Page 54 of Cold Foot King
She gasped as ecstasy consumed her body, and fell forward against his chest as he slowed his pace and dragged out every pulse of pleasure from her body.
Breath ragged, she pushed up, locked her arms against his chest, and sagged there, eyes locked on his.
“Better?” he asked.
She nodded and let off a soft, exhausted laugh. “All better.”
King dragged her down beside him and tucked the covers tightly around her, banishing the chill that had taken her skin when the sleeping bag had slipped off.
His care at making sure she was warm touched her heart. Sated, she smiled against his chest. “That’s how it should’ve been for us the first time.”
She felt his lips press to the top of her head, and he hugged her closer. She could feel the steady drum of his heartbeat against her forehead, and all safe, and warm, and his, Katrina drifted off into the easiest sleep she’d had in years.
Chapter Nine
“Psst. King.”
King frowned in his sleep, and then eased his eyes open to find Wreck standing at the door of the tent.
The Alpha gestured for him to follow him out, and the tent flap closed.
He looked down at Katrina, nestled all warm and snug against his chest. Well, this was going to be impossible. Thankfully, they’d gone to sleep with the sleeping bag unzipped, and hers laying over the top of them, so he didn’t have to mess with the zipper.
As carefully as he could, King untangled his legs from hers and pushed slowly out of the sleeping bags.
“Is it time to wake up?” Kat asked in a sleepy voice.
“No,” he whispered, tucking the covers tightly around her like she was a little burrito. “I’ll be back in a minute. Keep sleeping.”
“Okay. Come back home soon. I’ll keep your spot warm.”
Come back home. He watched her in the dark. This wasn’t home in the traditional sense. They were out in the middle of nowhere in Alaska for one night. But the way she’d saidhome…God, she was beautiful.
Katrina’s scar was visible here in the dim light before dawn that saturated the tent in gray light. Her dark eyelashes were resting on her cheeks, and she wore this soft smile on her full lips. Her hair was all fanned out behind her. He couldn’t wait to see her sleeping comfortably in one of his T-shirts, somewhere warmer perhaps. Montana was cold this time of year, but not as cold as Alaska was.
Please let Wreck tell me I’m in. He sent up the silent prayer as he exited the tent. He zipped the flap so no more cold air would come in.
Wreck was by the tree line, waiting for him. The look on his face said it wasn’t good news. Shit.
King cast one last glance at the tent, and her word repeated in his mind.Home.
When he was close enough, Wreck gripped his shoulder and shook him slowly. “Let’s take a walk.”
“I’m not in, huh?”
“It’s not my call,” Wreck said softly. “The whole reason I was waiting on a decision was because the Novaks and Damon want one thing, and I really want another. I lost.”
“What’s the word, boss?” he asked low as they wove through the woods. “Tell it to me straight.”
“Lucia sees Cash. She saw him from the beginning. She’s tried on my behalf, but she can’t see you with us. Neither can Beaston. Neither can Weston. Damon was already out because of your lack of remorse about killing your brother.”
“Half-brother,” he corrected him. “Not that it matters, and not that I’m begging a place in your Crew. I don’t do that, but you should know the real story so you don’t think I’m just cold. Brant was from a different mother, out of state. I didn’t meet him until I was twenty years old. He was four years older than me, and a piece of shit from day one. I tried for the brotherly relationship for a while. I wanted it. I was an only child up until then, but he was different around women. He didn’t respect them. Didn’t value them. Thought he would make a run for heading up the family group, and I had no interest in it before then, but I started fighting for it just so he wouldn’t have control over the females. He would’ve wrecked the entire culture they were trying for, and would’ve used his power to disrespect multiple mates, so I pushed my silverback into fighting. It was for a noble mission, right? I was going to be a protector? Even if I was just planning on protecting the family group from my brother?
“It’s noble to me.”
“Yeah, well, when you train your silverback to fight, when he’s not naturally inclined to claim a family group, you do some damage. I just didn’t want you to think I snapped and killed a family member I’d known all my life. I killed him after he hurt a woman, and I’m cold about it because I know the world is better off for not having him in it. You should know that if I had to go back, I would do it again. If Damon can’t understand that, tell him to look up pictures of Mariah. Mariah Frey. She pressed charges. The pictures of some of the damage done to her exist.” He huffed a frozen breath and looked back toward the campground, not visible through the thick trees. “Katrina mentioned coming with me.”
“That’s her choice—”