Free Flawed by J. L. Spelbring Page B

cascade; cold drops plunked against his face.
    No more .
    If he was going to continue, he was going to have to accept that the ones who were gone were gone, and appreciate who he had left. And hope that somehow an opportunity would arise leading them to Doc, to Eric, to everyone else who was missing.
    Hope.
    Resigned, Rein stood, turned the water off and stepped free of the shower, stepped free of the chains of his sorrow. There was too much to do; he could not allow himself to wallow around in his regret and grief. The Renegades had always survived, somehow, always. Jordan had taught him to endure, to continue, and Rein would be damned if he didn’t do whatever he could to make sure all who were left were reunited.
    He dried off and exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. The hallway was dark save for a night light leading the way to the room Tim and Sarah had afforded him and Woody. Ellyssa was one room over. Rein hoped she wasn’t asleep; he wanted to feel her arms around him before he went to bed. He padded down the foyer and knocked on Ellyssa’s door. When she didn’t answer, he let himself in.
    “Ellyssa?”
    Ellyssa sat on a chair in front of a window, her head bent. Moonlight streamed through the glass panes and caressed her hair in spun silver. A slight shudder shook her shoulders.
    “Ellyssa?”
    She turned and looked at him, her cheeks shining and her eyes glistening from tears. She, too, had her sorrows, her regrets.
    “Oh,” Rein said, going to her. He lifted her chin with his hand and wiped away a fallen tear. Sadness floated in her azure eyes, shimmering pools of twilight.
    “It’s going to be fine,” Rein murmured, wrapping his arms around her back. “I promise.”
    Ellyssa buried her face in his midsection. Something hard in her hand pressed against his backside, and he knew instantly it was the cave pearl the little girl had held in her death grip.
    Silently, they held each other, his hand gliding over her silky hair. Her grief released in soft sobs; what remained of his left with hers. Time passed before Ellyssa looked at him, her eyes boring into his.
    “I’m sorry,” Ellyssa said, her voice as soft as the streaming moonlight. She sighed. “Things I’ve just realized were missing in my life are gone… again. It started with Jordan, which wrenched my soul, and now…everyone.”
    Rein pulled her up and enveloped her in his arms. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. We will get through this. And if the few missing are still alive, we will find them.”
    Nodding against his chest, Ellyssa clutched onto his back as if she feared losing him too. Rein brushed his lips across the top of her head, her temple.
    As Rein kissed her, Ellyssa’s grip on his back tightened. She leaned her head back and found his lips. At first, Ellyssa’s mouth moved with his, softly, almost hesitantly, then she pulled Rein closer as her tongue parted his lips. Her taste flooded his mouth as she explored; heat radiated off her. The urgency in Ellyssa’s kisses increased, and electric tingles shot through Rein’s veins. Like an addict, he savored it and wanted more. He walked her to the bed with her arms wrapped around him and gently pushed her down, breaking them apart.
    Rein looked down at Ellyssa and pushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, the back of his hand cherishing the softness of her skin. The azure of her eyes burned bright, not with sadness or anger, but with ardent desire.
    Since he’d first kissed Ellyssa in the field weeks ago, their relationship had been one Rein tentatively explored. They’d shared a kiss here, a touch there. He didn’t want to scare Ellyssa off with a onslaught of feelings she couldn’t comprehend or understand.
    Rein definitely didn’t want her to respond to him out of despondency. He feared it would only confuse her more.
    Rein traced the curvature of Ellyssa’s cheek; her skin pinked with desire. Closing her eyes, she pressed her face against his