on, Tye. Let’s leave these two alone.”

“You sure that’s okay? I mean…she’s supposed to be recovering, not getting herself all worked up.”

Neecy felt raw embarrassment as Tye and Didi left.

“I hate them.”

“He’s right, though. I need to leave you alone until you get better.”

She didn’t like the sound of that either, even though he was right.

“Whatever.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes.

Yager reached down and pulled the comforter up, covering them both. “Snuggle down, baby.”

She hesitated for a moment, but her last forty-‐five minutes of activity were catching up with her. Morgan warned her she’d find herself getting tired quickly, at least for a little while, so she decided not to fight it.

She slid down and turned on her right side.

Yager moved up behind her. “Tell me if this hurts.” Then he spooned her. His arm around her waist, his legs pushed against the back of her thighs, and his nose nuzzling the back of her neck.

The last thing she felt at the moment was pain.

So she didn’t say anything and, instead, went to sleep.

Feeling safe and…loved.

Waldgrave took the ax from his disciple’s hand.

Without any prompting, the disciple offered, “He fought well. They all did.”

“Is this all that’s left?”

“Yes. Those birds of hers came…they ripped him apart in seconds.”

Too bad. No proper funeral rites for him.

“And her?”

“Dead. He split her wing at the base.”

“And her body?”

“The birds took her.”

Back to her other females. Good. The sight of her torn body would have them mad with bloodlust—making the rest easy.

Mike stared up at the trees, barely noticing Tye when he pushed his shoulder then handed him a cup of coffee. “Am I the only one freaked out by them?”

Tye looked up. “As long as we’re taking care of her, we’ll be fine.”

Mike wasn’t so sure. He found hundreds of crows and ravens watching them a little bit unnerving. Especially when the one woman who controlled them was still recovering. Morgan said she’d be sleeping a lot. What if they decided to go wild while she was sleeping?

“This is not good.”

“Don’t be a pussy, Molinski.”

Of course Tye wasn’t afraid. Tye who had friends many would consider much less than human.

En mass, the birds suddenly took flight—and headed right into Yager’s bedroom.

“Bro!”

Now Tye frowned. “Uh…we better go check.”

They walked past the women and other Ravens who were eating, talking, or sleeping. Mike liked the fact the Gathering didn’t seem distracted by him in the least. He liked a good challenge. To be honest, the Valkyries were way easy.

Getting to Yager’s room was simple. Getting inside…another matter all together.

“Should we knock?” Mike asked.

Tye shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t want to startle anybody…if ya know what I mean.”

He knew exactly what Tye meant. So, silently, Mike eased Yager’s bedroom door open.

Then he stared. So did Tye.

They were everywhere. Just sitting there. Yager was out cold in his bed, but Neecy sat by the window. One enormous crow on her shoulder rubbing her head against Neecy’s cheek. A giant raven on her knee. Neecy reached over and rubbed her index finger over the bird’s head.

Mike and Tye looked at each other. After a moment, they turned to Yager. They waited and, suddenly, he snapped awake. They knew Yager would sense their presence. It was part of their training.

Yager’s eyes immediately focused on them and, a few seconds later, the birds that had invaded his room.

His eyes grew wide as he surveyed his room while slowly sitting up.

“Uh…baby? Is everything okay?”

She nodded without looking at him. “Sure. I was just thinking I wanted to see them…to thank them. And they came.” She smiled. “Like they always do.”

“That’s great, baby.” Yager slid off the bed, very careful of where he stepped.

“Neecy. I’ll be back in a sec.”

She nodded as the raven gripped her index finger with its talons.

Moving carefully, Yager walked across his bedroom and followed Mike and Tye out into the hallway. He closed the door behind him and then all three men let out huge breaths.

“That didn’t happen. And we’re never discussing it again.”

“Good plan,” Mike choked out.

“What ya got there, princess?”

Arri, kneeling on the living room floor, gasped in surprise as Liar-‐Mike Molinski snatched Neecy’s cell phone out of her hand. She’d pulled it from Neecy’s torn and blood-‐encrusted jeans, going through the last incoming and outgoing calls, when Molinski took it from her.

He dropped onto Yager’s couch, his inhumanely large feet up on the fine leather.

Growling, Arri reached over and tried to grab the phone back. Without much effort, Molinski held it from her grasp simply by holding it over his head and moving it around.

“Come on, sweet cheeks. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Give it!”

To her utter horror, Molinski held the phone in one hand—and still out of reach—while he used his other hand to hold Arri at bay…by pushing back on her forehead.

Suddenly she felt eight years old again and the school bully had once again singled her out.

“Tell me what you’re doing and I’ll give it back to you.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything!” She tried to force Molinski’s hand off her head, but it was useless. Not surprisingly, he was seriously strong.

Seconds away from bursting into frustrated tears, another hand reached over her and snatched the phone from Molinski’s grasp. Arri looked up in time to see Janelle ball up her fist and punch Molinski over and over again in his stomach.

By the sixth hit, she pulled away then suddenly swung back again, nailing Molinski right in the groin.

