Gunn stumbled to his feet in the kitchen, his mind spinning like a top. Cyra grasped his hand to steady him. Her fingers bound tightly around his wrist.

“I’ve got you,” she said, her words reassuring. “We survived, and I want to be with you so much, it hurts.”

Hearing her caring words filled him with a new sense of excitement about where his future was headed. And for the first time in the last two years, he didn’t feel alone, lost, or useless. He felt needed. “I want to be with you too.”

After the shitstorm he’d just experienced, he was sleeping a week straight… with his little minx next to him. He drew her into the hallway. “Have you checked on Henry and Nora?”

“Not yet.” He grip wasn’t loosening, and fear still bled into her expression.

He vowed to do everything in his power to keep her protected and his.

“I’m okay now.” He led her toward the living room, which stood empty. Cyra darted past him and checked behind the sofa. When she looked up and shook her head, his attention sailed to the late afternoon sun pouring in through the window. Outside, he spotted the pair in the yard, hugging each other.

Cyra passed him and darted back down the hallway. Where was she going? Seconds later, she reappeared with both their leather jackets and handed him one. “We left them in the bathroom.”

“Perfect thinking.” He zipped himself up and opened the front door.

A crisp breeze brushed past, and the light fall of snowflakes created a picturesque landscape. For the first time in too long, a new sense of adrenaline coursed through him. The kind where eagerness to tackle life nudged at his insides, and he hadn’t felt this way in a long time.

“I can’t believe we’re free.” She spun on the lawn, her arms outstretched, her steps making a circle in the snow. Then she ran to Henry and Nora, who turned in their direction. Cyra hugged the old couple in a joint embrace.

Gunn closed the distance between them with a few steps. “How are you both doing?”

Cyra broke her hug.

“Heavens,” Nora said. “I still can’t wrap my mind around what happened in the house, but I’ve never enjoyed the outdoors as much as I do now.”

Henry stuck out a hand to Gunn, and he accepted. “Son, you saved us. You risked your life, and for that I owe you anything you want.”

Gunn glanced over at Cyra, who was across the yard with her head tilted back, her mouth open, catching snow on her tongue. “I already have everything I want.”

Henry tightened his handshake, drawing Gunn’s attention, then dropped his grip. “You gave me wise words when we were in danger, and now here are a few for you. Get out of the demon-hunting business. Live life with her and don’t throw away your future.”

The words sunk in deep because for too long he believed his mission was to eliminate demons and make up for what he’d done to Cherri-Anne. He never believed he deserved a happy ending. But now, it felt as if a doorway had opened up in his mind where possibilities were endless. And maybe Henry had a point.

Cyra approached them, snow crunching under her boots, and pressed against Gunn’s side. Her warmth was a blanket as her hand massaged his lower back. “Who can we contact for you?” she asked. “You probably don’t want to stay here tonight, right? I spotted a nice hotel a few blocks away.”

“I’ve called my son. He’s on his way,” Nora said. “And we’re selling this house.” Her smile spread as she leaned against Henry, who had folded an arm around her shoulders and kissed her nose. “We’re moving to California.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Cyra responded, hugging Nora once again.

Henry offered Gunn a knowing nod.

“Well,” Gunn said. “I’m going inside to do a final check of the house if you want to join me and pack a bag of belongings?”

Henry patted his arm. “I’ll come with you.”

Nora wasn’t moving, and he didn’t blame her, but Cyra already sprinted into the house. “I’m grabbing my bag too.” Suddenly, it felt as if he were going on a field trip with everyone packing at the last minute. He glanced over at his bike propped up against the tree, guessing he’d have to call a cab to pick him and Cyra up.

“I’ll collect my bike after Christmas,” he explained. “My brake lines are cut.”

“Leave it as long as you need,” Henry said. Once they entered the hallway, he collected something from a bowl on the side table and placed it in Gunn’s palm. Keys.

“Take my car to drive the lovely girl home and return it after the holidays. It’s parked in the garage.”

