At the same time Cane’s words rang out, the SUV exploded.
Devyn sucked in a breath when Cane must have pulled away from her, severing their connection. She opened her eyes to find him looking at her, patiently waiting for her to say whatever she was going to say, as if they had all the time in the world. She only managed to get one word out before he went running outside.
“Bomb.”
“Fuck.” Cane was already out of the hangar and shouting her warning. “Bomb! Everybody away from the vehicle!”
Devyn stepped outside just in time to see Sloane grab Tye by the arm, help him off the ground, and start running toward the hangar. Tavia sprinted away as well. Ronan started to run toward her, while Gavin stayed smack dab in the middle of them and the SUV.
This wasn’t how it had been in her vision, and it finally dawned on her that Gavin had been right all along. Her visions could be changed. They were simply guidance for what was to come and could happen, if the person didn’t veer from the path they were on. The freedom of knowing she could now live her life with her men, without worrying that what she saw was written in the stars, flowed through her, and she started to run toward Ronan, wanting to meet him halfway.
Kaboom!
The explosion happened, but it was contained by Gavin’s shield. The ball of flames seemed to come in contact with it and, instead of coming at them, slid upwards toward the sky. The amount of energy it probably took him to create that type of shield must have been astronomical, and she found herself looking over at him to make sure he was all right. The tension around his mouth told her that he was still trying to maintain it, probably making sure no more damage could occur.
“Devyn, you were supposed to stay inside the hangar,” Ronan yelled from about twenty feet in front of her.
“Since when do I listen?” Devyn laughed, much too relieved to do anything else. She went to meet him the rest of the way, her arms open so that she could grab a hold of him.
“Gavin, incoming! Sniper at twelve o’clock!”
Cane’s words hit Devyn like a punch to the stomach. She had forgotten all about it. Her smile faded, and when she looked back toward Gavin, she realized he didn’t have enough energy left to protect everyone. Right when he was turning toward them, she heard Ronan grunt and then stumble forward. She caught his body as they both went slamming down to the ground, the back of her head hitting the concrete. Blackness overcame her, sucking her down into its void.
Chapter Eleven
Ronan paced back and forth, ignoring the ache that had set up residence in his shoulder blade. He was grateful that his bulletproof vest did the job it was intended to do, but the force that propelled him against Devyn was something that he’d never forget. The thud of her head hitting the concrete still made him physically sick.
They had managed to get Devyn on the plane and to Haven within thirty minutes. Ronan had held Devyn the entire way, not even letting Gavin take a turn. He knew it was selfish, but knowing he was the one that caused her to get hurt in the first place was almost more than he could take.
“Ronan, she’ll be fine. Addison will make sure of it.”
Ronan spared Gavin a glance and knew his friend wasn’t doing any better than he was. “Are you trying to convince me of that, or yourself?”
“Both.” Gavin was sitting on the fireplace ledge, his elbows resting on his knees. “But I refuse to believe anything different.”
“Then why would she make us leave the room?”
“Maybe because you were hovering over her and making it hard for her to do her job?”
Ronan glanced back toward the door, thinking maybe he should just go in. He knew Addison was able to heal someone if they were meant to live, but the reverse was also true. If it was their time to go, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Damn, wasn’t there always a catch twenty-two when it came to this shit? He was through waiting, he decided. He needed to touch and hold her. Addison could do whatever the hell she wanted to, but he needed to be in there with them.
“Don’t,” Theo said, coming toward him with a cup of coffee. “Just let Addison be with her. She said there are times when it takes the mind a while to catch up with the body.”
Murmured agreements went around the room, which made Ronan look toward their kitchen. All of their friends were hanging out by the small island that came out of the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. Tavia, Sloane, Cane, Shane, Reese, and Jagger were all either sitting on the stools or leaning against whatever they could. Their other friends, Ace, Kalen, Clarissa and her mother, were sitting in the living room. They were all keeping them company while they waited to make sure that Devyn was okay, and while Ronan was appreciative, all he wanted was for them to leave.
