See You in Valhalla

by MariaLisa deMora

  Heat hit her back at the same time a hand curled around her waist, tugging her sideways. She glanced up to see Neptune wasn’t looking at her, but around the clearing at his men. There’d been a minor exodus on foot about thirty minutes ago; then a few minutes ago those same men had returned via the road, riding motorcycles. She’d seen a man with a prospect vest climb off the bike she recognized as Neptune’s, that idea reinforced when the man tipped an imaginary hat to his president. The same men had disappeared into the woods a second time, and she suspected they wouldn’t be coming back this time.

  The sheriff car holding the final killer—Putnam had called them suspects, but she’d relabeled them in her mind—was winding its way down the narrow lane, headed towards the highway and town. The first killer and the traitorous texter she’d told Neptune and Putnam about during the debrief were already on their way to the lockup. The traitor’d been taken in bare from the waist up; Neptune had stripped the vest from his back before the staties had cuffed him. The look on Neptune’s face had been murderous as he’d folded and refolded the vest, gaze locked on the man who’d betrayed his club for a thin wad of bills. The van she and the other two women had been abducted in was in the process of being loaded onto a wrecker, and the cluster of police had dwindled down to just a couple.

  “I think we’re fuckin’ finally free to go.” Neptune’s voice rumbled next to her ear as pleasant shivers chased across her skin at the sound. “You up for another ride, Carly?”

  Before she could answer, Putnam walked up, hand shading his eyes against the floodlights brought in to illuminate the scene. “Dobbs.” He thrust his hand out as he greeted them, and Neptune adjusted his hold on her to accept it, shaking up and down twice before releasing. “Gibson.” The hand was thrust at her and she nearly missed her cue, so surprised that he’d treat her just like he had the man standing at her back. She gripped Putnam’s hand, tightening around his fingers and offering the same double shake Neptune had. “I think we’ve got everything we need, but don’t be surprised if you get a call from the prosecutor. He’s gonna have a field day with this one.” He paused and shook his head but didn’t seem to expect a response, because he continued talking. “Glad it’s handled and done in a way that gives us all closure.” That seemed to be aimed at Neptune, and when she glanced up at him, he was glaring back at Putnam.

  “Just keep him locked up this time.” Neptune’s words hit Putnam hard, and the cop blanched as he nodded. “Stay safe, Putnam.”

  “Will do.” The state cop turned and took a few steps away before he paused and looked back, gaze fixed on her. “You stickin’ around, Gibson?”

  “Maybe.” That was all she was willing to offer him, and he clearly understood, giving her a single slow nod before he continued on his way. She decided to address the exchange in a sideways manner that allowed her and Neptune to move past it. “That was weird.” Neptune huffed a humorless laugh. “It was.”

  “Yeah, it was. Let’s get in the wind, Carly.” He wrapped a hand around hers, fingers threading through as he gave her a tug. “Come on.”

  She stood next to his bike, chin lifted as he fit the helmet on her. It seemed a thousand years since he’d performed the task for the first time, not a span of time measured in hours. He called out a goodbye as she settled onto the seat behind him, and at the first movement of the bike beneath them, she leaned forwards and wrapped her hands around his waist. It was the easiest thing in the world to relax and trust him to get them to the highway safely, no matter the road was rock and sand, and then once on the highway, to maintain her deeply relaxed state. Being a passive passenger wasn’t high on her list of things she would have thought she’d like, but based on her body’s response to being on the bike with this man, she’d have been wrong.

  She didn’t think she’d dozed off, but she’d certainly tuned out to an extent, because it surprised her when the bike slowed to a crawl as Neptune pulled into the driveway of a house. In the dark, it was hard to pick out details, but she could see it appeared neatly maintained. About what she’d expect for an ex-military guy who was big on control.

  Climbing off the bike, she stood nearby as he parked it, handing him the helmet when he finished. Suddenly struck by nerves she didn’t understand, she fumbled for words. “Neptune, I’m not sure—”

  “Just come inside, Carly. I’m beat, too. Let’s get some rest, yeah?” He cut her off, then blew out a heavy sigh.

