Chapter Twenty-Two
Amber
Amber awoke in Zander bedroom, but what was even more surprising was that he was lying in bed with her. Curled on his side, he had both hands pressed under his face. She tried to stretch, but the pain throughout her body caused her to release a moan.
“Are you okay?” Zander asked, suddenly alert. “Let me grab you some pain medicine.”
Amber watched as he jumped out of the bed and head to the bathroom. She could hear him rummaging through the cabinet. Moments later, he walked back to her carrying a glass of water and Tylenol.
“Here. Take these.” Zander handed her the glass and placed two pills in her hand.
The coldness felt amazing against her dry throat. Amber couldn’t remember the last time she drank anything.
“How long have I been asleep?”
Zander glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “About eight hours,” he replied.
“Wow.”
“You fainted when I took you from K. So I brought you back here and Ginx looked you over,” Zander explained.
“That would explain why I’m not wearing any clothes,” Amber stated. “What did Ginx have to say?”
“You have a few broken ribs, that’s why you're wrapped up. The beating from the hose left nothing on the outside, but she said if it hurts too much, you can soak in a hot tub.”
“Right now, I don’t even want to think about moving,” Amber groaned, trying to get comfortable.
“Let me help you,” Zander said, reaching out for her.
He helped Amber move into a more relaxed position, just as a soft knock echoed through the room.
“Come in,” Zander called.
The door opened and Amber smiled as Devin walked in. “Hey there beautiful,” he smiled at her.
“Yeah right,” she tried laugh. “I probably look like complete shit. Or at least that’s how I feel.”
“You do look like shit, but still your beautiful, Sis.” Amber was so happy to see her brother.
“I came by to check on you and to let you both know that Diesel made it through surgery fine. He should be home in a couple of days.”
“Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “I was so scared and worried about him. I heard the shots and then saw him fall.”
Zander stepped over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His presence brought Amber comfort.
“It’s okay,” he reassured.
Devin walked over and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I love you. Get some more rest. You’ll need it,” he told her and headed for the door.
As soon as the door was closed, she was back in Zander’s arms in the exact spot, she wanted to be. He reached a hand around to her face, and as soon as she was looking at him, Zander lips were against hers. It was soft at first, but soon, tongues warred with each other. It was hot, it was passionate, and it was causing a fire to build throughout Amber’s body. At this rate, she would be ashes in a matter of minutes.
Zander was the first to pull away and Amber desperately missed the contact. He rested his forehead against her, both of them breathing heavy.
“We need to talk Peaches,” he said, the sound causing a break in Amber’s newly repaired heart. That did not sound good, at all.
She leaned back, preparing for the worse. You can do this, she kept telling herself. Thinking maybe if she said it enough, she would start to believe it.
Zander leaned his own back against the headboard, but that didn’t last long. She watched from the corner of her eye as he got out of bed and started to pace. Her nerves increased more just watching him. Why was he nervous, she wondered?
“First, I want to say I am sorry. When you walked into the kitchen and Melony was on my lap,” he started, but Amber interrupted.
“Oh, was that her name?” she retorted. The sting of witnessing that was still flaming hot. Ever since that day, that bitch would smirk at Amber any time they were in the same room. Amber want to rearrange the hooker’s face.
“Nothing happened, I promise,” Zander confessed. “I was confused, and believe it or not, I was scared - for the first time in my life,” he admitted. Amber was baffled…
“Wh... Why?” she stammered. “What scared you?”
“You,” he stated simply. “From the moment I saw you standing in Devin’s office, I was captivated by you. That one look was all it took and my heart no longer felt as empty. And it was all because of you. Then when we made love, I knew I was done for. There would never be another woman for me.” The words just kept pouring from his mouth and Amber sat in stunned silence.
“I was scared because you have no idea who I really am. What I do. I’m so afraid that once you see the real me, you’ll run. I was scared because the last woman I let into my life, shattered it by calling me a murderer, while I was laid up in a hospital bed recovering from almost getting my damn leg blown off in Afghanistan,” he confessed.