“She’s got to be all right,” Mace said. He was standing over by the window, his forearm resting against the pane. “I just got my sister back. We have a lot of time to make up for.”
“You’ll have all the time in the world,” Reese said, doing her best to reassure him. “Did we ever figure out who had the listening devices put on the planes?”
“It was Tye,” Jagger said, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe he didn’t come to us when the Fray contacted him.”
“Is his sister all right? Did the Fray have her?”
“She’s fine. Tye was able to get her released by promising the Fray he’d bring in the Seer. Tavia is flying out first thing in the morning to double check a lead that Tye coughed up. I know he betrayed us, but he thought he had no choice.”
“He had a choice.” Sloane stood, causing the stool to slide against the tile. “He made the wrong one and almost got us all killed. The Fray planted that bomb, thinking they could swoop on in and take Devyn in the aftermath. I need some air.”
“If it helps, I was able to catch the sniper’s scent,” Cane offered, right before Sloane slammed the door.
“He’ll come around,” Jagger said. “Sloane is really big on loyalty, as we all are. But this hit a little too close to home, I think, with them being such good friends.”
“Do you know who the sniper is?” Ace asked from his position on the couch. He had his arm around Clarissa, who was sleeping against his chest. Ronan vaguely remembered someone saying she had been up the night before working on something that Jagger felt would help assist them against the Fray. As a scientist, her contribution was valuable.
“No, but I do know where he worked, so it’s just a process of elimination,” Cane said. “When I was searching for a way to help Addison, I had access to the Fray’s old compound. Once everything clears up here and I have a chance, I will go through the list of employees and make some personal visits. It’ll take time, but I’ll eventually find him.”
“Mace, did Victoria make it down to Florida?”
Ronan took the cup of coffee that Theo had brought him, but couldn’t bring himself to drink any of it. He was grateful to Reese and the others for keeping the conversation going, but tuned out what they were saying. He knew Mace was involved with whoever this Victoria was and he was helping her search out her birth parents, but honestly, he didn’t care about that right now. His only concern was for Devyn.
“Why is it taking so long?” Ronan blurted out, resuming his walk back to the bedroom door.
“Just because Addison was able to heal Devyn doesn’t mean she’ll wake up immediately,” Shane said, getting up from his stool. He situated Emily onto his shoulder, her sleeping form molding to his shoulder as if it were the most comfortable place on earth. “Cane and I see Addison in action a lot, especially lately, with all the state-side missions we’ve been taking. Devyn will wake up in her own time.”
“Why don’t you take Emily home to bed? There’s no need for her to be here.”
“Because this is where we are needed,” Shane said. “Our wife wouldn’t expect less from us.”
The door opened, and Addison walked out, smiling. Ronan wasn’t going to feel any relief until he held Devyn in his arms, but s
eeing Addison so happy was a start. “She’s going to be fine. Our energy connected, and she should be waking up any minute. I thought you’d want to be in there when she opens her eyes.”
“Thank you for everything, Addison,” Ronan said, coming to stand next to her. “I’m not sure how we’ll repay you, but you just say the word and we’ll do whatever you need us to.”
Addison leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. “There is no favor to repay,” she murmured. “She’s one of us, and we always look out for each other.”
Ronan slipped past Addison and went directly to the bed where Devyn lay. Her lips were slightly parted, letting him see that she was breathing evenly. Her skin had lost a lot of color, but ever since Addison had done her thing, a bit of color was slowly coming back into her cheeks. Ronan reached over and, with a shaking hand, brushed aside her bangs.
“How is she?” Gavin asked softly, coming around the other side of the bed.
“She seems comfortable.” Ronan looked up at Gavin, seeing Mace standing beside him. He felt her head move at the sound of his voice. Looking down, her lashes fluttered open, revealing those beautiful baby blues. The knot in his chest loosened just a bit. “Hi there, angel. Welcome back.”
