Timber (Hades, #4)

by Tate James

Instantly, I knew I was okay. I was better than okay. Because the kind of climax Cass drew out of me didn't have a single thing in common with the drug-induced, forced orgasms Chase had stolen. They were as different as giraffes and rocks, and the realization filled me with such intense relief I started laughing.

I slept the rest of the night curled up in Cass's arms, and when I woke up, I wasn't instantly flooded with panic and confusion, just the intense feeling of security and warmth. The addictive, intoxicating knowledge that I was safe and loved.

Love them sm

I should have known intimacy would never be a long-term hurdle. Not when it came to my guys. Our bond was too damn strong.

"Next thing you know, Zed will have worked out a shower schedule." He glanced down at me, his eyes glittering with confidence. "But we all know I'm your favorite shower helper, right?"

In truth, I probably didn't even need a shower helper anymore. Or I wouldn't for much longer. But it was kind of nice, so I was going to hold onto it for a while.

"How much is this costing me?" I joked as we climbed out of the Escalade. Lucas grimaced. "You don't want to know." I gave a short laugh. Whatever it was, Nadia deserved it. She'd been so good to me, and now that I knew she was Cass's grandmother, she was an extension of my own little family. If she wanted to dip her coffee machine in twenty-four carat gold, I'd let her.

"I'm not going back to my parents, Hades. You can't make me." I nodded thoughtfully, crossing my ankles as I leaned against a standing freezer. "Okay. How about if I kill them for you instead?"

"Lucas is inside keeping an eye on our guests. We wanted to let you sleep as long as possible. Besides, little Gumdrop seems to enjoy throwing some big dick energy around."

We took the goods elevator up to the storage area of Timber, then made our way out into the main club from there. My arrest and subsequent disappearance had put a hold on our plans for a grand opening, so the club was empty except for the small grouping of tattooed, tough-faced gangsters seated in a collection of velvet couches and armchairs in the middle of the main room.

Letting my face remain hard and vaguely pissed off—my resting Hades face—I sat carefully in one of the vacant armchairs. Zed took up his post behind my right shoulder, and Lucas took the left without needing to be told. He really was a natural.

Ezekiel, Maurice, and Roach remained silent, staring at me like I was some kind of venomous snake coiled to strike. In fairness, I did have a history of shooting people in these meetings.

"If you might be so inclined," Vega continued, "I have someone that I'd really like to promote to the permanent second position."

"Send me the details; I'll take it under consideration." If he simply waited out the oversight period, he wouldn't need my permission. So whoever it was, he must be worried they’d go elsewhere without a promotion, and that had me intrigued.

"Gentlemen, I believe some of you will already know my two newly appointed Timberwolf Enforcers." I could all but taste the chill of apprehension running through the other gang leaders when my men stepped into the light. "Rex Darenburg, returned from retirement. And Cassiel Saint, returned from the dead."

This was my safe place, throwing my massive dick energy at tough-guy gangsters. Dropping little bombs and watching to see if today was the day someone felt like challenging my seat of power. It was exhilarating, making me feel all fluttery like I had when Cass and I planted explosives all over Chase's house.

Stopping in front of Cass, I reached up and pulled his face down to mine with a hand on the back of his neck. It was an aggressive gesture, and he let me do it. The power dynamic was clear in that I was kissing him, not the other way around. I'd likely make up for it later, anyway. "Don't get any blood on the velvet," I told him, loud enough to be heard. "Yes, sir," Cass growled back, his expression stoic but his fingers gentle where they rested on my hip.

He jerked his head in the direction of Cass, who seemed to have Skunk in a choke hold on the floor. "He's a barrel of laughs, isn't he? Chatty." Guffawing, he finished his beer and put the empty bottle on the bar top.

Rex swaggered out of the club, and I stifled a sigh in his wake. His reputation had more than preceded him, though. The look on Ezekiel's face had been pure panic, and it made me think the slippery squirrel was up to something he shouldn't be. I'd ask Rex to pay him a little visit another day.

She flipped it once in her hand, testing the balance, then threw it with unexpected confidence right at Katie. The tip of the blade buried in the wooden pillar behind the bartender, pinning the small piece of docket paper she'd been using to alphabetize the bottles. "Not fucking funny, Beth!" Katie shouted over her shoulder, yanking the knife free to retrieve her note.

"I'd gut them," I mumbled in response to Cass. "Nobody touches what's mine and lives. I'd gut them, then mount their heads on spikes to warn everyone else away." The sound of their soft chuckles lulled me to sleep, and I dreamed happy dreams that I was Vlad the Impaler, wreaking havoc over anyone who threatened my loves.

Mind over matter. It worked... to a point.

I thought was

"I've got you, Angel," he rumbled, his low, gravelly voice filling me with a heady sense of safety and security. "I'll never hurt you." He pulled away just far enough to shoot me a devilish wink. "Unless you want me to... later."

"Mm-hmm," I agreed, reaching for the shampoo, then handing it to him. "That was sneaky, Saint." He flashed me a wicked grin and spun me around so that I was out of the water while he washed my hair. "No, that was positive reinforcement, Angel, replacing traumatic memories with stronger, fresher experiences of pleasure. And trust. And love." He kissed my shoulder. "It was Lucas's idea."