“Ow! You bitch! ” He doubled over and turned away from both women, his head buried in the couch cushions.

“Here.” Janelle tossed her the phone and Arri caught it, almost dropped it, caught it, dropped it, and crawled after it as it skipped across the floor.

She didn’t even have to look at Janelle to know the woman probably rewarded her with one of her patented head shakes. She seemed to save those only for Arri.

When she finally got her hands on the phone, Arri found herself kneeling in front of Delia.

“What’cha doin’?”

Arri took a deep breath, working really hard to put those frustration-‐tears right back where they belonged. She cried enough in front of these women. “I found Neecy’s phone in her clothes. I was checking the incoming and outgoing messages from Friday night. Thought it might tell us something.”

Delia stared at her in surprise. “Good move, Arri-‐girl. Find anything?”

“Yeah. You called her.”

Delia blinked in surprise and glanced between Arri and Janelle. “That night? No I didn’t.” She shrugged at Janelle. “I was waitin’ for the fireman to call.”

Janelle shook her head. “You and your thing for firemen.”

“Hello? They’re hot!”

Arri opened the phone, found the last incoming message in Neecy’s caller I.D., and handed the device to Delia. “Isn’t that your number?”

Delia stared at it. “I don’t get it. I didn’t call her. Really.”

Janelle walked up behind Arri, grasped her under her arms, and easily lifted her to her feet. “Then how does her phone have your number?”

“How the hell should I know?”

Arri had a good idea, but before she could say it, Molinski barked from his huddled position on the couch, “They cloned it, you idiots!”

“Shut up!” Janelle screamed it so loudly, her voice even dropping a few octaves, Arri was ready to bolt out of the room. But when she turned back around Janelle had the prettiest grin on her face. “They must have cloned it, Dee.”

Delia grinned right back, both of them thoroughly enjoying torturing Molinski.

“You’re right, Janelle. You’re so smart.”

“Bitches,” Molinski muttered from the couch.

Janelle gave Arri a quick affectionate head scratch before stepping away from her. “And if they could clone your number…”

“They’ve been listening to us for months…at least,” Delia finished.

The realization of what had been going on for quite sometime hit both women hard. Their smiles faded as Janelle’s head dropped slightly. “Holy shit.”

Delia closed the phone with an angry snap. “We are such dumb asses.”

Arri folded her arms in front of her chest. “We didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know what?”

Tye walked into the room and Arri watched in fascination as Janelle’s punky, tough colors dramatically shifted as soon as Tye appeared. Of course, his did, too, once he realized Janelle was standing there. Their colors swirled near and around each other, still testing but, unlike Neecy and Yager’s, they hadn’t quite begun to flow together. Still, Arri knew it was only a matter of time.

Delia, unaware of the growing tension between Tye and Janelle, held up Neecy’s phone. “The Hunters…we think they’ve been monitoring our calls. Cloning our numbers.”

Tye shrugged his enormous shoulders. “Makes sense. Don’t worry about it. I know…well…somebody who can get all of you new phones, new numbers by tonight. I just need a list.”

Nodding, Delia tossed Neecy’s phone back to Arri. She almost had it, but it slipped out of her hands, flew across the room, and binged Molinski right in the forehead as he’d been sitting up.

“Ow!”

As habit, Arri immediately went to apologize, but Tye’s giant hand gently covered her mouth. “Why do I bet he somehow deserved that?” he muttered softly.

Arri looked up at him and nodded.

“I don’t want anymore soup. And if you don’t make a move. I’m going to chop all your pieces in half.”

Yager looked up from the chessboard sitting between them on the bed. “Don’t rush me. When I play chess I take my time. I savor the game.”

Growling out, “Again with the savoring? What is it with you?”

Rolling those gorgeous steel-‐grey eyes, Yager looked back at the chessboard…and stared.

She glared at the top of his head. She’d been staring at the top of his head for fifteen minutes now.

No. If she looked at the top of his head much longer, she was going to start ripping his hair out. And she really liked his hair.

Neecy allowed her gaze to wander around Yager’s bedroom. So far, the only part of the house she’d actually seen. Yager wouldn’t let her leave. He brought her food, water, magazines, books. Anything she wanted, he made sure she got. He only let Morgan, Didi, and a few of the Crows at a time into visit her. He insisted on shoveling soup down her throat like it was some kind of cure-‐all.

Yager’s bedroom in his Long Island home was as beautiful as his City apartment.

And just like his other bed, the frame was big, stainless steel, and perfect for fucking in. But, no. Yager wouldn’t touch her except to hold her when she slept.

She initially thought maybe he’d lost interest, seeing as her entire body resembled one big, bloody bruise. Then she realized he kept disappearing into the bathroom to take showers. Lots and lots of showers. He had to be the cleanest man on the planet.

She had the distinct feeling those showers were mighty cold.

As Yager contemplated the chessboard like the Rosetta Stone, Neecy looked at the bedroom doorway and freedom. That’s when she saw it.

Silently, Mike Molinski ran down the hallway, a wet towel in his hand. Tearing after him a few seconds later, was a very wet and extremely naked Janelle.