Her smile lit up her face, and she sprang up, grabbing a hold of him around the neck. “Oh, Ronan, you’re okay! When that sniper fired his shot and you fell forward—I never want to see that again!”
“We’re all fine,” Ronan reassured her, rubbing her back in smooth strokes. He relished holding her, not wanting to let her go, but knew Gavin needed to do the same. “You gave us quite a scare, though.”
“Wait.” Devyn pulled back, placing her hand on the back of her head. “Didn’t I hit my head when we fell? Why don’t I have a headache?”
“We brought you to Haven. Addison healed you.”
Devyn turned to see Gavin, and Ronan released her. She lunged into Gavin’s arms, holding on to him just as tightly. Gavin buried his face into her neck. “Gavin, we did it! You were right. We can change things.”
“We need to work on it a little better, though,” Gavin said gruffly, his voice thick with emotion. Ronan knew exactly how he felt. “I know you can’t see visions of your own future, but next time, you’re going to do what I tell you and stay out of the way. Ronan and I can’t go through something like this again.”
“If you had listened to me to begin with, we wouldn’t have even landed there. What happened after I blacked out?”
“We’ll discuss it later. Right now, I think someone else wants to say hello.”
Mace cleared his throat. Devyn pulled back and looked over to where her brother stood. Gavin released her, taking a step back and helping her off the bed. Once she was standing in front of her brother, Devyn raised her hands up to his face.
“Mace, look at you,” Devyn whispered. “You are the spitting image of Dad.”
They held each other for a long time, both of them laughing and crying. As much as Ronan and Gavin wanted to be with her right now, Ronan knew she needed this time with her brother. He gave Gavin a look, indicating they should leave the room. They fell into step as they made their way into the living room.
Both men sank into the couch at the same time. Ronan laid his head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “We need to lay down some ground rules.”
Gavin laughed. “Really? And do you honestly think she’s going to follow your rules?”
“Maybe we should introduce her to spanking.”
By this time, Gavin was holding his side he was laughing so hard. Ronan didn’t know what he found so humorous. They needed to figure out some way to keep her in line. Gavin would give in to her at every turn, just like letting her stay behind with them earlier today. Ronan would have to be the one to implement some boundaries.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing about this.”
Once Gavin had composed himself and wiped at his eyes, he replied, “Because she’s used to living on her own and taking care of herself. We can watch over her and protect her, but in the end, she’s going to make her own decisions. Trust me, trying to bend her to your way of thinking will only end up with your ass sleeping on the couch.”
“Who’s sleeping on the couch?” Devyn asked. She and Mace walked into the room, his arm around her shoulder.
Gavin started laughing again until Ronan smacked him upside the head, satisfied when Gavin grunted. “No one. How are you feeling?”
“Really good,” Devyn said, smiling. “Mace and I are going to finish catching up in the morning. I have some making up of my own to do after ten years.”
Mace groaned, pulling Devyn in for another hug. “That’s enough, sis. There are things I don’t need to know.”
Ronan watched as he kissed Devyn on the forehead. Mace bid them goodnight and saw himself out, leaving Devyn standing there with that hot little red shirt he liked so much. “What kind of making up were you talking about?”
Devyn winked on her way past him, her intentions very clear as she whipped her shirt off over her head and left it lying on the floor as she disappeared into the bedroom. Ronan figured his ground rules could wait just a little longer.
Chapter Twelve
Devyn stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed and happier than she’d ever been. She didn’t want to think of what would have happened if Gavin and Ronan had let her go off on her own, living a stagnant life like she thought she deserved. It was very freeing to know that her visions were truly meant to lead them to the right paths versus being set in stone. But there were some that she thought were meant to come true, and she was about to make one of them a reality.
