“I made it,” I agree.
Cole groans. “You can chat after we set this down. It’s heavy as fuck.”
Cub winks at me. “Of course it’s heavy. It’s real wood. Only the best for our little Mila.”
They continue down the hall on their mission. I trail behind them.
“Maybe we should set everything in the middle. Rage was going to paint this room for her. I think the only thing holding him up was the thought it would somehow jinx him.”
They set it down and then go back outside for more of Mila’s things.
I run my fingers over the beautiful wood. My gaze stops on the paint cans in the corner. It’s sad she couldn’t live here beforenow. It’s such a far cry from where she came from. That place was straight up awful.
A man steps into the room with a box of clothes. When he spots me, he drops it abruptly, and it thumps to the floor. A cockeyed grin spreads across his face, and he moves toward me. I take a step back, bumping up against the wall.
He rests his hand over my head and leans in close. His eyes are dark chocolate and wild, like galloping horses as they sprint across my face. “So, you’re the new girl?”
“I … I guess.”
“Leave her alone, brother,” Cole warns behind him.
“I’m not bothering her.”
“Serenity, this is Carver. Don’t let him scare you.”
The man in my face smiles wide. “But I promise it will be more fun if you do,” he says, his pierced tongue sneaking out to wet the corner of his mouth.
“She belongs to Rage.”
I shake my head, forcing myself to stare at the man in front of me. He’s definitely someone you don’t want to turn your back on. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
His tongue retreats, and he drops his gaze to my neck. He presses two fingers over my beating pulse, and his eyes roll back in his head.
“Oh my god, why did you let him in here?” Cub asks, coming to stand beside us. He snaps his fingers in front of Carver’s face. “Snap out of it, brother. If Rage walked in and saw you had his girl pinned to the wall like this, he’d be the one doing the cutting.”
Carver ignores him and returns his attention to me. “So, are you Rage’s girl or not?”
I shake my head no.
“You boys got it all wrong. This one is still up for grabs.”
My eyes widen and his narrow. His fingers are still pressed against my skin.
“Like I said …” I’m about to remind him that I don’t belong to anyone when Cub grabs Carver by the throat.
Again, Carver’s unnatural eyes roll back into his head and he groans … which I’ll admit is sexy as fuck. “It’s a shame you only play with old bitties,” he tells the club’s VP.
“If you don’t want Rage to hear about this, I suggest you back away now.”
When Cub releases him, Carver taps his fingers one final time over my pulse before taking a step back. “You and I are going to be best friends,” he informs me.
“I bet you say that to all the new girls.” I look straight into his crazy eyes, letting him know he doesn’t scare me.
He breaks character for only a brief second, but I saw it. His head tips to the side and he moves in close, whispering in my ear, “I like you.”
Slowly he backs away, exaggerating a slow inhale as he does.
“Now that you’ve metRage’swoman,” Cub says pointedly, “can we please get back to work?”