CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - CHRISTINE
We belong to him.
Those words repeat over and over in my head a million times as Danny takes my hand and walks me across the suite toward the master bedroom.
Ten minutes ago, I’d have argued with him over that statement. Because even though I was hopeful we’d all find our way back to each other, I was overflowing with doubts.
I saw no way in which Alec and I got past our mutual betrayal. I saw sex, sure. I saw us together. Mostly because it’s a habit now. We are Alec, Christine, and Danny. The team. I saw us doing more jobs. Killing more people. Perhaps we’d even find a way to have fun again.
I never, ever let myself hope that we’d be something more than that. Not truly. It was just an endless stream of hotel rooms, and yachts, and private-jet trips to exotic places to wait out the heat after we stole something.
But I never thought we’d find something new. Something better.
And now I do.
Maybe?
I bite my lip as Danny opens the door without knocking, feeling unusually nervous.
We find the whole room filled with steam. Hot, misty air that swirls around my chilled body and then parts as Danny and I enter holding hands.
I look up at him.
He shoots me a smile that says so much.
Things like, Don’t worry. I’ve got this. And, We’ll be fine. Better than fine.
And because if there’s one person on this planet I trust, it’s Danny… I believe him.
Alec is standing under a rainfall of water in the glass-enclosed shower, his body blurry through the semi-opaque steam. But I can tell he’s looking upward, letting the water rush over his face like he needs a good cleansing.
Danny taps on the glass and Alec steps out from under the water and wipes the glass clean.
I smile at him. Because he’s clean-shaven. The way I know him. The old version of Alec. It makes him look young. Like the boy we met way back when.
God. We’ve made several lifetimes of memories in the span of ten years, haven’t we?
And while all of those years were filled with good and bad things—killing, and stealing, and wondering if we were gonna make it through the day—even the dangerous times were good.
We were happy together, I realize. It’s only when we split apart that things went bad.
So I make a decision right then and say, “Hi.” Like we’re meeting again for the first time. Because maybe we are.
And Danny says, “Hey, dude. Better.” Indicating his lack of facial hair.
“Thanks,” Alec says.
After which comes a moment of hesitation as Alec wipes at the glass again so he can see us.
He looks at me. My naked body. And wipes the glass a third time so he can see more.
And I realize it’s up to me now. Danny has done all he can do and it’s my turn.
So I say, “Can we come in?”
I think Alec was holding his breath because it rushes out, audible even over the sound of the water falling behind him. He pushes on the door, opens it, and extends his invitation.
Danny has already dropped his leather jacket on the floor and is dragging his t-shirt up over his head. For a brief moment I wonder if I should undress him the way he did me.
Slowly. Methodically.
But Alec is already reaching for my hand, gently urging me to join him.
I give Danny a last look over my shoulder as I take that first step, and he finds my gaze and meets it with a smile as he finishes tugging off his boots and begins taking off his pants.
I step into the mist of hot steam and look up to Alec. He looks better, yes. But still… unsure. And I hate that. I hate it because I did that to him. I’m the one who ripped his world apart, so I have to be the one who puts it back together.
I just don’t know how.
Danny joins us, closing the door behind him. He slides a hand around my waist, which is now wet, and tugs me close to him. And for a second, I think it’s a possessive gesture, but then I realize it’s just a comforting one.
He takes a step forward, toward Alec, bringing me with him until our bodies are so close we’re all touching in one way or another. My stomach pressed up to Alec’s hip. Our hands still holding each other’s. Danny’s thigh bumps up against Alec’s, which makes Alec look down, then up to meet his eyes.
That erases all the distance between us. Because he leans in, arm still around me so that my upper thighs straddle Alec’s leg, and he kisses him.
It’s hesitant at first. But then it’s not. And Alec kisses him back. I stare up in wonder, and feel the heat rise inside me. The longing. The want. The lust coming back.
And I hope this will be enough, I really do.
But those doubts are still there. Lingering around my head like spiderwebs.
Then they break apart and I’m the one holding my breath. Because I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to make this better. I will never be able to—
“Get on your knees, Christine,” Danny says.
I snap out of it and look at him. “What?”
But he doesn’t respond or repeat himself. Just places his hand on my shoulder and presses until my knees buckle and I drop to the floor. I look up at them as Danny guides my head towards Alec’s cock. He’s not quite hard when I grab him with my hands, our eyes locked. But one pump and I feel him grow and thicken in my palm.
“Don’t do it because he’s telling you to,” Alec says.
But I just say, “Shut the fuck up, Alec. Since when do I do anything Danny tells me?”
And even though it’s stupid, and it’s not even true… it helps. It’s the old me, and the old Alec, and the old Danny. Because we all break the silence with a laugh.
I gladly wrap my lips around the tip of his cock, sucking on him as I swirl my tongue. And then I close my eyes and take him all the way to the back of my throat.
Danny grabs my hair, urging me. But when I open my eyes again, they’re kissing. And it’s not the tentative, uncertain kiss of before.
Danny kisses him the way I do. He kisses him the way he kisses me.
I reach for Danny’s cock with my other hand and begin to pump him too. They moan into each other. Enjoying me, and each other, and this new shape we make.
That’s when I know we’re going to be OK.