Unease pricked at my skin, ghostly flashes of those nightmares coming back to me. The scenes had felt so incredibly real, so much more detailed than my dreams usually were... more like memories than figments of my imagination.
"But you're still here," I commented. I wasn't mad—far from it. He was the one who'd chased my demons away and allowed me to sleep dreamlessly the rest of the night, and I couldn't be angry about that. Even if I was still naked.
Kody mumbled something, then yawned. "You wouldn't let go of me. But also, show me a man who'd willingly leave your bed, and I'll show you a damn fool."
I laughed softly, then a wave of disappointment ran through me. "Where's Steele?"
Kody's arm around my waist tightened, and he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "I said willingly, Madison Kate. Steele wasn't given much choice."
He traced gentle patterns down my bare arm, making my skin tingle, and when he reached my hand, I linked our fingers together on his chest. "You gonna explain that, Kodiak?"
"Zane received our message," he told me in a grim tone.
I sucked in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as my thumb stroked over his bruised and scraped knuckles. The violence of what they’d done to that Reaper should have me running for the hills. It should repulse me to touch hands capable of inflicting such brutality.
It didn't.
"So what happens now?" My voice was soft. Mostly I was intrigued but also scared as hell—not of what Kody and the guys could do... but of what Zane might do to them.
Kody shifted farther down the bed, rearranging us so we shared a pillow and could look each other in the eyes. Our hands remained linked together, though, and I was in no hurry to let go.
"Nothing," he told me, his expression open and honest. "Zane requested a meeting with Arch when he got the, uh, message. Steele went as backup, just in case."
My brows hitched. "Backup... in case Zane tried to hurt Archer?"
Kody gave a small nod. "Wouldn't be the first time."
That enraged me, and I swallowed past the dark emotions clawing at my throat. "Why didn't you go too?"
A small smile pulled at his lips. "And leave you here alone, asleep, and naked with a crazy stalker out there somewhere? You're kidding, right?"
I bit my lip, a frown pulling at my brows. I didn't want to say what I was thinking. I didn't want to let that vulnerable, pathetic, needy question pass my lips, no matter how hard my mind was demanding to know.
But I didn't need to. Kody had a knack of reading me, of knowing exactly what I was thinking without me needing to voice it out loud.
"Steele was better backup than me for a meeting like this," he explained, his voice soft and low. "He's an incredible sharpshooter, specializing with long-range weapons. Ever since the first time Zane tried to ambush Arch, we’ve taken precautions. Although it might seem like Arch is arriving alone—per their agreement—Steele is set up with a rifle trained on Zane's chest. He even leaves the laser sight on."
My jaw had fallen open as he spoke, then when he was done, I blinked a couple of times and licked my lips. "Well, shit," I murmured. "I didn't expect that."
Kody laughed. "We do rock the mysterious angle."
I rolled my eyes. "That's for fucking sure." My thumb rubbed over his damaged knuckle again. "Did you even ice these last night? They look fucking painful."
He arched a cocky grin at me. "You should see the other guy."
My jaw dropped again, and I shook my head as he cracked up. "You're unbelievable, Kodiak Jones."
His fingers untangled from mine, and he stroked my hair back from my face, tucking it behind my ear. "Unbelievable in a good way, right? Because, the way you kissed me last night made me think you're softening on that mountain-sized grudge you're holding."
We were so close, our heads sharing a pillow. It'd be so easy to close the gap between us and...
"Answer a question for me," I demanded, holding his green gaze steadily. "Did you deliberately plant that key on me?"
His eyes widened. "Is that what you think I did?"
I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek to keep my nerve in pursuing this conversation. It was long overdue, and now that things were growing increasingly complicated between us all...
"Fuck, MK, no wonder you've been so angry. You think I purposely planted evidence on you, then..." He trailed off looking up at the ceiling and scrubbing a hand over his messy blond hair. "And then Archer left you on the side of the road where you got arrested."
For the first time in almost a year, the weight of my anger and hate decreased.
"That's not what happened?" I asked, hopeful despite all my best instincts telling me not to be such a damn fool.
Kody turned back to me, his hand cupping the side of my face with almost gut-wrenching tenderness. "Madison Kate, I swear to you, that's not what happened. That wasn't even my hoodie that I gave you that night. I'd just grabbed it when shit started going down between the Reapers and Wraiths because it was cold as shit that night."
He could have been lying—of course he could have. But there was such open sincerity in his green gaze... Yeah, maybe it made me a gullible idiot, but I believed him.
It felt good to believe him, like a six ton weight had been lifted off my back and I could suddenly just fucking breathe again.
"What about the cops picking me up like that?" I asked, "Archer had said someone would be there to collect me, and the next thing I knew I was in handcuffs being tossed into a holding cell."
Kody's face tightened, and he grimaced. "You'll have to ask him, babe. I can't speak for him."
My stomach rolled, but I nodded. That was fair. I had no qualms confronting Archer, anyway. In fact, I'd almost started to look forward to my verbal sparring matches with him. It made my blood pump in just the most delicious way.
Kody's hand still cupped my face, and his thumb brushed over my lower lip, teasing. "So, we're good now? Truce?"
My breath caught at the heat in his heavy-lidded eyes, but I gave a small nod. "Truce," I agreed.
A small frown pulled at his brow. "Actually, I think I might still owe you some payback, MK. You dyed my face purple. And you Photoshopped porn with me fucking Archer from behind."
I bit my lip to try and hide my smile, but failed miserably. "Yeah, uh, chalk it up to friendly fire?" He scowled, and I swallowed the laughter bubbling up in me. "Okay, fine, you can have one free shot. What's it gonna be? Hair dye in my shampoo? Cling wrap over the toilet seat? Paint my bedroom glittery pink so it hurts my eyes every time I wake up? Oh wait." I rolled my eyes, and he gave me a sly half smile back.
"Nothing so juvenile," he murmured. "One free shot, huh?" I nodded. "Then I'll take this." He closed the gap between us, pressing his lips to mine. I sucked in a quick gasp against his mouth, my lips parting as I kissed him back. He gently bit my lower lip, sucking on it before meeting my tongue with intensity.
Sparks erupted in my belly, my pussy heating and my nipples hardening, reminding me that I was totally naked under the sheets and he was probably just in boxers... It'd be so easy to take things further, except—