Page 43 of Ghost

“Anndddd… done,” Tizzy says triumphantly, pulling the cuffs off and holding them in front of my face. Now that my hands are free, I grab her by the hips and pull her fully against me. Kissing her with everything I have and moaning into her mouth before pulling back.

“Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again. Never run headfirst into danger. I don't care if it's to save me or anyone else on this planet. Don't fucking do that to me again. Just the thought of losing you…” I choke up and duck, pressing my forehead to hers and closing my eyes at the pain those thoughts slice through me.

Tizzy settles more fully into my lap, her hands trembling just a little as she drops the cuffs to the floor. I barely notice the clatter; all I see is her face. Her eyes are wild, her breathing heavy, adrenaline coursing through her as she hovers over me, like she’s not sure whether to cry or scream.

“You okay?” she asks, her voice shaking.

I nod, flexing my hands now that I can move them. My wrists ache like hell, but I don’t care. All that matters is her. “Better now,” I rasp.

Before I can stop myself, I reach up and cup her face, pulling her lips down to mine. She doesn’t hesitate. The kiss is desperate and raw—both of us pouring everything we can’t say into the way our mouths crash together. I feel her hands slide up my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair, and I groan against her lips.

The world around us blurs, fading away. It’s just Tizzy and me, her warmth pressed against me, her lips soft but insistent. My hands roam down her back, gripping her hips, anchoring her to me like she’s the only thing keeping me grounded.

But then something shifts—a scrape against the floor, subtle but enough to jolt my instincts into overdrive.

Without breaking the kiss, my hand darts to my boot, and my fingers close around the hilt of the knife I always keep there. I feel the movement behind Tizzy, and my blood goes cold as I glimpse Kayti out of the corner of my eye. She’s on her feet, the gun in her hand aimed squarely at Tizzy’s back.

Not today.

In one fluid motion, I pull the knife and throw it. The blade flies true, knocking the gun out of Kayti’s hand with a metallic clang. She screams as the knife embeds itself in her shoulder, sending her sprawling back to the ground.

The gun goes off, the deafening crack ringing in my ears. A sharp, hot pain blossoms in my shoulder, and I bite back a curse.

Tizzy jerks away from me, her eyes wide with panic. “Devon!”

“I’m fine,” I grit out, grabbing her hands to steady her. “It’s just a graze.”

Her gaze darts to my shoulder, where blood is already seeping into my shirt. She looks ready to lose it, but heavy boots thunder into the room before she can spiral.

The door bursts open, and my brothers flood in, weapons drawn, ready for war. Taz leads the charge, his shotgun sweeping the room as his eyes land on Kayti writhing on the floor, the knife sticking out of her.

“What the fuck?” he says, lowering the gun.

Mania steps in behind him, taking one look at the scene before letting out a disappointed sigh. “You couldn’t wait five more minutes for us to save the day?”

Tizzy glances back at them, her hands still pressed against my chest. “You’re late.”

Caesar snorts, leaning against the doorframe. “Looks like you two had it covered.”

Omen crosses his arms, giving me a hard look. “You good?”

“Peachy,” I say, wincing as I shift my shoulder.

Taz crouches next to Kayti, who’s clutching her bleeding shoulder and glaring at all of us like a cornered animal. “What do we do with this one?” he asks.

“She’s all yours,” I say, my focus still on Tizzy. “Just make sure she doesn’t come back.”

Taz grunts, grabbing Kayti by the arm and hauling her up like she weighs nothing. She screams and struggles, but he’s not fazed, dragging her out of the room while Mania follows, muttering something about duct tape and the trunk of a car.

When they’re gone, Omen gives me a pointed look. “You’re bleeding all over the place. Might want to get that looked at.”

“I’ll live,” I say, my voice low as I glance back at Tizzy. She’s still staring at me like she doesn’t know whether to kiss me again or yell at me for being reckless.

Caesar smirks, heading for the door. “I’ll leave you two to…decompress.”

The door clicks shut behind him, and Tizzy exhales sharply, her hands fisting in my shirt. “You scared the hell out of me,” she says, her voice trembling.

“I’m fine,” I promise, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “It’s over.”