Yager’s hand raised over the chessboard, but he shook his head and lowered it again.

Mike came tearing back, still swinging that towel over his head.

Yager clucked his tongue against his teeth, but didn’t lift his head.

Janelle leaped past the doorway. A few seconds later, her and Mike re-‐appeared.

She had Mike in a headlock, but he wasn’t giving up that towel. Both were still completely silent, even as Janelle repeatedly and brutally punched Molinski in the face.

If Neecy couldn’t hear Yager’s geeky “thinking” sounds, she’d assumed she’d gone deaf.

The struggling pair stumbled out of Neecy’s line of sight.

“You’re trying to box me in, Dr. Lawrence.” Yager flashed her a gorgeous grin.

“But I’m not falling for it.”

His head dropped back down and Janelle came back into sight. She held one end of the towel and desperately tried to yank it away from Mike, who had the other end. She dragged him across the hallway floor, but he still wouldn’t let it go. And Neecy knew that grin of his would set Janelle’s hair on fire.

“Aha! I got it!” Yager made a couple of moves, but Neecy had completely lost interest, now that Tye suddenly appeared. He picked Mike up and disappeared with him. She knew what he did with him, though, as the muffled sounds of someone tossed down a flight of stairs made it into the bedroom.

The towel in his hand, Tye walked up to a shivering, visibly raging Janelle. He held out the towel to her and she snatched it from him, storming off. Too much dignity to bother wrapping it around herself.

Tye watched her walk away. Actually, that was a little tame. It was more like he absorbed every detail of Janelle’s dimpled ass walking back down the hallway.

When one of the many bathroom doors slammed closed, Tye flashed Neecy a delicious grin. He shrugged, wiggled his eyebrows, and walked away.

Yager leaned back, his palms flat on the mattress, his arms propping him up.

“Check mate, baby.”

He looked so hurt when she burst out laughing and couldn’t stop.

Yager gratefully took the cup of coffee Delia handed him and walked over to the glass doors leading from his kitchen to his backyard. Quietly he stood next to Tye.

“She doing okay?” Tye finally asked.

“Yeah. So far.”

“Her mood getting any better?”

“Hey, cut her some slack. I’d love to see how well you’d take an ax to the back.”

“I don’t have a problem with it. I’m just not used to seeing Neecy Lawrence expressing an actual…”

“Emotion?”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

“She’s too exhausted and drained to have her usual walls up.”

“Which you’re not minding one bit.”

“Nope. Not really.”

Delia came up behind Yager. “I’m making her a grilled cheese sandwich…I’m afraid if you bring her soup again, she’ll hurt you.”

Watching Mike walk across the backyard, Yager said, “Soup is good for her.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll give her both. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. Happy now?”

“Very.”

The trio stopped speaking as one of Neecy’s crows suddenly dive-‐bombed Mike.

“Whoa!” Delia stepped closer as Mike swung his arms to get the bird away from him. “Yager, I thought you said Neecy was asleep.”

“She is asleep. She was out cold when I came down here.”

Two more crows dived at Mike, freaking the poor kid out. Then six more.

“Then what the…”

Tye sipped his coffee as Mike did his best to keep the birds away from him. “It’s not Neecy,” he offered casually. “It’s that meat and bird seed I put in his pockets.”

Delia covered her mouth in surprise, but she couldn’t stifle the laughter.

Yager shook his head. “Why?”

They watched as Mike ran to the doors, trying to get in. But, apparently, Tye locked them and seemed in no rush to unlock them.

“He knows why.”

Mike slammed his fist against the thick glass and pointed at Tye while the growing number of birds steadily attacked his coat and therefore him.

“You motherfucker!”

“See?” Tye took another sip of his coffee. “Told you he knows why.”

Neecy stared out Yager’s bedroom window at the Crows and Ravens hanging around in his backyard. She didn’t even know anyone was in the room with her until she felt a small hand on her shoulder.

She smiled down into Arri’s concerned face. “Hey, kid.”

“You okay, Neece?” She knew Arri’d read her colors. She already knew she wasn’t okay.

Neecy shrugged with one shoulder. “I’m breathing.”

“Is that good enough?”

“Better than I had a right to hope.”

“You’re worried about your wings.” It wasn’t a question.

“It sounds so stupid when you say it out loud.”

“Why? Those wings have been a part of you for years.”

“Yeah. But it seems awfully petty to worry about my wings when I could easily be having this discussion in Valhalla with Odin.”

“But you’re not. You’re here. And you’re still a Crow, Neecy. You’ll always be a Crow.”

“Yeah. A maimed, useless Crow.”

“Neece…”

Before Arri could finish, Yager walked into the room with a pile of books and DVDs for Neecy. He looked at both women and immediately frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

Neecy didn’t lie, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t let others lie for her. She glanced at Arri and immediately the girl said, “Oh, I’m just whining. Mike is being such a…a…”

“Asshole?”

“Scmuck?”

“Fucker?”

“Spastic colon?”

Arri giggled but turned her face away. She was even shy about laughing.

