Protecting Salvation: A Shadow Elite Novel

He placed his cap on his head, the bill facing backwards as he paced Peyton’s immaculate back lawn trying to get his dick to stand down. He’d known it was a risk when he sat with her on his lap but when she’d fainted, he thought he’d puke with fear. She’d looked so damn pale and lifeless and that split second was all it took for him to fully understand how much she meant to him.

He hadn’t meant for it to go like that, but even if he’d had a gun to his head, he wasn’t sure he could have let her go in that moment. Then her soft, luscious ass had pressed against his cock and he’d been a goner. Having the woman he wanted so badly in his arms was like throwing petrol on an open flame. His body had just lit up and even the heavy conversation about his pathetic health issues hadn’t managed to defuse the situation.

Finally, his dick begin to allow blood back into his brain. He glanced at the window to see her on the phone, most likely with Aoife.

Pulling out his own phone he hit dial and hoped Titan or Lotus had something for him. “Hey, Titan, any news?”

“Not a lot. We took some samples and dusted for prints and DNA. Found a few things that smell like chemicals but could be nothing. Lotus is running it over to Jack to see if Eidolon can get it tested under the radar.”

“Could be cleaning fluids.”

“True, so we should wait and see. Have you spoken to her about anyone that might be capable of this other than the boys in blue who are meant to be on our side?”

Hurricane knew Titan’s distrust of the police ran deep and he understood it. “Nah, not yet. We got side tracked. I told her about my diagnosis and she fainted.”

Titan whistled through his teeth and it said more than words ever could.

“I know, right?”

“I didn’t know you guys were that close.”

“It’s complicated.”

Titan’s laugh was low. “Isn’t it always with a woman like that?”

Hurricane stood up straighter. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Titan laughed harder and Hurricane wanted to reach through the phone and throat-punch him.

“Settle down, big guy. I just meant classy, brilliant women with looks and brains are always a complication. I meant no insult. I personally think you should lock that shit down before she figures out what an asshole you are when you’re hungry.”

“You’re a pain in my ass.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way, brother.”

Titan hung up and Hurricane looked at his phone with a small smile and shake of his head. The truth was, he wouldn’t change any of his teammates. They were family and he’d die for them. Peyton, though, brought out a whole different emotion. He wasn’t sure whether to wrap her up tight and never let go or run as fast as he could.

Ultimately he knew the answer, she was in danger which meant he wasn’t moving a fucking muscle more than five feet from her until she was safe, whether she liked it or not. Heading back in he felt more in control, marginally anyway. That was until she looked up with those gorgeous pale grey eyes and smiled at him.

Fuck. He was toast.

“Hey, Aoife’s coming over with Bein and Val and Bás might come too. Bein is picking up burgers so I thought you wouldn’t mind waiting instead of me making you a meat-free sandwich.”

He tried to act like he was unaffected, like in the last six hours everything hadn’t shifted for him. “Yeah, that works for me.”

“I’m gonna make some tea though if you want some?”

He nodded, waiting for her to start looking at him like he might collapse at any second and when she didn’t, he let the air out of his lungs. It was his biggest fear, people looking at him like he was sick. He felt pretty good for the most part. A few killer headaches and some light headedness. Oh, and the blurry vision which had essentially achieved what the RAF kicking him out didn’t, and that was to take his wings. He let that thought slide because if he allowed himself to dwell on it, the grief would drown him.

Bertie walked over to him and he bent to give the little guy some fuss. “Hey, buddy.”

Peyton glanced over with a soft smile as he petted the pooch, scratching behind his ears. “Don’t let that cute face fool you. The little shit dug two holes in my lawn this week.”

Hurricane glanced up and grinned, loving this easy back-and-forth they had. “How old is he?”

“Bertie is three the day after my birthday.”

“And when is that?”

Peyton smirked as she poured boiling water from the kettle into two mugs. “Are you saying you don’t have an inch-thick file on me that has every detail of my life, including my favourite childhood shows, preferred sleeping position, and teenage crush?”

He stood and leaned a hip against the counter, folding his arms across his chest and he didn’t fail to notice her reaction to that. Her eyes wandered all over him, appreciation in their grey depths.

Her eyes came to his face and he raised a brow, causing her to blush. She threw a cloth at him and he laughed. “Shut it.”

He caught the cloth and folded it. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to, that smug look said it all. Yes, I was checking you out. You’re hot, okay, and I’m a red-blooded woman with needs.”

Hurricane bent forward when she handed him a mug, leaning his elbows on the side. “Want to know a secret?”

“Is it classified?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then sure.”

“I’ve been checking you out too and you don’t even want to know the things I want to do to you, baby girl.” He saw her throat move as she gulped and fought a grin.

“Well, I think I do want to know. You know, seeing as we’re keeping things just friends, the least you can do is give me a good fantasy for me and my vibrator to share.”

Hurricane had just taken a sip of tea and at her words he choked, coughing and spitting tea all over the place.

Peyton laughed and handed him the cloth. “Here, you have a little something.” She pointed at his chin and smirked.

He swiped it from her hand and moped up the mess he’d made. “Warn a guy next time you’re about to drop a bomb like that.”