  She studied him for a moment, then dipped her chin once in a nod of agreement. There was no arguing what he’d stated clearly. She was exhausted and even more emotionally wrung out. Finding herself in the place where her father had been killed, with his murderers at her mercy, it had been all she could do to step back and allow the law to rule.

  “Hey.” Neptune’s quiet voice was closer than it had been, and Carly realized her eyes had closed without her permission. “Let’s get inside. You look just as tired as I feel.”

  “I am.” She accepted his outstretched hand, smiling as he threaded their fingers as he’d done earlier. There was a casual intimacy to that action she found she liked. A lot. She deliberately set aside that feeling, deciding to just accept instead of defining for once.

  Following him through the garage and into the house was easy, something done on autopilot, but once inside, she’d balked when he’d stopped in front of a bedroom that was clearly not his. She resisted his attempt to steer her inside, and looking up at his face, she saw hunger there. That gave her the confidence to argue with him, because she knew the guest room wasn’t due to a lack of desire, but just the goodness in him coming out in yet another way. “No, not here. I want to be with you.”

  There was a long moment of silence when she wasn’t sure if he’d agree or banish her to the purgatory of the guest room anyway. Finally he stepped backwards, a single stride as he tugged on her hand. When she went with him willingly, he wordlessly led her farther along the hallway and into a darkened room. Pulling her to a spot alongside the massive bed, he dropped her hand, retreating. A moment later, she heard a muted click, and limited light flowed into the room through a doorway leading to what looked like a bathroom. A rustling came from somewhere along the wall, and he came back to her with a piece of fabric bundled into his fist. He thrust it at her and she took it, letting it unfold to see it was a tee. Large as it was, it had to be his, and Carly felt a tiny sense of satisfaction that she’d be sleeping in his shirt.

  “Bathroom’s in there. I don’t have any spare toothbrushes, but there’s toothpaste in the cabinet. Water heats up fast, and I got a big tank, so you soak as long as you need to.” He stepped away, intent on heading to the hall, but he paused in the doorway. Looking back at her with an inscrutable expression, Neptune told her, “I’m gonna make us something quick to eat. You gotta be hungry. I’ll be back in a few minutes, but you take your time, yeah?” She nodded, and he watched her, gaze fixed on her face. “So fuckin’ glad you’re okay. Glad you’re safe. Glad you’re here.” Fingers rapping out a quick double tap against the doorframe, he turned and left.

  Carly didn’t snoop, didn’t spend any time scoping out his bedroom. She beelined for the bathroom and had the shower running hot in only a couple of minutes. She studied herself in the mirror for the briefest of moments, surprised at the eagerness on the face of the woman she saw there. Something about his declaration in that clearing had not just struck a chord inside her but had swept in like a tidal wave, filling her up.

  His words repeated, falling from her lips as she remembered the vulnerable look on his face as he’d asked, “You gonna save me?” Whirling away from her image, she stripped efficiently and stepped under the pounding water, lifting her face to the welcome wet and heat. Maybe I will.

  Nine

  Neptune

  Arms braced against the counter, he stared at the dark window, the glass reflecting a blurry image of him and the room. He wasn’t regretting the decision to leave the fate of those two assholes up to Carly, not exactly, but he
was feeling the effects of having so much adrenaline rushing through his system for so long and no good outlet. Unreasonable anger still stirred in his gut, a desire to have put everything to ground tonight. Second-guessing himself wasn’t something he did often, and he wasn’t happy his mind had picked right now to start.

  He had to admit it had felt right in a lot of ways to climb on his bike with Carly sitting behind him, rolling away from the clearing in the woods with both of them unharmed and—more than anything else—together. She hadn’t questioned his need to hold her or have his hands on her at any point, and when he’d attempted to put a pause on things by parking her in the guest bedroom, she’d made it very clear where she expected to spend the night.

  He just had to get a grip on himself so he didn’t fuck this up.

  Movement in the reflection warned him of her entry into the room, so he didn’t jump when she spoke. “I thought you were going to make food?”

