With my left finger, I pulled the fucking trigger. Sadly, it wasn’t a gun but a Taser. However, it worked, and eighty-thousand volts sent him straight to his ass, shaking like a fish out of water.

“A Taser? Really? What are you, a mall cop?”

I sighed, looking down at him. But the big bad wolf couldn’t speak.

Bending on one knee, I leaned in so he could see my eyes. “If you ever cause harm to Liam again I will cut you in half and stuff you inside a locker.”

Standing back up, I turned to look over the rest of the men. Mine were all smiling, while the rest looked proud. I guess they didn’t like their boss being shot either.

“He’s fine, just needs rest. Continue on pretending like you are not trying to kill each other. I’ll see you all later,” I told them, and my eyes met Declan’s. He was being held up by none other than Eric, who I was starting to dislike. Declan looked pale and in need of a drink. He would be fine. If not, well then boo fucking hoo.

“I’ll send for the doctor,” I said in a mocking tone, then walked past them and into the cabin.

The doctor looked at me, unsure of what to do or where to go.

“Fedel will handle your payment after you look over Neal and Declan,” I told him, taking off my boots. My hand was sore, but I would deal with that later.

He must have noticed because he stepped forward, but I glared at him. There was only one doctor I trusted, and it wasn’t him. Getting the message, he left quickly, leaving me alone with the handsome, sleeping asshole who was my husband. Once again, I found myself staring at him. He looked beautiful, and I gave in to my need, allowing my good hand to run through his hair. When he let out a small moan, I stopped. Even in his sleep he was a horn dog. He was definitely all right.

Smiling to myself like an idiot, I stripped down as I walked toward the bathroom, grabbing myself a bottle of brandy as I did.

Turning on the shower, I waited until the water was hot, which would take a moment. It was one of the downsides with camp. Drinking from the bottle, I allowed myself a second to stare in the mirror. Most people hated to look at themselves. They always found a flaw within the person they looked at.

However, I never had that problem. I knew I was attractive, and I knew I was smart. I wasn’t looking hard enough, though, not until Liam shoved a metaphorical mirror so close to my face that my nose was touching the glass. It was only then I truly saw that, in many ways, he was right. I was alone, and I was lonely. I had always accepted that, and I made sure never to think about it. It wasn’t until we were in the forest that I actually understood. Losing Orlando hurt underneath everything, even when I saw that coming. Liam though . . . that bullet, I didn’t see it coming, and in a moment, he could have been gone.

No one to fight, laugh, or rule with. I frowned to myself, taking another sip of the brandy before placing it on the counter. It also meant no one to sleep next to and no one to talk to. I could speak to others. However, I could only talk to Liam, because somehow he . . . I didn’t know. I could just talk with him, and in a second, stupid fucking Neal almost took him away. “Where is the brandy?”

I jumped at the sound of his voice. The mirror was so foggy I hadn’t even noticed when he walked in.

Turning to him, my eyes went straight to the bandage that was wrapped over his shoulder and around his waist. When I did glance up, he was looking me over as if I was water and he was a man in the desert.

I hadn’t realized until then that I was standing completely naked while he stood in pajama pants.

“Li—”

His lips were on mine, before I could get the words out. My hand went to his hair, kissing him just as hard as he was kissing me. He tasted like honey, and I didn’t want to let go of him. But I had to.

Breaking away, I took a deep breath, preparing to speak when his lips went to my neck.

“Liam we need to—”

He gripped my nipple, and I felt a moan ripple out of my throat. When his tongue began to trail down from my neck toward my breasts, I began pulling on this hair.

“Jesus! Fuck, Liam! Stop!” I yelled, and he froze, slowly ripping himself from me to look down at me. In his eyes I saw confusion, frustration . . . and hurt.

Letting me go completely, he took a step back, shaking his head. “Sorry. I just came in search of the brandy.”

He frowned, reaching around me, but I grabbed it first.

“You shouldn’t mix alcohol and pain killers,” I said quickly. He glared at me before spotting my hands. I wasn’t sure why I only then noticed the dry blood that was still on them . . . Neal’s blood, maybe a little of Declan’s as well.

Don’t ask, Liam.

“What the fuck happened to your hand?”

Damn it, just listen to me once.

“Neal was the one who shot you,” I replied, waiting to see how he would react, but he didn’t look surprised.

“That doesn’t explain your hand.”

“I said your idiot brother shot you, and all you care about is my hand?” He should be out there kicking his brother’s ass.

“Yes, because you’re my wife.” He sighed. “I will deal with Neal when I’m not on drugs.”

Turning away from him, I took off my ring to wash my hands. “I handled it.”

“You killed Neal?” he whispered, stepping up right behind me. Warmth radiated off him like waves. I felt myself leaning into him, closing my eyes, and relaxing as I rested my head on his chest. That is, until I remembered he had a bullet wound and stood straighter.

“No, I didn’t.” I should have. “I tasered him after beating into his face and stabbing Declan.”

I prepared myself for his bitching, but when I turned to him, he was smiling. He must have been on some really good drugs.

“Let me get this straight. You stabbed Declan. And attacked and tasered Neal while I was out?” he asked, and I nodded. He was going to find out anyway.

“You show affection in the oddest ways,” he said, kissing my forehead and grabbing the brandy.

But once again, I took it from him, placing it on the counter again. “Not with pills.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Give me the bottle, Melody.” He groaned, reaching for it.

But I poked his wound, causing him to hiss and flinch back. “No, means no, Liam.”

“This is the worst thing you’ve ever done to me.” He frowned like a six-year-old boy.

“I shot you, stabbed your brother, tasered your cousin, and almost cracked open your ex-girlfriend’s skull—”

“My ex-girlfriend?”

“Shit. I didn’t mean to say that.” I bit my lip. “Natasha and I met in the bathroom at church. She said some things, and I put her head through the glass. So, no, withholding brandy isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever done to you.”

Once again, his lips found mine, but only for a second before he broke away.

“In my eyes it is,” he whispered. “I have two pleasures in this world. One is you, Melody Callahan, and the second brandy. Withholding them both is just plain cruel and borderline inhumane.”

And just like that, something clicked in my mind. Here I was standing naked in front of him, not only in body, but with my “sins” as well, and he didn’t care. He saw the deepest and dirtiest parts of my soul and mind but didn’t care. In fact, he wanted to stay in the darkness with me. Just him, me, and the fucking brandy.

“They’re both just temporary holds. You can have them once you’re feeling better,” I whispered back, kissing his lips softly before pulling away.

His eyes widened as my words set in. Grabbing hold of my waist, he pulled me closer to him. Bringing his lips to my ear, his hard-on pressed against my stomach.

“I won’t feel better if I don’t have you now,” he replied, biting my neck and making me want him even more.

I moaned, rubbing against him. “Liam, you’re hurt.”

Pulling me away from the sink, he pushed me against the bathroom door. “Mel, I plan on fucking your brains out.” He pulled the drawstring on his pants. His dick was pointed right at me, and I closed my legs trying to think clearly.