“Yeah. All of the above,” she practically whispered.

Yager dropped his pile of stuff on the bed. “Well, I wouldn’t sweat it, Arri. I think he’ll be mellow for at least a few hours.”

Neecy’s eyes narrowed. “Okay. What did you guys do to him?”

Yager blinked innocently. “Baby, we didn’t do anything to Mike.”

“You leave him alone, Wilhelm Yager.” Now both Arri and Yager stared at her.

“What? I like Mike. He’s funny.”

Disgusted, Arri walked out while Yager continued to stare at her.

“What?”

After four full days of bed rest, Neecy couldn’t take it anymore. She was bored beyond anything and tired of sitting or laying around. So, when Yager left the room to get her something to drink, she slipped out of bed and slowly made her way downstairs.

As she carefully and slowly walked, her free hand against the wall to keep her steady, she marveled at the rest of Yager’s house. She’d felt like his apartment was luxurious even with all that manly steel. But his house was just astounding.

Tasteful, comfortable, inviting. She could easily see herself spending time here.

Dammit. She’d been afraid this would happen. Afraid she’d get comfortable.

Afraid she’d let Yager in. And dammit, she had. He’d barely left her side for four days and he had yet to get cranky about it. She moved, he was up asking her what she needed. She sighed, he rubbed the back of her neck. She burped from all that damn soup, and he chuckled.

His treatment of her should annoy the living hell out of her, but it didn’t.

Actually, she liked it. A lot. It almost made her forget what she was really scared about.

Neecy made it down the stairs without Yager catching her, but as she reached the last step Mike stepped around the corner. He looked at her with one raised eyebrow. “What are you doing out of bed, young lady?”

“Don’t you start, Molinski. I couldn’t take it anymore. So I’m making a break for it. And what happened to your face? Did something peck you?”

“I’m not discussing it.” His adorable blue eyes strayed to her hand gripping the handrail. Yeah, getting to the living room wouldn’t be easy, but she was willing to take it one slow step at a time.

Mike moved up close to her. “I swear, Lawrence. You spoiled chicks.”

“Yeah. Catholic orphanages are known for the way they spoil their kids.”

He smiled as he reached down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up. He carefully avoided touching her major wounds and didn’t jostle her tied arm.

“Well aren’t you gallant for a boy from the ‘hood,” she joked, relieved she wouldn’t have to make that walk to the living room.

“Don’t make me drop you, sweetie.”

The pair walked into the living room and right into Yager. He had her requested juice box in his hand and the deepest frown possible on his face. Glaring, he watched the two.

Mike didn’t hesitate. “Take her.” He practically threw Neecy into Yager’s arms, then grabbed the juice box and walked away.

“Don’t look at me like that. I couldn’t stand another second trapped in that room.”

“Fine.”

Yager walked her over to the couch and sat her down. Shoved the television remote into her hand and a book on the lives of computer hackers in her lap.

“Happy now?”

She smiled up at him, knowing it would annoy him. “Ecstatic.”

With a grunt, he headed back to the kitchen. A minute later, he came back out and handed her another juice box. Then he stretched out on the couch, laid his head in her lap—after pushing the book out of his way—and went to sleep.

Yager woke up when it was dark outside. His head was still in Neecy’s lap, but the Crows now filled the room. Not the birds—thankfully. The women. They spoke and laughed in whispers and he realized they were trying not to wake him up.

Yawning, he turned on his back and looked up into Neecy’s battered but beautiful face.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Sleep okay?”

“Yup. I had your sweet scent to keep me company.”

“Awww,” all the Crows sighed out.

“Shut up or I’m calling my birds,” Neecy barked.

“Someone’s bitchy,” one of the Crows laughed then the sound on the television went up as did the Gathering’s conversation. He glanced over and realized that yes, they were actually watching reruns of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Neecy’s free hand slid through his hair. He closed his eyes and sighed. Man, he could easily get used to this. She fit perfectly into his world. Even injured and cranky as all hell. The way she fit in his arms when asleep. The way she threatened to spit soup at him if he brought her anymore. The way she smiled at him when she caught him staring at her.

Neecy was perfect. Well…perfect for him. And he wanted her healthy and well and living with him forever.

“They’re getting ready to order some Chinese food. Want any?”

“Yeah. I’m starving.”

Janelle walked in from the backyard. “You put your hands on me again, Molinski, and you’ll be scratching those tiny balls with a claw.”

Yager winced as Janelle stormed into the room, leaving the doors wide open. Goddamn, Mike. Of course, one look at the big blonde girl’s face and Yager was sure she could handle herself quite nicely, but still, no touching without permission. Especially when it came to the Crows. “We’re going to need a credit card,” she announced to the room. “The Ravens ordered half the menu. You’d think they’d never eaten before.”

“Didi’s got a card,” Katie offered as she lounged in one of his massage recliners.

She had it going full blast and appeared to be enjoying herself.

“Then where the hell is Didi?” When no one answered, “Didi!”

Now Neecy winced. “Yo! Janelle! Could you act like ya got a little class?”

