Unbound (Bound To You sequel)

SIXTEEN - Reunited pt. 1

A/N:  I've been busy binge-watching Lucifer this week and I had some trouble getting into the right headspace for some parts of this scene (the sexy bits!) so split it up a bit. Next will be a little steamier + an emotional conversation or two.

SIXTEEN - Reunited pt. 1

"What now?" Dante asked.

We were back at the hotel me and Robin had rented. Thankfully Robin had paid for three nights the day before so our stuff was still there and the nightman believed my story about being robbed and had given me an access card.

Dante had gotten supplies since Robin passed out as soon as his back hit his bed, I'd managed to clean his wound with no protest or trouble.

"Do you have a phone?" I asked as I went to wash Robin's blood off my hands.

I looked surprisingly okay in the bathroom mirror. A little blood on my cheek and neck, my eyes a bit bigger and my skin a shade paler than normal. Nothing on my face said "Hi, I've been kidnapped, had a pack mate die, then killed someone".

Even though I wanted nothing more than a long hot shower I went back out to Dante and Robin. I needed to be strong a little bit longer. Then I could mourn. I could cry and scream. But not now. Not until me and Robin were truly safe. Home.

Dante handed a beat up cell phone from like five years ago over to me. And I stared at it for a long minute. I didn't know James phone number. I didn't know any phone numbers other than my home number in the states.

I was debating the merits of calling and telling my mom and dad what had happened and have them get in touch with James, when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Dante said, grabbing his shotgun.

He opened the door, the weapon hidden but very much at the ready.

"This was left at reception for you sir," a man's voice said.

Dante took the box and with surprisingly good manners, tipped the guy.

He brought the box over to me then opened it. Inside was a phone. We both looked at it expectantly.

It didn't ring.

I felt something that made my head snap up. Then I was running. Out of the room, down the corridor, the stairs and then I was in the parking lot.

One of the pack's familiar black SUV had just parked.

And James was stepping out of it.

James was here. I was safe. Everything would be okay.

I had stopped but as he saw me and begun to stride towards me, I began to run again. I ran straight into his arms and when I did, he picked me up, holding me close.

Breathing him in, I began to cry into his shoulder. I didn't mean to, but everything just caught up with me. I felt like I could breathe again.

"Shhh," he said, stroking my back. "I got you."

Those words were, at that moment, better than I love you or I'm sorry or anything else he could have said. Even though the I love you would have been nice. I was still waiting for it. Yet the I got you was exactly right.

After I got my tears under control I led him upstairs, his big warm hand wrapped in mine. I loved holding his hand. I wanted to keep on doing it forever.

As if he'd sensed it he squeezed my hand gently.

"Is Robin ok?" James asked in the elevator. He was looking at me in the elevator's mirror his eyes bright.

"He was shot, but he will be," I said, turning so I was looking at him and not the mirror image of him. "How did you know to come?"

"When we couldn't reach you after Owen..." James reached out and cupped my face. "I knew something wasn't right. Clearly, I was right. Whose blood is this? It doesn't smell like Robin's."

Did I have Greg's blood on me?

I reached up to touch my face, his hand there. "It's St. Clare's son's. I killed him."

"You killed him?" he said, tensing up.

I nodded.

"Okay," he said after a long moment of looking into my eyes.

"Okay," I agreed, even though I wasn't quite sure what I was agreeing too.

"You terrify me, you know that?" he said.

Before I could ask what that meant the elevator doors dinged open. Dante was in the corridor.

He bowed his head to James, but didn't look happy about it. James said nothing to him nor did he acknowledge him. A power play meant to show he didn't find Dante to be a threat, but one that also in a sense revealed that he wasn't entirely convinced.

I remembered what Robin had said about Dante. How if he'd joined our pack he'd one day could have been pack Beta. Could he have been alpha too?

Moving close to James, I gave Dante a smile. More flies with honey. Keep your enemies closer and all that. I didn't really think Dante was a threat, he'd helped us enough to trust him. But you never knew.

James gave Robin a once over. Robin stayed asleep. Or unconscious. But James seemed pleased enough to just have seen him.

"There is a second room, yes?" he asked, eyes back on me, both hungry and gentle.

I found the key for the other room, next door, gave it to James. Let him lead me out of the room. We passed Dante again, who now was smiling a little at me.

My brain and my legs both felt like jelly. I half expected James to lift me up and kiss me, as soon as the door to our room closed. I thought he'd want to be with me, desperately, after being separated.

But he didn't.

He took me to the bathroom and undressed me. But it wasn't anything sexual about it, not really. And when he pushed me into the shower he was still fully dressed, sans his shoes.

And I felt suddenly unbelievable grateful. For as much as I wanted to be with him, connect, I was bone tired. I wasn't up to lovemaking or fucking. I was barely keeping my eyes open.

"Your clothes are getting wet," I told him senselessly as he turned the water on.

"I'll live," he told me as he gently began running his hands over me. Washing away all the terribleness of the day, until only the loveliness of the warm water, the scent of soap and his touch remained on my skin.

Once done, he carried me to the bed.

He didn't get in. Probably because he was still dripping. Or because he was going to leave me to sleep on my own. He'd never slept in the same bed as me. Why would that change now?

A few silent tears escaped my eyes and I rolled away. I didn't want to see him leave. He always left. People betrayed you, they died and were stubborn and I needed a thicker skin.

I waited for the door to open and close.

It didn't.

Instead, wet fabric fell on to the carpet and then the bed dipped as James got in with me. I held my breath for several long seconds until I felt his hand on my bare stomach, pulling me to him, spooning me against his hard body

I smiled feeling closer to him than I'd ever felt. Feeling him care, both through the mate bond and his actions. I was going to tell him, tell him how lovely it was. But before I could, I fell asleep and despite the horrors of the day, I dreamt only good dreams.