Draw (Gentry Boys #1)(65)

“Saylor. Say.”

He’d crept into the room without me even hearing. Cord grinned at me as he sat on the edge of the bed. I reached for him, shutting the lid of the computer.

“You were lost,” he said, stroking my hair with some amusement.

“Not lost,” I objected, climbing into his lap. “Just inspired.” I glanced at my watch. It was half past ten. “Visiting hours over, I take it?”

Cord nodded tiredly. “Yeah. Hospital said they’d call if there was any change. They’re giving him some antibiotics to fend off possible infection.”

“How’s he feeling?”

“Ah, you know Chase. He’ll laugh his way into a pine box.” Cord grimaced. “He’s hurting. His pride might be as battered as his body.”

“He was jumped for crying out loud. Not exactly a fair fight.”

Cord’s eyes narrowed. “No,” he said gravely, “it wasn’t.”

The way his face fell to brooding reminded me of Creed. I recalled Creed’s cryptic comment about dispensing justice but I didn’t want to talk about that now. I just wanted to be in Cord’s arms.

He watched me as I unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it from his bronze shoulders. I touched the mark on his neck and laughed, remembering our frenzied coupling in the living room hours earlier.

“First time I’ve ever given a hickey.”

Cord grinned. “Yeah, I got some looks back at the hospital. Chase blustered a little about satisfying my horny needs while he was laid up.” He ran his hands over my breasts. “Speaking of which…”

It didn’t matter how many times we were together or how recent it had been. I always wanted him. I couldn’t imagine that would ever change. I shifted as he slipped his hand under my shirt and touched my bare skin.

“Aren’t you going to close the door?” I breathed, uncertain as to Creed’s whereabouts and not really wishing to be on display.

Cord enjoyed getting me worked up. He unhooked my bra and pulled my shirt over my head, touching everywhere.

“And if I don’t close the door?” One hand dove boldly between my legs and the other circled around the back of my neck, massaging.

“Then I’ll almost certainly let you f*ck me anyway,” I told him honestly.

Cord laughed and leaned into the middle of the room, slamming the door closed. He had his pants down and my legs open before I could blink.

“I missed you today,” I told him, arching and moaning a little as I felt him graze my moist core.

“I’m right here,” he answered, looking closely into my eyes.

“Then stay here,” I whispered.

Cord’s answer was a furious thrust.





CHAPTER TWENTY TWO


CORD



I envied how Saylor could fall into a peaceful asleep so effortlessly. After yet another long, satisfying climb all over each another, she fell back with a sigh and was breathing evenly inside of five minutes. I stared into the dark without blinking.

The noise of the sliding glass door being pushed open got me away from her side. I needed to talk to Creed and I didn’t want Saylor to hear me. As I pulled on a pair of jeans I covered her with a blanket and slowly opened the door.

Chase had gazed at me balefully from his hospital bed and asked what I was planning next. I’d tried to shrug it off, playing dumb, but he knew better.

“Don’t, Cord,” he had warned, as he tried to focus amid the dulling effect of the meds. “Just don’t.”

When I got to the living room I found Creed, sweaty and naked from the waist up. He must have stayed out there quite a while, pumping iron to push back against the unanswered wrath. He pointed to the ruined kitchen table.

“Nice going. Maybe we can glue it back together.”

“You think so?”

“Nope.”

“You make any calls tonight, Creedence?”

He hesitated. “Nope.”

I sat on the couch, relaxing slightly. Creed eyed me as he chugged a glass of water. I took him at his word. If he said he didn’t call Gabe to root out a short list of suspects, then he was telling the truth.

I patted the couch next to me. “Sit down, man.”

Creed pulled a shirt on and sat unhappily at my side. He drummed his fingers on his thigh. It had always been a habit of his. Maybe it was the music inside his head trying to break out.

My brother sighed. “He talk to you much?”

“A little. He was kind of out of it. Cops came by again too. No witnesses apparently and the exterior camera only watches the street. There’s nothing in the alley.”

“It was them,” Creed said flatly and I watched his hands clench.

“What do you aim to do about it, Creed?”

He threw me a disgusted look. “What the hell do you think? Those sons of bitches nearly killed our brother. Tonight they’re probably all sitting around doing shots and sucking * while Chasyn lies in a hospital bed with his guts rearranged.”

“I know that,” I snapped. “You think it means less to me than it does to you? He’s my f*cking brother too. I would kill for either one of you, C.”

Creed’s eyes bored into me. “Is that so?”

I stood, challenging him. “Is that what you’re asking here? You need someone to die in order to move on?”