Of course it had been. Lucas knew Cass was infinitely more comfortable pushing me past my self-imposed limits, but that was exactly what I'd said I wanted. So they were working together to help me. I loved that more than I could ever express.

Omg thisssssssss

Cass washed my hair. This time, though, it was a loving, borderline-sexual act. He wasn't helping me as an injured, fragile, damaged creature. He was worshiping the woman he loved.

I'd asked Cass for some more positive reinforcement in the shower,

How was Rex more of a parent to her in a month than I'd been in five years?

Rex gave Micah a nudge on his shoulder, and the kid scrambled to follow after Seph. I got the distinct impression that was less to give us privacy than to keep eyes on Seph. Good. That was the level of protectiveness I expected.

She glared absolute death at me as she pushed through the main door to the restaurant. "I'm not." The hostess took us over to the table where Demi was already waiting with a mimosa in hand, and Seph very gingerly lowered herself to her seat like she'd recently taken a hard smack across the ass.

"That's awfully sexist of you, Dare. You of all people know women are capable of anything they set their minds to."

"Firstly, I owe you an apology." That... was unexpected. "Uh, no, we're good," I murmured, deeply uncomfortable. Seph shook her head, determined. "No, I really do. I never knew why you were so overprotective, why you threatened any guy who looked at me, or like… any of it. I didn't know... but I kinda knew, you know? Like... I wasn't totally oblivious. I knew there had to be a reason for it all, and I was really mad that you never talked to me or explained or... whatever. So I kept pushing you like I wanted you to snap and tell me, but you never did. And then I just..." She gave a sigh that sagged her whole body. "I let it fester, and I started resenting you. So I was a total bitch. I made things harder than they needed to be, and I convinced myself that you deserved it all. That you were somehow the villain in my story."

"I think it's safe to say I now know better. But I'm sorry. Like, I can't actually tell you how sorry I am, Dare. I saw how you were with Chase. I saw how depressed you were and how close you were to just... ending it. And I think now about how many times I threw Chase in your face during arguments. Or Dad." Her voice broke over that, and tears welled in her eyes.

I seemed so fine despite having recently suffered through some of my worst nightmares. And then some. But that was the thing about appearances, you never really knew what was going on beneath the surface.

"The Guild." She nodded. "They were the only ones I could think of that had the capability. I heard a rumor years ago that one of their former mercenaries has risen quite high in the FBI ranks and built them little backdoors into all the systems as payment for his resignation from the Guild. I figured it was worth asking, and then the next day, it was done."

"What did it cost?" Demi gave a shrug. "Nothing." My eyes narrowed instantly. "The Guild doesn't do favors. It had to cost something." She shook her head. "The merc I spoke to said it was a freebie."

"They're so fucking slippery; it's like taking a deal with the devil." Then something occurred to me. "Who was it? That you spoke to." "Same merc that was here a couple of years ago when Mad...

Sure, post work-out blow jobs weren't the most floral-scented things, but Lucas wasn't a dirty human. He’d probably showered right before sparring with Zed, and really, when licking someone's genitals, could we be squeamish about sweat?

"I fucking love you so hard, Hayden,"

Lucas came jogging back into the kitchen looking fresh from the shower as Zed laid out plates on the table, and for a few minutes I just soaked in the domestic bliss of our unlikely foursome.

"Really? That easy?" He huffed a chuckle. "Nah, we had to do about sixteen rounds of rock paper scissors. Handled it like men, beautiful."

They'd asked shockingly few questions when I'd announced I wanted to kill a man they knew nothing about. I loved that.

The alarm panel on the wall was flashing, the warning signal that it was about to scream, but I used my knife to flick open the panel and plugged our little override chip straight into it. It was basic as hell and only worked on cheap, domestic alarm units,

"I'm working on it," I said quietly. He huffed a short laugh. "I know. I never thought I'd find myself thanking another man for making my girl come, but... there it is. I know you asked Lucas and Cass to push you, but I want you to know I won't. I'll wait, as long as it takes, until you're ready."

Reaching out, I cupped his cheek in my hand and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "I love you, Zed," I whispered against his lips. "You're my best friend. My fucking soulmate. No one can take that away from us, okay? We will get through this." I kissed him again, deeper, parting my lips and gasping as he kissed me back with barely restrained need.

Shit, Cass knew exactly how to turn on the psychopath living under my skin. Another roll of his hips, another sucking kiss at my throat, and I exploded.

I didn't try to pretend I wasn't watching as he rearranged his dick before climbing on, and the look he gave me before tugging on his helmet was pure sex. Fuck, Cass was hot.

Daddy Casssssssss

He wrapped me in his arms, tucking my face into his chest, and I could feel the tension draining out of him. I made myself a promise right then and there to try harder with him. To push through my damage just like I had with the shower.

That was news to me, but I was more than okay with Lucas making those decisions. It was all part of him taking a more active role on Team Hades.

"Malebolge," I repeated in a soft murmur. "The eighth circle."