“Oopsie, sorry.”

“Yeah, of course you are.” He shook his head and chuckled. “And to answer your question, Bás has a file on everyone. That doesn’t mean I’ve read them.”

“Good to know. And for reference, I sleep naked on my back.”

She winked and he growled.

Peyton laughed just as the bell rang.

Hurricane shook his head but he couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face. There were so many different sides to Peyton Lawson and he wanted to know them all. Suddenly his reasons for fighting their attraction mattered less than before, or maybe he was just a selfish asshole.

“I brought food.”

Bein walked in carrying two take-out bags filled with food, the smell reminding him how hungry he was. He dove in and began unpacking it all as Peyton walked in with Aoife, the two friends hugging and whispering to each other. Aoife looked paler than Peyton and anxious.

“Aoife okay, man? She doesn’t look so good.”

Bein cast a look at Aoife, a soft look he only gave to his wife on his usually hard face. “Yeah. She’s not feeling so good and this upset her.”

Alarm hit Hurricane as he glanced at the two friends. “Shit, anything I can do?” He didn’t want to pry but the thought of Aoife sick made him feel ill. All the women in Shadow, including the wives and girlfriends, had become like sisters to him and the thought of anything bad happening to them killed him.

Bein grinned, a look of love and pride crossing his face and they both watched as Peyton burst into tears too. “I think she just told her best friend she’s going to be a mama in eight months.”

Hurricane looked between the two women and settled his gaze on his friend. “Are you for real? You’re gonna be a dad?”

“Aye. We just found out and we were gonna keep it secret but she’s feeling proper shitty. We figure you’re all family and if something goes wrong, which it won’t, we’d want you guys with us.”

Hurricane lifted his hand and grasped Bein’s, pulling him in for a hug. “Congratulations, man, you’re gonna be a great dad.”

“Thanks, man, I hope so.”

“I know so.”

Aoife and Peyton walked over and Aoife smiled as he held his arms out and she stepped into them. “Congrats, little mama.”

“Thank you.”

Her smile was radiant as she shifted away and Bein pulled her into his arms, a fierce look of love on his face. Hurricane glanced at Peyton, who still had tears in her eyes, but they were happy tears and made her eyes twinkle.

“What a weird fucking day.” He shook his head and grinned as the doorbell went again.

“I’ll get it. Dish the food out, man. I brought enough for an army.”

Bein headed to the door as he finished unpacking burgers, fries, mac ‘n’ cheese balls, and a few side salads. Peyton came up beside him and they worked together as Bás and Val walked in with Titan and Lotus.

He bumped shoulders with Peyton and she smiled up at him and he though his heart might stop at the beauty of that smile aimed his way. It was loud and cramped with everyone talking at once. People hugging when they heard the happy news from Bein and Aoife, laughing with excitement and it felt good. Like in some small way, his family was healing from the recent blows.

“You happy?”

“Oh my God, yes. Aoife is going to be an amazing mum and I can’t even imagine what Bram will be like if it’s a girl.”

Hurricane laughed. “Screwed. He’s going to be protective as hell and so will all her uncles, just like we are with Fleur and Iris and Marni.”

“You ever thought of having kids?”

Hurricane shrugged. “I guess I assumed someday it would happen, but now, I don’t know. My life, my future, it’s all up in the air. You?”

“Definitely. I want a couple so they have friends for life.”

“That’s a nice idea. I always envied friends with brothers or sisters. It was always just me and my parents. Not that our house was ever empty. We had cousins and aunts and uncles there and we’re all close or were, but a sibling is different.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

He watched as she carried trays of burgers to the table and he followed up with all the sides. Aoife handed out soft drinks and everyone dug in, with Bertie watching them like a hawk for scraps. It was nice, and even though he knew there’d be a difficult conversation for Peyton afterwards, he was happy with how this had worked out because it had definitely taken her mind off what had happened at her office.

Lotus cornered him as he was cleaning up wrappers, the others having migrated to the garden deck where Peyton had patio furniture and more room for the big guys sucking up all the air in her modest house.

“Got a second?”

“Sure.”

“So, Jack got back to me. The chemicals I found are a specific type of fertilizer only licensed for agricultural use. It’s also commonly found in the use of homemade explosives.”

“Shit.”

“Yep.”

“It’s time to break up the party and speak to Peyton.”

“Afraid so, big guy.” Lotus cocked her head at him. “You like her, don’t you?”

He could deny it, or lie, but what was the point? Lotus was like a dog with a bone. She was also incredibly perceptive which was why she was such a good person to have at your back. “Yeah, I really do.” He popped his shoulder as he shoved the last of the rubbish into the bin. “Don’t matter though, because I don’t know what I can offer her apart from uncertainty.”

Lotus blew out a humourless laugh. “That’s a bullshit excuse. Life is always uncertain, especially for people like us. Which is why we need to live every day without a single regret. Don’t look back with your last breath, whenever that may be, and have something you wish you’d done hovering over you.”

Lotus squeezed his biceps and then rose to kiss his cheek before walking outside to the others. It was unlike her to be so deep, or so affectionate but her words stayed with him as he followed the sound of laughter and one voice in particular that lifted his soul.