“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.