“Could you,” Janelle mimicked back to Neecy, “back the fuck off?”

Neecy glanced at Yager and he suddenly realized she was embarrassed. He didn’t know why, though. Especially when Mike ran backward into the room through the doors Janelle just came through. Yager could hear Tye yelling, “Go long, Bro! Go long!” Then the football hit Mike in the chest. He caught it, but it flipped him over the couch, his head slamming against Yager’s two thousand dollar coffee table.

“Fuck! Where’d this table come from?”

Now he was embarrassed. Did Mike not have any sense at all? Stupid question.

Of course he didn’t.

Didi stormed into the room, the National Enquirer in her hand. “You know what I would love from y’all? If I could take a shit in peace just once in my goddamn life!”

Neecy rubbed her eyes. “Oh, my God. This is spiraling,” she muttered low so only he could hear.

Yager turned on his side, facing her, and whispered, “Now that you’re getting better, they’re getting comfortable.”

“God, I’m sorry, Yager.”

“About what?”

She glanced around the room. They were all talking at once. A bunch of loud, noisy birds. “For them getting so fucking ‘comfortable.’ ”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” He motioned to Mike. “Really. There’s nothing.”

Neecy looked over and they both watched as Mike—who recovered quite nicely from his dance with the coffee table and now stood by the couch—decided to rest his forearm on the top of Arri’s head. She had been standing quietly by him waiting to put in her food order, Yager guessed, based on the fact she held the menu in her hand. Painfully shy, she probably hated that Mike just made her the center of attention.

“Hey! Get off me!” She slapped at his hands.

“Oh, come on. Like you’ve never been used as a stool before.”

Gasping in indignation, Arri jumped away from him. “You…you…”

“Say it, Arri,” Janelle urged.

Apparently that was all the prompting little Arri needed. “You a-‐hole!”

The room grew quiet. Everyone staring at Arri.

“What?” she finally asked.

Janelle sighed. “Katie.”

Without relinquishing her chair, and therefore her massage, “Mike Molinski. You put your motherfuckin’ hands on me again and I’ll cut off your nipples and make them into a fashionable headband.”

Janelle nodded. “That’s what you say.”

Shaking her head, Arri stuttered, “I…I can’t say that.”

“What’s the matter, princess?” Mike pushed, although Yager had no idea why.

“You gonna cry…again?”

Dark brown eyes turned on Mike like two lasers. Her eyes swept from his head to his feet and back again. Then she said the strangest thing. “Your colors are sad and lonely and desperate. And I hope you drown in them.”

With that, she handed the menu to Tye, who’d just walked into the room. “Get me the shrimp lo mein.” Then she stormed out.

Janelle shook her head. “Damn. That was some cold shit from our little Arri.”

“What the hell did that even mean?”

Katie smiled, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the massage. “It means get used to the idea of being a lonely, bitter old man one day, Molinski. Sort of like how you’re a lonely bitter young man right now.”

Would it really kill her sisters to act like they didn’t just roll up from the local bar? As with most Crows, they’d made themselves at home in Yager’s gorgeous house. Normally, Neecy wouldn’t complain, but she didn’t like the idea of them taking advantage of Yager.

He didn’t have to do this. Didn’t they realize that? He was letting them stay here out of the kindness of his giant geek heart. She wouldn’t let anyone abuse that.

Even the Gathering.

“You know,” Mike began casually. “We are starting to run out of food. Perhaps you lovely ladies could do a little grocery shopping while you’re out.”

Yager settled his head more comfortably into Neecy’s lap as Janelle’s arms crossed in front of her chest. Uh-‐oh. Her “You’re pissing me off” stance. This couldn’t be good.

“Why don’t you get the fuckin’ food?”

“Aren’t you more comfortable getting the food…cooking the meal. .” Mike smiled. “Washing the clothes?”

It was like the kid had a death wish or something.

“Why would I do that when clearly you’re much more comfortable being a whorish bitch than the rest of us.”

Mike opened his mouth to say something, but Tye slapped him in the back of the head. “Stop it.” He walked over to the couch and climbed up so that his butt rested on the back of it, while his feet were on the seat. Yager didn’t seem remotely annoyed his buddy’s enormous feet were resting on his expensive leather couch. “And you’re going. I’m sure the ladies could use a big strong Viking like yourself to tote that barge and lift that bail.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Go to the kitchen and see what we need,” Tye ordered.

Looking like the kid she always thought he was, Mike headed toward the kitchen. Janelle smirked; about to say something that she knew would piss Mike off.

“Cut it, Janelle,” Neecy warned.

Janelle didn’t bother hiding her smile as she winked at Neecy. What a bonehead.

I’m surrounded by boneheads.

Tye held the menu between two big fingers. “So, what are we doing exactly?”

Janelle dropped to one knee and laced up her sneaker. “Getting dinner and I guess groceries now.”

Staring straight at Janelle, Tye grinned. Neecy’d seen that same grin on Yager’s face more than once. Usually right before he put his tongue in her pussy.

“In other words you’re asking me what I’d like to eat tonight?”

