Chapter Twenty-Two

Half an hour earlier…

Adriana thought she might lose her mind soon if something didn’t happen and fast. She couldn’t compartmentalize the two things happening to her at once. On the one hand, Reid had just bound them together for life. Her body was reacting accordingly. If she thought she’d been horny for the last week since she met first Nolan and then Reid, she was sadly mistaken.

This new level of arousal made the past week look like a teenage crush. Concern over the realization that their actions had cut Nolan off forever made her want to cry. She couldn’t even face that fact at the moment.

Because holy mother of god, eight men had Reid’s condo surrounded with the intent to either kill both of them or take them hostage, probably the latter.

“What do we do? We can’t lie here forever,” she pointed out. Her fingers hurt from gripping Reid’s so tightly.

“Hang on, baby. We need to wait.”

She knew he was suffering from the same exact issues she was, partly because his cock was pressing into her lower back to remind her how badly he wanted her and partly because Nolan was his best friend and he had to be worried and hurting about cutting him out of the equation at least as much as she was. Probably more.

The scent of newcomers reached her nose. She stiffened. “There are more people out there.”

“Let’s hope they’re cops.”

Long exhale. He was right. Laurence would have called the police. If the Arcadian Council could avoid getting involved, they would, especially in a human matter. There were no shifters outside.

Adriana had no doubt at least one shifter was involved in the big picture, but whoever that was, he wasn’t at Reid’s condo. He was undoubtedly tracking Nolan.

She considered reaching out to her parents but decided against it. She had too many things going on in her mind as it was. She needed to remain as alert as possible.

Laurence reached into their minds again. “Police have the place surrounded now. I’d get yourselves somewhere safe in case shots are fired.”

Before Laurence could even finish communicating this thought, Adriana found herself yanked backward and off the bed. She gasped as Reid, still holding her around the waist, pulled her to the floor and hovered over her. He shoved her halfway under the bed. “Stay down. Don’t move.” And then he released her and crouched low, crawling across the room toward the bedroom door. He would have the advantage over anyone who breached the home in the dark because grizzly shifters could see better in the dark than humans.

Two shots rang out. Adriana screamed, unable to stop the guttural reaction. She covered her head with both hands as if the ceiling were in danger of falling. A glance at the doorway proved Reid was gone. He’d left the room.

Another shot. Shouting. It was outside, but she could hear it clearly. She didn’t want to cower under the bed, so she crawled on her hands and knees toward the bedroom door and peered out into the hallway.

Reid’s scent was not close enough to be on the second floor. He was downstairs. He would kill her if she left the bedroom. So she waited, straining to hear what was happening.

Someone else screamed, and then she could hear loud voices shouting orders. The police. “Get down… Hands in the air… Drop your weapon…”

Her heart raced when the front door opened. She’d been living here a week. She knew that distinct sound. The alarm started blaring. Was Reid still inside? Or had he stepped out?

Something crashed. No. Glass shattered. She pinpointed the sound over the waves of the alarm.

Shit. Adriana pulled back, flattening herself against the wall inside the bedroom. She didn’t have a weapon, nor did she know how to fire one. But she knew Reid did.

More noise. Reid’s voice rang clear from downstairs. “Face to the ground, you fucker.” Another crash. A chair? The table? “I said to stay the fuck down,” Reid screamed. The alarm stopped blaring. He must have shut it off.

More voices. The scent of several people entering the condo. She prayed they were police. People were talking over each other. Some still yelling. So many people were in the house. She thought she could scent ten of them. Most were new. Only one of the scents belonged to one of the eight men who had surrounded the condo before the police arrived.

When she heard heavy footsteps taking the stairs two at a time in rapid succession, she panicked, scrambling away from the door in a crab crawl. It wasn’t until Reid was rounding the doorway that she realized it was him coming into the room. It happened so fast, and she was so frightened that she hadn’t had a chance to process Reid’s approach.

His gaze darted around before settling on her, and then he rushed the last few feet and crouched down to wrap his arms around her and pull her into his chest. He stood, taking her to her feet with him. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Her heart beat fast, not getting the message. She planted her palms on his chest and lifted her gaze to his. “You’re sure?”

“Yes. The police have everyone in custody now.”

“Someone broke into the house,” she pointed out.

“Yes. He rushed at me from the bushes when I opened the front door. Plowed past me so fast I couldn’t stop him. Stupid fool. He’s going to have a hell of a headache.” Reid grinned.

Adriana licked her lips. “It’s over.”

“Yes. Will you be okay a few more minutes while I speak to the officers out front?”

She nodded. She wasn’t sure she was telling the truth, but she couldn’t very well tell him no.