  “You hungry?” Throat tight, he had to force the words out. Even just via the blurred image, the sight of her in his shirt pulled the already taut spring inside him even tighter. Much more and he felt like he’d explode. “I’ve got sandwich stuff.” She’d moved as he was speaking, her likeness finally disappearing behind his. A moment later, her arms slid around his waist as she pressed herself tight to his back. “Shower work okay?”

  “Yeah, the shower was great.” She gave him a squeeze; then he lost the heat of her body against his. An instant later, she’d wedged herself in front of him, caging herself between his arms. He looked down as she settled her cheek against his chest, arms encircling his waist again. “I’m not really hungry, no. More tired than anything.” She sighed as he straightened, wrapping both arms around her, one hand cradling her head. “This is nice, Neptune.”

  “It’s Angelo, actually. I mean, you can call me Neptune if you want, but I think I’d like it if you called me Angelo.” From this angle, he could just see the curve of her cheek lift and knew she was smiling. “What?”

  “Angel.” He froze at the word, overcome with the need to dispute that nickname, far removed from the man he’d been for so very long. Then she gave him a squeeze and whispered, “I like it,” and he relaxed slightly.

  “What do you want from me tonight, Carly?” She stilled in his arms, and for an instant, he wondered if he’d asked the wrong question. Whatever she put to words, even if it was that damned guest room instead of his bed, he’d make it happen for her. She’s worth so much more, he thought.

  “I want whatever you want.” Her laughter was quick and light as she pulled back and lifted her eyes so she could see his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that to a man before. I’m generally very specific when it comes to things like being in bed, but tonight’s thrown me for a loop. I…” Her voice trailed off for a moment. “I’m tired, Angel. Tired and sad, and still kinda turned on. Can we just see where this goes tonight?”

  “I can do that. For you.” He gave her a squeeze and turned, hauling her against his side as he moved them towards the bedroom. “For you, I can do anything.”

  He stripped to his underwear and flung the covers back, sprawling across the middle of the mattress. She followed him between the sheets, curling close to his side as she slung an arm across his gut. As she had everywhere else, she fit against him perfectly. Carly sighed deeply as she nestled her head on his shoulder, the slide of her hair on his skin a sweet tease that had his cock chubbing up, fingers tingling as blood rushed to his groin. Her hand gliding along his side had his abs tightening in response, his cock jerking and uncurling at his hip.

  “Baby, if you wanna sleep, you’re gonna have to keep your hands still.” One arm around her back, he had a hand draped over her hip and dug his fingers in slightly for emphasis. Neptune lifted his other hand and caressed her cheek before slipping his fingers through her hair. Eyes closed, he continued to pet her, and she sagged against him, her muscles giving up most of the tension she’d carried all through their ride home.

  When she finally spoke, they’d been quiet for so long her voice startled him. “And if I don’t wanna sleep yet?”

  With a grin, Neptune arched his back, jutting his hips up in response to the continued roving of her hand. She laughed quietly at his antics, but her hand dipped south as he’d hoped. He hadn’t expected her to be a passive partner in bed, and this underscored how right he’d been. It also gave him a chance to learn just a little more about Carly, something he was coming to find he wanted more than he’d expected. Wanted to know all about her. Fingertips traced along the edge of his waistband, and he let her know how that felt with a soft groan and another shift of his hips. “Then you just keep on doin’ what you’re doin’, and we’ll be up for a while yet.”

  Her fingertips pushed past the fabric and curled around the crown of his cock. Quick heat and pressure, a gentle tug at the head before those clever fingers trailed along the shaft to the root. He’d gotten rock hard at her touch, his cock arching away from his body, creating a tent within his boxer briefs that gave her easy access to him. She took advantage, jacking him with a loose grip for a few moments before she abandoned his cock to explore his sac and balls. As she gently rolled and caressed, he shifted his grip on her hip, moving to cup her ass, digging his fingers in as he pulled her against his hip.