“Oh Zander...” she started, but he interrupted her.
“No, please. Just let me get this all out,” he asked, and Amber nodded her head. She would let him talk for now.
“Amber, you need a man that will be home every night. Who will sleep beside you every night, hold you in his arms every damn night. But I’m not that man,” he said, causing Amber’s heart to skip a beat. No, he can’t mean that.
She was about to speak up when Zander continued. “But I can’t let you go,” he whispers towards the floor.
Amber’s heart skipped another beat, but for a completely different reason. She didn’t want him to let her go.
“My job is dangerous. Sometimes I am gone for several days. I kill people. That’s what I do. I take care of the ugly parts in the world, the parts that the government can’t handle without looking bad or starting wars. We aren’t necessarily the good guys, but we aren’t bad either. We serve a brand of justice, our own justice, Henchmen justice - against those that have more money than they know what to do with. That have the means to pay off state and government officials so they are never held accountable for their actions. That’s what we do,” he stated, looking deep into her eyes, pleading for her to understand.
Amber slowly pulled herself into a seated position. She needed to get to Zander. To touch him.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Trying to get up,” she told him.
“No. Don’t do that,” he said coming to her aide.
Zander knelt beside her on the floor. It was as good as she was going to get at the moment. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Amber buried her face in his neck. She did understand. To her, he was a hero. Seeking justice for victims that may never get it otherwise. A true hero.
“Zander, I already know what you do and who you are. And I still love you. It changes nothing,” Amber said quietly.
“You love me?” Reaper whispered, surprised.
“Yes,” she said with a smile, “Very much, you big doofus.”
Zander wrapped his arms around Amber and pulled her close. He buried his own face against her and breathed in her scent. Lavender with the perfect hint of honeysuckle. And his world felt so right.
“I love you too Amber, with everything I am. With everything I will ever be.” Zander kissed her like her lips were oxygen and he was a man dying for his next breath.
As he helped her to lay back on the bed, he just stared at her. She could read the emotions - love, pride, peace - and so many more reflecting back at her; and she hoped hers matched his. Zander quickly stripped off his boxers, and then removed Amber’s panties.
“I promise, I’ll go slow,” he groaned when she scraped her nails down his back.
“I don’t care about slow, Zander. I just want you,” she purred in his ear.
He kissed her deeply, moving his tongue against hers, as his other hand traveled farther down her body. He found her sensitive folds and slid one, then two fingers inside her. He let out a loud moan when he found her dripping wet.
“I love how your body responds to me,” he said, kissing over her jaw and down the column of her neck.
“Please Zander. I need you,” she pleaded. And who was he to deny his woman?
Zander carefully lifted her legs over his forearms and positioned himself at her entrance. In one smooth slide, he was buried completely inside her. Both moaned from the pleasure and pain of the intrusion.
Zander began to move, each stroke was a slow, powerful glide. Over and over again Zander and Amber became one. Joined not only in body, but on some level their souls seemed to come together, too. Their hearts constantly reaching out for the other. This was a moment Amber would never forget. A moment when everything finally fell into place, and the world seemed to brighten around her.
Out of nowhere, without warning, her orgasm hit. Arching her back off the bed, she screamed his name. Zander continued stroking through the aftershocks, drawing out Amber’s pleasure.
Another wave of pleasure crashed into her as Zander started moving faster. Each stroke more commanding than the last. Over and over until the room was filled with the sounds of their breathy moans and skin pounding against skin. The ache in Amber’s body had long been forgotten. The only thing that mattered was her and Zander.
“You’re mine Peaches. Today, tomorrow, and always - you belong to me!” Zander said, biting the lobe of her ear.
Just when Amber didn’t think she could take anymore, Zander sent her over the edge again and tensed above her. With a grunt, she felt him empty himself deep inside her, calling her name.
Both collapsed to the bed in total exhaustion. Zander moved to her side so he wouldn’t squish her under his weight and slowly pulled her against his chest. He rubbed his fingers across her cheek, and kissed her nose. Amber closed her eyes and fell into a contented sleep.