Warmth hit Gunn’s chest because the last time someone had offered him such a trusting gesture was when his foster parents had still been alive. He stuffed the keys in his pocket. “You’re a good man.”

Henry smiled and made his way toward the laundry room.

Cyra approached and threaded her arms through her bag’s strap. “Shall we do a sweep together?”

“It’s the only way, isn’t it?” He drew her against him, an arm around her waist. Never in a thousand years would he have guessed he’d find someone who broke through his defenses, someone who craved his attention, someone who didn’t take his shit. Nothing stood in his way now. And if he could face Hell with Cyra, then confronting her brother was a walk in the park. He didn’t want to lose a friend, but he also wasn’t releasing Cyra now that he’d claimed her. Fuck, it shouldn’t have taken almost dying to do so, but the wakeup call had him reassessing his priorities. Down in Hell, he’d seen things that now made him question everything. A castle. Hellhounds in the woods. He planned to dive into research and find out anything he could on the topic. It might help with uncovering a way to stop the bastards leaving their world and preying in his.

Cyra joined him upstairs alongside Henry. A glance over at Cyra left him giddy, unable to believe how the day had turned out.

Once Henry entered a bedroom, Gunn did a check inside, then waited outside the room with Cyra to give Henry a sense of peace. “So, I was thinking,” he began, pulling Cyra against him, his arms sailing around her back, “wanna come over to my place after this?”

She cocked an eyebrow and the corner of her sweet mouth curled upward. “That’s moving fast.” Despite her words, she snuggled against him.

“My idea was a holy water bath to disinfect ourselves. Not sure what you had on your mind, but I’m curious.”

She broke out into a laugh and play-slapped his chest. “Tease. Making fake promises.”

His embrace tightened, and he lifted her chin with a bent finger, his mouth lowering to her ear. “I never said I wouldn’t devour you or fuck you all night long.”

She trembled against him and whispered, “I love it when you say dirty words.”

He’d never get sick of her reaction. God, he would enjoy every moment of being with her. But it went so much deeper than physical attraction. This was his chance to get to know her, do normal things like going to a movie, sharing with her his favorite books. Yet his fingers tingled to take her right now up against the wall. Around his baby girl, he’d have a hard-on 24/7, and all he could think was: bring it on.

* * *

The hot bath water cocooned around Gunn as he lay back in his tub in his apartment. Butterfly stitches knitted his cuts together, but they still stung. Every muscle in his body ached and sleeping for a week straight sounded like a plan.

Cyra entered the bathroom wrapped in a towel, staring down at him with the sexiest grin. “You sure there’s enough room in there for both of us?”

“Baby, come take a seat. It’s made for two people.” He ran a hand down his chest, guiding her eyes to his erection already in a condom, poking out of the water.

As the towel cascaded down her body, he took in all of her beauty, the curves of her pink-tipped breasts, her hips, and the strip of curls between her legs. His heart hurt when he studied the cuts on her thighs, the purple bruises along her hips and arms. Her knee bandaged, but he’d reapply them to her wounds after the bath. He reached out a hand. “Join me before I drag you in here.”

Without a word, she stepped into the tub, straddling him. He ran his palms up her toned legs, inching upward along the inside of her gorgeous thighs, and slid two fingers across her folds. So wet.

Her moans had him harder, tighter. “Sit on me, baby girl.”

And with both hands on the edge, she lowered herself, straddling him, her pussy kissing the tip of his cock, rubbing herself.

“Hell.” He grasped her breasts, squeezing them.

“Ready?” she purred, and before he responded, she splashed him in the face.

He laughed, and without the slightest warning, she pushed herself down on him. He shuddered and let out a groan. Scorching hot.

“I’ve been ready for you for months. And now I’ve got you, you’re not going anywhere.” He pinched her nipples, gaining himself the sexiest mewl as she rolled her head back. With his hands on her hips, he guided her up and down on his shaft, faster, more intense. Water sloshed out and over the tub, but he didn’t care. Not when she bounced on his cock, her tits swinging, offering him the best show in the world.