Neecy glanced down at Yager, then they both turned away before they started laughing. As it was, Neecy still sort of snorted.

“Yeah.” Janelle stood up, completely oblivious. “That’s why you have the menu.”

Confusion on her face, she walked off into the kitchen. Tye looked at Neecy.

She shrugged. “We’re not real good with subtle.”

“I’m startin’ to see that.”

Stomach down on his bed, Yager hugged his pillow and wiped his tears with his thumb while Neecy laughed hysterically from under the covers.

“That had to be the most bizarre dinner I’ve ever experienced.”

They spoke in tight whispers since they didn’t know who might be outside Yager’s door, but it wasn’t easy.

“And,” Neecy choked from beneath the covers, “it just kept getting worse as the night wore on.”

Yager was still shocked no one had come to blows. Although it didn’t all start at the dinner. It started at the grocery store. Apparently Mike and Janelle argued about what to buy since it would be going on Yager’s account. According to the Crows, it got so bad, eventually Mike called Janelle “Big Foot.” Which prompted him to ask about her actual foot size. This seemed to be a sore point for Janelle, who placed Mike in a headlock and repeatedly slammed him into the glass doors of the frozen food section.

Katie separated them by punching both of them in the back of the head.

Picking up the Chinese food seemed to go without incident. The Crows and the Ravens even worked together to set up the table and lay out the food. No. All went fine…until they started eating.

Mike decided to hit on one of the girls. Normal behavior for Mike. He never went after women too hard because he really didn’t have to. But Mike wasn’t used to hearing a tiny Asian girl continually tell the entire table, “He’s lying ya know. You are such a liar.”

For once, Mike had no idea how to handle this. True. He was lying. But that wasn’t exactly new for Mike. He lied to women all the time. Prided himself on it, in fact. The only people he didn’t lie to were his Raven brothers. Of course, that usually meant they heard details about his conquests they could have done without. But even Yager could see having someone call him out every thirty seconds began to wear on Mike. Plus the fact that the Crows seemed to believe Arri, didn’t really help either.

Then there was Tye, who decided staring at Janelle was a good idea. Tye was what Yager referred to as a “watcher.” He didn’t say much because he spent most of his time watching what everyone else was up to. Normally not a problem, but Janelle came from a place where staring was a very, very bad thing.

Tye may have thought he was making his intentions clear by staring at Janelle like a piece of rib eye steak fresh off the grill, but Janelle felt threatened. And she let him know that when she threw one of her chopsticks at him, aiming right for his eyes. Any other girl, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But Crows were infamous at turning everything around them into a weapon. Thankfully, Ravens were infamous at defending themselves from any weapon. So, Tye simply caught the chopstick in mid-‐air and, to Janelle’s eternal annoyance, grinned.

All that, though…merely the activities on the main stage. All around them, antics abounded between the Ravens and the Crows.

Yager kept waiting for knives to be drawn. Or at least to see a few talons. But most of it was merely verbal. Lots of yelling, swearing, threatening, and quite a few slap fights. Like he had a house full of ten-‐year-‐old first cousins.

To be honest, Yager loved it. Ravens could be a little stoic at times. Stale being the word Tye always used. The Crows, however, knew how to have fun even when they were pissed off. Didi was right. They really were a “gathering.”

“You think we should have left them alone?” Neecy peeked out from the covers.

“There might be bloodshed.”

“Nah. Didi’s down there.” The Crow leader kept quiet through the entire dinner, but when they started arguing during dessert in the living room so that she couldn’t hear the lines from her favorite movie, “Aliens,” she’d taken everyone firmly in hand. Yager learned a lot from her in the few days she’d been around.

“Okay.” Neecy pulled the covers back over her head.

“Uh…baby? Whatcha doin’?”

“Nothing?”

“Come on, Lawrence. What’s the problem?”

“I can’t say it.”

“Spit it or I’m bringing Didi in here to ask.”

The comforter moved just enough so that he could clearly see two beautiful black eyes glare at him.

“Well…” he prompted when she continued to stare at him.

Sighing, she said softly, “I’m funky.”

Yager frowned. “You mean musically?”

“No, you geek!” she snarled. “I mean…I haven’t bathed in a few days ‘cause of the stitches and…”

Yager was off the bed. “Come on, I’ll give ya a bath.”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Ya know, Neecy, if this were a permanent situation, I could totally understand the movie-‐of-‐the-‐week theatrics about independence and all. But you’ll be back to your usual dangerously quiet self in a couple of days. So why can’t you just relax and enjoy a little Yager care?”

Neecy pulled the covers tighter around her body. “No.”

She could be so stubborn. And over the weirdest crap, too. Turning on his heel, Yager walked into the bathroom and ran a bath. He didn’t fill the tub all the way up, since he had to make sure her stitches didn’t get wet. Once he was satisfied, Yager went back to the bedroom and froze.

The birds were back.

Neecy sat on the bed, the covers still wrapped around her.

“Neecy?”

“I swear I didn’t call ‘em…they just sort of…” She looked around the room.

“Came.”

