“Babe.” He turned to face me, and our eyes met, the pain fading in his bright green eyes.
I ran to him again. We crashed together, kissing so hard I couldn't believe we were right next to a dead man still dripping blood onto the floor. Asphalt's hands were covered in blood, and they caressed me, but I didn't care.
Blackjack watched from the corner, an approving look on his face. He knew better than we did what kind of therapy we needed. Nothing except ripping the demon who'd hurt us to pieces would do.
This was an exorcism. Freedom in the making.
Asphalt took my mouth with the same hunger as before, maybe more. He kissed me like we'd been apart for years, jamming his tongue down on mine and sweeping his heat through my mouth. My nipples hardened, and all the trauma I'd feared would linger from the last twenty-four hours faded.
It wouldn't disappear overnight. Oh, no.
There'd be nightmares, bad memories, and bleak doubts aplenty. But with the dead man in the chair gone forever, and his men long since buried, we'd never have to be afraid again.
They couldn't haunt us, couldn't ruin the bright future we'd have from this day forward.
“It's done, Elle Jo. I don't give a fuck what happened before. He's dead – the only shithead responsible for your suffering. Soon as his bones are in the ground, we won't think about his evil ass ever again.”
We kissed again, twined lips and tongues until I sensed Blackjack coming up behind us.
“You're doing the right thing, kids. I'll make sure he's hauled away and put away deep. You two make sure the darkness goes with him.” The older man slapped us both on the shoulders and squeezed with a grip so strong it surprised me.
Then, without another word, he turned and left, closing the door behind him. Asphalt took my hand, and we turned to take one last look at the very last dragon I hoped he'd ever slay for me.
“He'll rot in hell longer than that pile of shit rots in the ground,” he growled.
I turned, pushing myself into him, running my hands down my man's hard chest. “Baby, don't worry about it. We've got bigger things to worry about now.”
His face tensed. “Yeah? Like what?”
“Finding somewhere to live in this town, for one.” I smiled, pushing my hands harder on his chest, admiring the sharp, strong cuts between each muscle clinging to his bones. “Then I'm going to remind you the man you killed will never, ever leave a billionth of the impression you've made on me. Shit, Asphalt, you own me. It's been a long road getting here, but I love it. I'm proud of it. And I'm going to wear your name all over me in the years to come.”
“Fuck!” He grinned and pulled me tight, dipping me in his arms for another lightning hot kiss.
I meant every word. I'd been his bride from the start of this insanity, when it was the last thing I'd wanted.
Now, I couldn't imagine anything else. He'd saved my life several times over, put down the ones who hurt me, and rescued my only flesh and blood, too.
This man deserved the moon. I'd give it to him time and time again.
“Damn,” I swore, breaking the kiss as I remembered something.
“What?”
“We need to find daddy. He'll need someone to drive him back to Tacoma...I guess he's staying with the club, except as an emeritus now. It's hard enough for him. He won't want to spend a second longer than he really needs to in Tacoma.”
“Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to your old man myself. Let's go.”
Smiling, with his hand in mind, we walked out the door. Blackjack waited at the end of the hall with a couple prospects and the brother named Stryker.
As soon as he saw us leaving, slamming the door behind us without one more glance at the dead mafia man, the Prez nodded to his men.
“Take this sonofabitch out to the deepest part of the swamp. He doesn't deserve an eternity with dry ground and fresh dirt after the shit he pulled.”
I closed my eyes for a second as we headed for the bar, savoring the grim finality.
The animal who'd tortured me and done so much damage to my father was gone forever. It was up to us to fill the void he'd left behind with so much kickass happiness, we'd be able to hear the Black Dragons screaming their envy in hell.
“You need a refill. Here.” I sat down at the bar next to daddy as Asphalt walked behind it, pulled out a fresh bottle of Jack, and sloshed fresh whiskey into my father's empty glass.
He turned his head like a turtle to face my man, the slowest look in the world.
“What's the fucking point?” he growled, pushing the glass further away.
Okay, that really hurt. I tried not to think about all the emotional and physical agony ripping through him right now. But the pain rolled off him in vast, psychic waves, so black and brutal I could barely handle sitting on the stool next to my father without bursting into tears.