She leaned forward, pressing her breasts in his face. “Suck me.”

Just having her order him around had him harder. No holding back, because he planned to take her several more times tonight in every position possible. He filled her and her tight walls gripped his cock.

Her pebbled nipple slipped into his mouth, and he flicked the morsel, sucking her hard.

“Gunn, yes.” She trembled with excitement but never stopped pumping up and down. He glided a hand between them and pinched her clit. Her eyes flung open, groaning with pleasure.

“Faster.” Her pelvis rocked against him, and he met her every slap, his mouth full with her breast. Everything about her—her sounds, her touch, her scent—imprinted on his mind.

Her screams fired him up.

“Fuck me, baby—harder,” she begged.

He gripped her hips, thrusting himself into her, and she held on to the tub’s edges, his pace quickening. His mind floated and the moment she trembled against him, his own orgasm exploded. Her walls clenched around him, and he pulsed, soaring through the heavens, convinced she’d drive him to obsession with her sexiness.

She collapsed on his chest, cradled against his ab muscles, her labored breaths matching his own. “Crap, Gunn. If sex is that amazing, why doesn’t everyone fuck all the time?”

He chuckled and caressed her back, her skin silky smooth. “Baby girl, I can make that a reality for you.”

When she propped her chin on the back of her hand, looking him in the eyes, she didn’t say a word. Her cheeks glistened with bath water, and her gorgeous silvery hair pushed off her face. With her high cheek bones, cute nose, and pouty lips, she was beautiful. And all his.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“How perfect this feels. How things could have turned out differently if I had made a move on you earlier. As much as today will stay with me forever, is it weird I wouldn’t change it for the world?”

Pushing a wet lock off her brow, he shook his head. “I needed the day to wake up to myself. To find you. To come to the conclusion that leaving Argos is the best thing for my sanity.” What Henry had said made sense and Gunn had wasted too much time using hunting as an excuse to not live when the answer lay right there all along. Plus, it was a start to get back onto the road of recovery from what had happened with Cherri-Anne.

“Really?” Cyra’s question came with a gleeful smile, no trace of uncertainty, only support. “I know you love destroying demons, but I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”

“I’ve got a friend who’s been pestering me about starting up a motorbike repair shop with him.” His passion was bikes. To be able to work full-time on them gave him new hope. God, he sounded sappy, yet the optimism in his heart promised him the ability to eventually forgive his past mistakes, to forgive himself. And do everything in his power to keep Cyra safe, not push her away.

Cyra stretched forward, brushing her breasts against him, and kissed him softly. “I love that idea so much. But just so you know, I’m going to continue working with my brother at Argos. I want to perfect my magic, and they can teach me.”

“Baby girl, I’d never ask you to stop doing anything as long as it makes you happy.”

Her mouth pressed against his, faster and more powerful than before. And he took that as her approval. “But there is one thing,” he said, and she gnawed on her lower lip. “You live way too far away from me.”

She cocked a brow, staring at him with that look that gave nothing away. Would she laugh in his face?

“What do you propose?” she asked.

“It’s up to you, baby girl, but I’d love to have you move in with me. I have several spare bedrooms, so you can have your own space. If you’re more comfortable, Chase is a few blocks away, and I know he’d love to have you live there. Either way, it’s closer than where you are now.”

She gave no response at first, but she stared at him, her eyes glistening. “You want to be that close?”

“You bet. Now bring those delicious lips here.”

She laughed and threw water into his face. “I have a better idea.” Lifting herself off him, she climbed out and grabbed her towel, patting herself dry. “I’ve always wanted to try doggie-style. You up for it?”

“Fuck, yeah.” He pushed himself out of the bath, sloshing more water over the already soaked bathroom floor.

She poked out a tongue at him and darted from the room, her giggle calling him like a siren’s song.

Yep, this was exactly how his life should be. Him chasing down his sex kitten and bringing her to orgasm after orgasm.