Reid led her back to the bed and sat her on the edge. He tipped her chin back and kissed her nose. “I’ll be quick.”

She nodded again and watched his back as he left her sitting on the mattress, her arms going around her to hug her torso. As the voices calmed and people left the house, she started to relax. When the last person was gone, the only scent in the condo was Reid’s. She rose on shaky legs, grabbed one of Reid’s sweatshirts where it lay tossed across the back of a chair, and shrugged it over her head. With a deep breath, she headed downstairs.

Reid was standing in the kitchen, still wearing nothing but his sleep pants, a broom in one hand, a dustpan in the other. He lifted his face when she padded into the room. “Stay on that side of the island, baby, until I can get this swept up.”

“What was it?”

“Just a glass. It was sitting on the island when I slammed that asshole’s head against the corner.” He winked at her and resumed sweeping.

She flinched, trying to avoid the visual. “Just a glass? Sounded like the entire back wall of windows from upstairs.”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

“I heard gunshots.”

“Luckily those were outside, and no one was injured. The police fired warning shots into the air.”

She swallowed. He was so calm. All she could do was watch as he emptied the dustpan into the trash and then came to her. He wrapped his hands around her biceps and stared into her eyes, all humor gone. His expression was guarded and serious. “You okay?”

She shook her head, biting her lip. She was still scared, adrenaline coursing through her body. But when he pulled her closer, tucking her head under his chin, she started to relax. His heart wasn’t beating as ferociously as hers, and her body began to align with his, her pulse slowing, her breathing evening out. All that from nothing more than his touch.

He threaded a hand in her hair at the nape of her neck.

She spoke against his chest. “You think it’s over?”

He sighed. “No.”

She jerked, lifting her face. “Why?”

“Because Nolan isn’t dead.”

She gasped, a weird noise escaping her lips.

“I don’t know how to put it more bluntly, but that’s the reality.”

“But all these men were arrested. How… What happened at the hotel?” Obviously, Reid knew more than she was aware of. He’d either communicated with Nolan, or the police had filled him in, or perhaps Laurence had shared.

“Nolan’s fine. The man sent to take him out of the equation is dead. Whoever orchestrated this charade is also in custody. Henry left with him a while ago, so I’m betting he’s a shifter. I hope he enjoys his nice jaunt to the Northwest Territories. He’s going to be there a while.”

She flinched. “You think it’s the shifter Nolan scented in the hotel?”

“No idea, but it makes me nervous.”

“Me too. Why would a shifter be after us? Why would a shifter’s loyalty be with a human criminal instead of our own kind?” It made no sense. And how did he find out about Reid and Adriana?

Reid squeezed the back of her neck. “We don’t have all the answers yet.”

That was for sure. “Where’s Nolan now?”

“Back at the hotel.”

“What do you mean, back? Where did he go?”

“He’s stubborn. Unwilling to wait in his room while shit was going down. He went to the meeting point.”

She leaned back several inches. “That’s crazy.”

“He apparently remained on the fringe, hiding, watching. The police took out the hit man.”

“Have you spoken to him?” When would he have had time to do that?

Reid shook his head. “No, hon. Laurence filled me in.” He licked his lips as he cupped her face with his free hand.

They stared at each other for a long time.

Her heart rate, which had finally subsided, picked back up.

When Reid’s lips slowly lowered to hers, she parted her mouth.

He closed the distance between their bodies by flattening one palm between her shoulder blades and hauling her chest against his.

Her breasts jumped to attention, her nipples hardening against his pecs. Suddenly the sweatshirt was too much clothing. Her hands landed on his hips, and she fisted the soft material of his sleep pants.

Their tongues dueled. She needed this. Needed to taste him. It was life-affirming. Maybe it was crazy to feel so much arousal so soon after the end of their ordeal, but she was a shifter, and her blood ran hot for this man who’d bound her to him less than an hour ago.

All the energy she’d exerted worrying about the threat to their lives switched to a new focus. Getting Reid out of these pants and consummating this binding.

It wasn’t imperative to the binding. The binding would be solid for the rest of their lives even if they never had sex, but that same connection brought their arousal to the surface with a force that could not be denied. It was as Nature intended.

For as long as grizzly shifters had been in existence, the draw to bind to another and then seal that bond through sex had been predominant. It was a part of life. Like breathing and eating. Grizzly shifters bound together for life. And they completed that attachment immediately after the binding with a bite and didn’t usually come up for air for days.

The process had been put on hold for the last hour. The urge to have Reid become totally hers bubbled under the surface. It clawed at her skin from the inside. She slid her hands around to his back, her fingers digging into his warm skin as he angled the kiss to one side and devoured her.