  “I’d say you were already up.” A firm stroke accompanied her teasing words, and he groaned, twisting to face her. Knuckle under her chin, he lifted her face to fit his mouth over hers. He skimmed his fingers down her side, finding and slipping underneath the hem of the tee she wore. The remembered pleasure of seeing her in his shirt swept over him. As he teased her lips with the tip of his tongue, his fingertips followed the contours of her body up and up, over her ribs until he palmed a bare breast. Her nipple pebbled underneath his hand as his tongue dipped into her mouth, stroking and tasting.

  “Oh, yeah.” Nipping and plucking at her bottom lip, he kissed her softly. “With you playin’ around like this, I’m always gonna be up for you.” Deepening the kiss, he teased her with touches timed to the thrust of his tongue until she clamped down on his bottom lip. “Fuck.” He pulled his lip from between her teeth, the sting of the pinch making his dick jump in her hand. “You’re pokin’ the bear, baby. You sure you want this tonight?” He thrust against her, fucking her fist with a slow, deliberate rhythm. “I’ll take everything you wanna give me, but I warn you, I’m an advantage-taker. You give me an inch”—finger and thumb met at her nipple, giving it a hard tweak that made her mewl sweetly—“I’m gonna take a mile.” He curved his other arm down, hand slipping between her legs and stroking across her core, heat building in his gut to find her already wet. “Fuckin’ drenched for me. Love that. Fuckin’ love it.” She squirmed under his attention, and he rolled her to her back, covering her and slipping between her thighs when she spread her legs, inviting him in.

  With an arm on either side of her, he pushed up in the bed, grinding his erection against her. Carly’s hands rested on his hips, fingers holding tight as he stared down at her. “You want this, baby?”

  Her lids dipped closed, and he was startled to see a single tear slip from the corner of her eye, gliding across her temple and dampening her hair. Fuck, I got it wrong. He was quickly adjusting, already about to slide off her when her hands clamped down, holding him in place.

  “No, that’s not—” Her laughter was broken, filled with tears, and he tensed again, cautiously trying to gently break her grip. “Angel”—that name, so wrong only a few moments ago, now felt like benediction against his skin—“stay, please. It’s not you, promise. I want this.”

  “Coulda fooled me.” Studying her with narrowed eyes, he saw the flash of annoyance she had at his words. He pushed forwards, wanting her to understand what it looked like from where he was. “Woman cries when I get between her legs, that doesn’t say she’s into it at all. Person’s been through what you’ve been through over the past few days, it’s no harm and no foul if I got it wrong
. Long as I didn’t hurt you. If I did, that’d be unforgivable.” The idea of taking advantage of her during a moment of weakness turned his stomach. Bitter acid churned in his gut. “Yes is only yes until it’s not. Either side of this equation gets to call a timeout if needed.”

  “You’re beautiful, you know that?” As she spoke, Carly’s eyes flew open, and he saw more wet swimming there, causing him to renew his efforts to extricate himself from her hands. “Please, Angelo. Please, just give me a minute here.” At her use of his name, he stilled, waiting. “You’re perfect, and I wish I could just do this without telling you everything, but this—” Her fingers tightened painfully for an instant before releasing, her palms sliding up his back and pulling him down against her. “This matters to me. I won’t have it start with lies between us.” She smiled up at him, a there and gone expression that gave him hope enough to believe her words for now. “I’d rather it not start with anything between us.” Her pointed glance down at the shirt she wore explained her statement, and he chuckled softly, letting the sound die away as he realized she wasn’t done talking. Carly swallowed hard, the words still coming, but slowly and with visible pain. “But I need you to understand before it goes that far. Before it goes any further. It’s selfish, I know. So selfish, but I like you where you are right now, and it’d help if you stayed with me for a while. Let me get through this.”

  “I can do that for you, Carly. I told you…” He dipped closer and pressed a soft kiss against the tip of her nose. “Whatever you need.”

  “Right now, I need this.”

  Neptune let his weight settle against her, pinning her to the mattress as he planted a forearm next to her head. Leaning against his hand, he stared at her for a moment, then gave it to her again, willing to do it as many times as it took for it to sink in that he was serious. “You got it, doll.”