Haven Bound

30. Austin

30

Austin

By the time I make it back to the hotel, I feel like my skin is coated in a year’s worth of dirt and grime. As much as I’m itching to jump in the shower and let the scalding water wash away any remaining evidence of what I’ve done, I need to check on Chelsea first. I need to see for myself that she’s alright even though I know that Zack would have notified me immediately if she wasn’t.

I strip down to my boxer briefs as I wait for the live stream of the security feed from her bakery to load on my phone. My shoulders nearly slump in relief when she appears on my screen. She’s wearing a black Buttersweet Bakery logo tee with the lettering in her signature aqua blue color paired with dark distressed jeans. My mouth waters from the way the material hugs her plentiful curves, plump ass, and long legs. Her sun-kissed copper hair is pulled up into a messy high ponytail, her hips swaying back and forth to the beat of the music that fills the space as she adds various ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer.

I can’t tell what she’s making but if I had to guess, I’d assume she’s probably preparing for the barbecue my parents are hosting this weekend. A casual get-together celebrating my homecoming, one that all Phoenix members in the area are invited to.

Shit .

That damn barbecue is the whole reason I stumbled back into Chelsea’s life to begin with. I completely forgot about it amidst everything that’s happened lately. I felt like such an asshole telling her that it was just for close family and friends, completely overlooking the fact that she should be included in that group of people. I wasn’t prepared to see her that day. Walking into the bakery only to discover that she was the owner completely threw my world off its axis.

Even so, I couldn’t have outright told her “Hey, Chels. My family is part of a secret organization called The Phoenix Legion, and they’re throwing a party for all of the members in the area to celebrate my return home.”

She probably would have looked at me like I was insane and told me to get the fuck out of her bakery. I’m still shocked that she didn’t say something along those lines when I finally confessed everything to her. I never could have anticipated that she would be thanking me for coming back to Haven Beach to kill her stepfather, even if the man didn’t deserve to continue living.

Leaving the security feed pulled up on my phone, I step into the large shower that could easily accommodate more than one person and let the scalding spray of water pour over my skin, easing my aching muscles. I won’t be able to fully relax until I have that gorgeous woman back in my arms, but knowing that she’s happy and safe for the time being eases a fraction of the tension coursing through me.

The same fantasy from the last time I showered while she was mere feet away in my bed floods my mind, and my cock begins to harden at the idea of Chelsea surrendering her control to me. Knowing that I’ll be seeing her soon has me mentally telling my dick to calm the fuck down, refusing to take matters into my own hands when being with her in any capacity is a million times better.

After scrubbing at my skin until it’s nearly raw, I make quick work of drying off and getting dressed. Remembering the look in Chelsea’s eyes while she undid my belt the other night has my blood pumping with arousal. Grabbing the same black leather belt I was wearing that night, I fasten it through the belt loops of my low-slung jeans, slip on a pair of black Vans, and then head out the door.

Even with a stop along the way, I manage to make it to Chelsea’s bakery within twenty minutes, walking toward the aqua-blue door with three sunflowers tied together with a bright blue ribbon in hand. The sign displaying the bakery’s hours tells me it’s just about closing time. I find Chelsea gathering the few remaining desserts into a small box as I step inside. The bell above the door chimes and she looks up, a bright smile spreading across her face when she sees me. She sets the box of treats down on the counter and quickly steps around the display case to greet me.

“I didn’t think I’d get to see you today!” she exclaims. There’s a lightness to her tone that I haven’t heard since coming home.

“I needed to see you, Sunflower,” I tell her, holding out the bright yellow flowers in her direction.

“These are gorgeous, Austin.” She takes the flowers from me and stares at them momentarily, a range of emotions crossing her face before her bright green eyes lift to meet mine.

“They’re nothing compared to you, Chels, but I saw them outside the floral shop and had to get them,” I tell her. The way she’s looking at me takes my breath away .

There’s not a single time when I’ve seen a sunflower over the years that I haven’t instantly thought of her. It used to be because their vibrancy reminded me of the happiness that Chelsea so often exuded, but now, the tall bright flowers that always find a way to face the sun will forever remind me of how strong and resilient she is.

“I’ve been worried about you all day,” she murmurs, staring down at the bundle of flowers. Her confession has my heart pounding in my chest. “You said you were finally going to…” Her voice trails off as she searches for the right words. I can see the moment she decides not to be gentle about it. She stands slightly taller and holds her shoulders back as if bracing for impact.

If she wants to be part of this life with me— I want her to be part of it with every fiber of my being —she has to adjust to every aspect of my job. “You said you were finally going to take out Dan. I know that this assignment probably wasn’t any different for you than the others that you’ve had, but I was so worried that he would hurt you.”

Aside from my family, I don’t know that I’ve ever had someone in my life who truly cared about my safety. All Phoenix Legion members are trained to understand the dangers of the job. Over time, we become desensitized to the idea of losing one of our own. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen often, but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t risking our lives on every single mission. Most of the Legion’s targets can be taken out from a safe distance with a sniper, but there are times when we are required to be within close proximity to get the job done.

I didn’t have to take the approach that I did with Daniel Witters. I didn’t have to kill him in his own home. I didn’t have to burn the place to the ground as I left, but I needed to. I needed to see the recognition that crossed his face when I said Chelsea’s name. I needed to see the fear in his eyes as I ended his life. And more than anything, I needed to know with absolute certainty that he would never harm her again.

“I’m sorry for worrying you, baby.” I place my forefinger beneath her chin and tip her face to mine. “I’m here now, and he can’t ever hurt you again.” Her eyes close. Her teeth graze over her bottom lip, the words sinking in and taking root.

“It’s done?” she asks, opening her eyes once more to meet my gaze.

“It’s done."

My words barely have a chance to escape before Chelsea throws her arms around my neck and presses her lips against mine, stealing the breath from my lungs. My hands find her waist, pulling her body against mine and eliciting a soft moan from her. I can feel her smile into the kiss, and it only makes me want to devour her even more. She pulls away and steps back before I have a chance to give in to that desire.

My body is aching and demanding for her to come back. For her to wrap her arms around me once again while I sink my tongue into her mouth and press my hips against hers. But we’re standing in the front of her bakery, and as much as I’m more than ready to feel her body beneath my fingertips, I don't want anybody else to see what's mine.

“Tell me that I can steal you away for the night,” I plead, my grip on her waist tightening. She smiles and nods, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to my cheek.

“You can, but you’re gonna have to work for it,” she teases. I don’t catch her meaning until she’s sauntering away towards the kitchen.