His tongue danced around as if he needed to taste every inch of her mouth and then do so again. Meanwhile, Reid found the hem of her sweatshirt and dragged it up her body. He broke the kiss only long enough to whip it over her head.

Their mouths slammed back together moments later.

She needed to feel his skin against hers. She was still wearing her tank top and shorts.

When his hands found her breasts and molded them in his palms, she moaned into his mouth. She couldn’t breathe. Not enough oxygen was getting into her. She almost didn’t care.

She was aware of him backing her up but didn’t know where they were until her ass hit the wall. Flattened against the cool surface, she reached higher up his back, clawing at him. She needed him inside her. Now. Yesterday.

He pinched her nipples.

She moaned into his mouth.

He released her breasts abruptly, and his hands trailed down to her ass, wiggling between her cheeks and the wall to cup her globes and pull her tighter against him.

His cock was flattened to her belly, thick and hard beneath his sleep pants. Instinctively, she dragged her hands from his back around to the front and cupped his hard length for the first time, reveling in the feel of him beneath her palm. It was warm even under the pants. He groaned.

She needed more. She needed him inside her. She didn’t care that ten minutes ago they had been dealing with an intruder and eight people who wanted to take them hostage. Now was another time. Separated. Like before and after.

He slid a hand around from her ass to her pussy and cupped her through the cotton of her shorts. He broke the kiss, panting as he met her gaze. “My God, you’re so wet.” He slid his hand into her shorts and dragged two fingers through her wetness.

She rose onto her tiptoes, biting her lip.

His lips slammed back down on hers as if he could only stand those brief moments to catch their breath and then needed to taste her again.

She agreed. And then he slid a finger into her tight channel. Deep. It felt amazing. So fucking sensitive. She gripped his cock, wrapping her fingers around the length. She still hadn’t seen him naked.

Her concentration returned to her sex where his finger pulled out and then thrust back inside. So good…

Right?

Her mind flashed to visions of Nolan and Reid both bringing her to orgasm that first time on the couch in the cabin. They’d made her come twice. Flashes of Nolan’s mouth between her legs seeped into her consciousness. It amped up her arousal even now.

She closed her eyes, picturing Nolan’s mouth on her while Reid fucked her pussy with that finger. She squeezed her eyes tighter. This was wrong. Something was off. She shouldn’t be picturing Nolan while Reid fucked her.

From one second to the next she went from totally aroused and anxious to have sex to confused and more than a little freaked out.

Reid’s finger slowed. He pulled it out, stroking it across her clit. She gritted her teeth even though his lips were still on hers.

He yanked his face back, his hand coming out of her shorts. He searched her eyes as he grabbed her hips. His brow was furrowed. For a heartbeat, she thought he had read her mind and was angry. Why was she thinking about another man when she’d just bound herself to Reid?

But then he spoke. “Adriana…” His hand came up to cup her face. His brow was knit together, but his word was soft. Not angry.

Her breath came out in sharp pants. She released his cock to grab his hips too. “Reid.” She didn’t know what to say or think or do. Worry and pain leaked into her chest, a pressure making her fear she would stop breathing.

“It’s not right,” he stated. He shook his head. “Fuck.” He licked his lips. “Oh, my God. Baby, it’s not right.”

She agreed. But what? What was this? What did it mean? They should be fucking now. He should be buried deep inside her, her mind consumed with nothing but Reid. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why was this happening?

Grizzlies didn’t bind and then not have sex. Ever. What was Fate trying to tell her? Had she made the wrong choice?

The worry on Reid’s face slid away, and he smiled. What was he smiling about?

A tear escaped to run down her cheek. “Reid?”

He shook her by the hips. “Baby, don’t you see?”

No. She most certainly didn’t see anything.

He chuckled. “We’ve had it all wrong all this time.”

Obviously. But why was this making him happy? “Reid?”

“It’s not about choosing. It never was. You belong to both of us.”

What?

Reid released her hips and grabbed her hand. He yanked almost too hard to get her to follow him as he glanced around and then raced up the stairs, nearly dragging her with him.

She was confused and so worried, but she followed. She had no other options.

When they reached the master bedroom, Reid swiped his phone from the bed and used the one free hand to both hold it and touch the screen.

She set her other hand on his chest and stepped into his space. “Who are you calling?” she asked. They had questions. Yes. But did he think someone had answers?

His grin grew wider. Suddenly he spoke. “Nolan. Thank God.”

It all clicked into place. She understood. Holy shit, she understood. Her smile was slow, but she finally joined him.