Right before she came into the bathroom, Gavin had given her a quick rundown of what had taken place. Apparently, Tye was being held in custody until he and Jagger came to an agreement. His betrayal to the Nobles couldn’t go unpunished, but his reasoning was justified. Devyn could only imagine what he had gone through trying to get his sister back.
They still didn’t know who was responsible for the Fray starting an underground army. Gavin said that Cane had some theories and would be checking it out in the next few days. The three of them would join in at a later date and Devyn would use her ability to try and foresee what these people had planned. In the meantime, she was about to make up for lost time.
Drying off with a towel, she took the clip out of her hair and fluffed it with her fingers. No need to bother with makeup, but she did bite her lips to give them more of a reddish tint. She put her hands to her stomach, thinking of what it would be like to carry their child. Since she couldn’t tell exactly when her previous vision had occurred when Cane was congratulating her men on becoming a father, that didn’t mean they couldn’t get a lot of practice in. With one last look in the mirror, Devyn took a deep breath and headed into the bedroom.
Gavin was lying in bed, a sheet draped across his hip. One leg was bent, while his elbow rested on his knee. He looked so masculine in such a seductive setting, the lamp casting shadows across his chest. His smile sent shivers down her spine, and she loved how his eyes looked her over from head to toe, taking in the white towel she had wrapped around herself.
“You are beautiful.”
She could tell he meant every word, and because of that, she really did feel beautiful. Devyn walked up to the bed, about to climb in, when Ronan’s hands caught her from behind. She leaned into him, loving his strength and the thick hairs that rubbed against her back.
“It’s like Christmas. We get to open a present.”
Devyn giggled when he tugged on the towel, letting it fall to her feet. Her laugh was replaced by a moan when his hands took a hold of each breast. He gently messaged them until she was arching her back. His palms were so rough against the soft skin, but she wanted more. She placed her hands over his, trying to make him squeeze harder.
“She’s better than any Christmas present I’ve ever seen,” Gavin said, still not moving from his position on the bed.
“Stop t
easing,” Devyn said, not liking that Ronan wouldn’t press harder or play with her nipples.
“I’m not teasing you, angel,” Ronan said, his breath hot against her neck. “I’m just loving you.”
“You need to do it harder and faster,” she moaned, tilting her head to give him better access.
“You’ll be saying that a lot tonight,” Ronan promised. “For now, lift your left leg up and put your foot on the bed. Let’s show Gavin what else came in this lovely package.”
She did as he asked. Once her foot was situated on the bed, Ronan’s hands slipped down to her folds, pulling them up and apart, letting Gavin look his fill. Gavin finally moved, letting the sheet drop and giving her a glimpse of his magnificent cock. She licked her lips, remembering how he tasted, and wanted another taste of him.
“Look at that clit, all red and swollen.” Gavin reach out with his finger, touching her entrance and gathering up her cream. Ever so softly, he brought it up to her clit and stroked it until she thought she would scream. It was the only place he touched, so the bundle of nerves felt like it was on fire. She needed relief.
“I need you both.”
“And we’re happy to oblige.” Gavin lay down on his back, taking her hand and guiding her over top of him.
“You don’t understand,” Devyn said, straddling his waist and taking the condom out of his hand. “I want you both—there.”
Gavin and Ronan shared a look. Did that mean they didn’t want to? “I want to know what it feels like to have both of you inside of me. I want the three of us connected in a way that defies intimacy.”
“We don’t want to hurt you, angel,” Ronan said, leaning down and kissing her shoulder. “Maybe we should try stretching you out first.”
“No, it won’t be the same,” she argued. “I want you, not some toy. You two need to be the ones inside of me.”
Both men groaned, and that’s when she smiled, knowing she had them. Devyn leaned down and brushed her lips against Gavin’s chest. Sticking her tongue out, she used the tip to trace around the outside of his nipple.
Elizabeth, Peyton - Noble Yearning [Nature's Nobles 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 10