Stupidly, Yager’d left one of the bedroom windows cracked. Well, he wouldn’t be doing that again. Good thing he had central air and heat.

Yager took a step forward and an enormous raven moved in front of him. They were protecting her.

“Neecy, you need to stop being freaked out by me. That’s what they’re responding to.”

“I’m not freaked…”

“Neecy.”

“Okay. Okay. Sorry.” She thought for a moment. “I know. How about you tell me something that will make me feel…calmer.”

“Nothing I ever say to you makes you feel calmer.”

“Well you better think of something.”

The raven at his feet moved closer. But so did a raven on each side of him. Uh-‐ oh. The thought of life without his eyes ran through his head. Not good.

Desperate, he grabbed on the first thing he could think of.

“One night, me, Tye, and Mike got really drunk and named our cocks.”

Blinking, Neecy looked at him. “Excuse me?”

“We named them. We were really drunk.”

He saw a smile tug at the corner of her lips. “And what, exactly, did you name them?”

Well, this was awkward. “Mike’s was ‘Mr. Lovespussy.’”

“Of course.”

“Tye’s was ‘Dangerous Dan.’ ”

“I’m not even going to ask why. And yours?”

He scratched the back of his head. “Remember. We were really drunk.”

“Cough it up, Yager.”

With a shrug, “Master and Commander.”

When the laughing got so bad she started wheezing, the birds flew back out the window they came in.

Neecy leaned forward, one arm around her knees the other held close to her chest as Yager carefully washed her back and argued with Morgan on the phone.

“Don’t yell at me. No, I’m not keeping her awake. No. I’m not getting ‘frisky.’ And stop calling it that. It’s freaking me out. Look, she wanted a bath. I’m being careful of her stitches. How do they look?” Yager leaned over and studied her back while Neecy stared straight ahead and tried not to think too much about his hands all over her body.

The fact that they felt really, really good, didn’t help. Most of the time she’d been here, Neecy sat around worrying about her wing. She felt certain she’d never fly again. If she couldn’t fly, she couldn’t remain second in command. She’d end up doing administrative work. The thought terrified her, eating away at her like acid. Foolishly she’d taken her wings for granted.

But for just a few minutes, Yager helped wipe her fears away simply by distracting her with those amazing hands of his. They were so big and she’d seen him do much damage with them, but when he touched her it wasn’t merely gentle. It was more than that. It was…reverent. Like his hands were worshipping her flesh.

“Yeah. The stitches look fine. You want me to what? No. Forget it. Yeah, the wound looks completely healed, but no. Uh-‐huh. Uh-‐huh. Good.”

He released her long enough to turn off his cordless phone, then his hands were right back, stroking her, caring for her.

“Morgan’s coming by tomorrow.”

“I hope that means I can get rid of the sling.” Yager insisted she keep her arm in the same position it was in when tied against her body. He refused to risk her healing process, even though she felt like there was no hope. The first day, there was so much pain and movement around the area where her wing was. But now there was nothing. She knew Morgan might have to take her wing and the thought sickened her.

“That’s my hope.” He poured a palm full of expensive shampoo on her hair. The kind one could only buy at a spa. She normally used stuff from the local pharmacy. Two-‐for-‐one deals were her favorite. “She wanted me to take those stitches out myself. I told her no way.”

“Why?”

“You’re not Mike, ya know. I’d actually care if I left you fucked up.”

Neecy grinned. “That’s very sweet, in a Nordic sort of way.”

She closed her eyes as Yager’s hands massaged her scalp. Man, what a delicious feeling.

“Look, I know my limits. I don’t do medical stuff. I leave that to the professionals.”

She wouldn’t exactly call Morgan a “professional,” but as a healer the woman rocked. Hell, she was still breathing, wasn’t she?

“As it is,” he continued, “I hate anything medical.”

He rinsed out her hair and then put more shampoo in.

“You’re a big pussy when you go to the doctor, aren’t you?”

“No. I just don’t like needles. And no sane person should.”

“What about vaccinations and stuff like that?”

Yager shrugged. “My doc’s an Elder. When he knows he has to give me a shot, he calls Mike and Tye. They hold me down.”

Neecy laughed hysterically as Yager again rinsed her hair. “I can’t believe,” she spit out, “you’re admitting this to me.”

He put his expensive conditioner on her hair and finger-‐combed it through. Well…that’s one way to come.

“I figure you should know all my major flaws up front.”

“Why?”

Yager sat on the floor beside the tub. “We gotta leave that in for three minutes.

And what d’ya mean why?”

“I mean why do I have to know about your flaws?”

He shook his head. “We are not having this conversation now. We’ll wait until you’re better.”

“Have what conversation?”

“The conversation I was going to have with you last weekend when you came over. After I’d fucked ya passive, of course.”

“Oh, of course.” Neecy looked up to find Yager staring at her. “What?”

“Do you have any idea how hard it’s been…” He shook his head. “Forget it.”

“How hard it’s been to what?”

Taking a deep breath, “Keep my hands off you.”

“Oh.”

“But that’s not the priority right now.”

“It’s not?”

