Chapter 95 Chapter Ninety-four
ARA
Nadia called in a convoy that would take us to a private location. Black SUVs, tinted windows, no markings. Everything about it was professional and anonymous.
Throughout the drive, Thayne kept me pulled so close I was half in his lap, one iron arm locked around my waist, the other hand resting on my thigh with deliberate possession.
His body thrummed with tension, and his muscles were coiled, ready to explode at the slightest wrong move.
He didn’t trust this fully. And honestly, neither did I. But we were out of options, and Nadia had the only lifeline being offered.
The convoy wound through dark backroads for over an hour before the lead vehicle slowed.
Gravel crunched under tires as we turned onto a long private drive flanked by dense pines.
When the SUV finally rolled to a stop in front of a sprawling, fortified lodge built with timber and stone, Thayne’s grip tightened when we glimpsed the guards already visible on the perimeter.
Nadia climbed out first, her men fanning out in practiced formation. She glanced back at our vehicle, her hand resting lightly on her rounded belly, and gave a single nod.
Thayne leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear, the warmth of his breath sending a shiver racing down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
“I plan on ravishing your body the second we’re settled,” he said in a raspy voice, every syllable laced with raw hunger. “I’m starving for you.”
The words sank into me like teeth. Heat exploded low in my belly, a rush of slick wetness flooding between my thighs before I could even draw breath.
My body answered him instantly. I wanted him too. Despite the chaos, the danger, the uncertainty swirling around us like a storm, my skin burned for his touch and my core clenched at the promise in his voice.
It terrified me how much I craved him. How he could unravel me with nothing more than a whisper.
I turned my head just enough for my lips to graze the stubble along his jaw.
“Then feed,” I whispered back, the words trembling but sure.
His grip tightened on my waist, a low, guttural sound rumbling in his chest.
Someone's knuckles knocked against the tinted windows thrice before the door was yanked open from the outside, cold air rushing in along with the silhouette of one of Nadia’s men reaching to assist.
Thayne moved faster. His hand shot out, brushing the man’s arm away with controlled but unmistakable force.
He stepped down first, then turned, spanning my waist with both hands and lifting me out himself, setting me on the gravel as if I was made of paper.
The guard froze mid-motion.
“Keep your hands to yourself,” Thayne ground out, his voice laced with a possessiveness that vibrated through the night air like a warning growl.
The man’s gaze flicked to Nadia, who gave a subtle shake of her head. He backed off immediately, palms raised in silent surrender.
Thayne’s arm slid around my waist, pulling me flush against his side.
Claim staked, message delivered. Thayne was a caveman in a fancy suit.
Only then did he guide me forward, his body a living shield between me and every other soul on the property.
Nadia watched us approach, one brow arched in faint amusement as she tried to ignore the fact that Thayne had been shirtless since she found us.
“Still allergic to help, I see,” she said dryly.
Thayne didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.
The look he leveled at her said everything: he wasn't in the mood to pass jokes around like it was a saltshaker at a dining table.
Nadia led the way up the wide stone steps to the lodge’s heavy double doors. One of her men keyed in a code on a discreet panel; the lock disengaging with a soft thunk.
Thayne’s arm stayed locked around my waist as we followed her inside, his eyes scanning the whole place.
The doors swung open into a vaulted foyer warmed by a massive stone fireplace. Nadia’s escorts fanned out, checking rooms and sight lines with practiced efficiency while two remained at the entrance, pulling the doors shut and resetting the security system behind us.
“So, what do you want to begin with?” Nadia asked, folding her arms beneath her coat, her tone all business despite the exhaustion lining her eyes.
I still couldn't believe we were sisters. It was hard, pretending she hadn't tried to destroy what Thayne and I both shared.
It was hard, reconciling this Nadia standing before us with the one who'd been terrified of Thayne back in the hospital.
Thayne didn’t even glance at her. His gaze stayed locked on me, dark and molten, the hand at my waist sliding lower to grip my hip with unmistakable intent.
If I moaned now, it would be me trying my best.
“I need time and privacy to fuck my wife,” he stated unapologetically, the words rolling out like he was ordering coffee.
Nadia’s brows shot up. For a split second, her professional mask cracked. She blinked, her mouth parting as if to speak, then clearly thought better of it.
The two guards nearest us shifted uncomfortably, their eyes fixed on anything but us. One even tried whistling.
Heat flooded my cheeks, but I didn’t look away from him. The raw hunger in his stare pinned me in place, reminding me exactly how long it had been since he’d been inside me, how desperately we both needed it.
Nadia recovered first, clearing her throat.
“Right,” she said dryly. “I’ll have someone show you to a room. Hot water, clean clothes, food if you want it. When you’re… finished, we’ll talk strategy.”
She turned to one of her men. “Take them to the east wing suite. Top floor. No disturbances.”
The guard nodded quickly and started toward a wide staircase at the far end of the foyer.
Thayne didn’t wait for further invitation. He lifted me off the floor, following the guard.
As we passed Nadia, she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for us to hear, “Try not to break the furniture.”
“I will, just so I can replace it with better ones. And we'll be busy for the next two hours.” Thayne shot back.
Nadia choked on her saliva on her way out, and I wondered for a minute if she felt even the slightest twinge of jealous at seeing me in Thayne's arms.
The door to the suite hadn’t even closed behind us before his mouth was on mine.