“No. It’s not. First we get you better. Then I fuck ya senseless. Then we’ll track down the motherfuckers who did this to you and wipe them from the face of the earth. That’s my plan.”

With that, Yager got back on his haunches and proceeded to rinse the conditioner out of Neecy’s hair. How she kept forgetting this man was a Viking, she’d never know.

“That’s a…lovely plan, Yager. And I’m all for it to a degree. But the wiping from the face of the earth thing…that’s down to the Crows. And we don’t need the Ravens for that.”

“Not every crow is a raven. But every raven is a crow.”

Neecy stared at Yager. “What does that mean?”

“It means, we’re all part of the…same…uh…”

“Bird family?”

“Exactly. All we’re missing are the magpies, the blue jays, and the…” He shrugged. “Something else. Besides us, I really don’t know birds.”

“You know, Yager. You’re a…unique man.”

He leaned back. “Is this your way of saying I’m weird?”

“No. You’re not weird. You’re unique. There’s a difference.”

“Do you think I’m boring?”

She snorted. “No. Why?”

“Cause I’m nice.”

“You ain’t that nice.”

“I’m not?”

“Yager, if you were nice…really nice, I would have scared you off by now. And the whole ‘wiping from the face of the earth’ thing…really nice people don’t say that and mean it.”

“Oh. Okay.” He stood up and grabbed an enormous towel.

“You are nice to me, though.”

“I like being nice to you.”

“Yeah.” She looked down at her knees. “I’m not really used to that.”

“So I noticed.” He leaned down and lifted her out of the bath. “I’m hoping you get used to it.” Once he had her standing, he began drying her off with the towel.

“It’s only…”

“I’m not going to stop being nice to you, Neecy. That’s not even an option.”

She stared at him as he dried her off. She didn’t get him. Didn’t understand him.

But she really liked the way he treated her. She thought enjoying it would make her weak. Instead she felt stronger every day under his care.

Yager finished drying her off and wrapped the towel around her. He kissed her forehead, then her nose.

He hadn’t kissed her properly since the time after Morgan left. She missed him.

More than she’d missed anything before in either of her lives.

“Can I ask you a question?”

Neecy nodded. “Sure.”

“I know you don’t remember much of what happened that night…the night you were attacked, but…” He took a deep breath. “I still haven’t figured out why your birds brought you here. It would have been quicker to take you to the Bird House. Or the Elders who lived downtown. But they brought you here.”

Crap. She’d hoped he wouldn’t ask her this question, because she wasn’t sure she wanted to admit the truth. Then again, Neecy didn’t lie.

“I remember being worried you’d think I stood you up. I guess since you were the last thing I thought about before I passed out—they brought me here.”

Yager leaned down a bit and placed his forehead against Neecy’s. “I like that answer, Lawrence.”

Closing her eyes, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, “Figured you would.”

He slid his hand behind the back of her neck, afraid she’d run. “You don’t have to be afraid, Neecy. Not of me.”

“I’m not.”

“Not of us either.”

“I’m…” The bedroom door slammed open, cutting Neecy’s words off. He’d been so absorbed in Neecy he never heard the arguing right outside his door.

Janelle stormed in, Mike right behind her. They shoved each other as they made their way to the bathroom. They were like really annoying siblings.

“He…” Janelle began.

“She started it,” Mike barked over her.

Yager calmly pulled the towel tighter around Neecy, making sure she was covered. From there, he calmly walked over to Mike and Janelle. He calmly grabbed Mike by the hair. And he calmly slammed him into the doorway.

“Ow!”

Still gripping Mike’s hair with one hand, he picked Janelle up with the other. He dragged them both back to the bedroom door and tossed them out into the hallway.

“I swear by all that’s holy, if I have to come downstairs tonight, you’ll be washing your own blood off the walls come morning.”

Yager slammed the door closed and went back to the bathroom. He scooped Neecy up in his arms and took her to the bed, carefully laying her down. She smiled up at him.

“What?”

She shrugged as he pulled the wet towel off her body and tossed it aside. “Still laughing at the ‘am I too nice’ fear you seem to have.”

Tying her arm back against her body, “I don’t want anyone upsetting you. You need to relax until you’re better.”

Yager worked really hard not to notice her breasts, her nipples hard and begging. “I need you to get better, Lawrence.”

He pulled his MIT sweatshirt over her head. “I feel better now, Yager.”

Her hand slid down his chest, but he caught it before it could go any lower. He closed his eyes, the fight for control getting harder and harder everyday.

“Not until Morgan tells me you’re okay.”

“But…”

“No.” Releasing her hand, Yager pulled the comforter up and over Neecy’s body.

“I’m not going to risk hurting you.”

“Yeah, but…”

“No.”

“But Yager…”

“No.”

Yager headed toward the bathroom.

“Where are you going?”

“Cold shower. A very cold shower.”

“Just so we’re clear, I’m gettin’ kind of cranky here.”

Yager glanced back at the woman of his dreams lying in his bed, wearing his clothes, and growled, “That makes two of us, baby.”

Then he closed the door and headed to his very cold and very lonely shower.