Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Clove
Ender had been restless all day.
I had thought being out in the common room with everyone would help. I had thought noise and laughter and the usual Fallen Lords chaos might distract him, might pull him out of his own head long enough to breathe.
But Ender didn’t breathe.
He paced.
He leaned.
He watched the front windows like he was waiting for someone to pull up and give him an excuse.
He’d checked his phone five times in ten minutes. Put it back in his pocket. Pulled it out again. Like the screen might suddenly decide to show him what he wanted.
Like the world might finally decide to move fast enough.
It didn’t.
So he stood at the front door, shoulders broad, arms crossed, gaze fixed through the glass like he could stare the road into giving him answers.
I sat on the couch with my mom and Alice, while Cora and Brinks were in the recliner.
Mom had her legs tucked up under her, leaning slightly toward me. Alice was sprawled on the other end with the remote in hand, half-watching whatever trashy show she’d put on the TV.
I kept glancing at Ender. Trying not to, but failing miserably.
“He’ll be okay, honey.”
I looked at my mom. I didn’t know she was watching me watch Ender. “Uh, what?” I asked, like I hadn’t been caught.
Mom patted my hand. “I know you think your dad and I are blind, but we know.”
“You know?” My voice cracked a little.
“You’ve been stuck to Ender since you came back, Clove.”
“Have I?” I asked, too quickly, too innocent, like I wasn’t sitting there with my heart doing backflips every time Ender glanced my way.
Alice pointed the remote at the TV and muted it. “Girl,” she said.
I pointed a finger at my chest. “Me girl?”
Alice laughed. “Yes, you girl who like boy over there.” She pointed at Ender, who was leaning against the front door, looking out.
“Alice,” I hissed, and batted her hand down.
Alice laughed.
“She thinks we’re embarrassing,” Mom said.
“Been told that my whole life,” Alice said. “It has yet to affect me.”
My cheeks heated, and I glanced at Ender.
He would have had to have been deaf to not hear us.
Mom patted my knee. “We’re just saying we know and it’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay,” Alice said. “We don’t have to add anyone new to the fold. I like it. Maybe we can match up all of the other kids.”
“No!” Arlo and Fox hollered from over by the pool table.
“Mom,” Eden called from the kitchen. “You are n-n-not matchmaking us.”
Alice tsked. “Honey, you are my baby, and it will always be that way. No one is going to be good enough for you.”
“Should I be offended that you are going to pawn us all off, but Eden is your baby?” Fox asked. He nodded to Kingston. “Eden is Mom’s favorite.”
“Yeah, I know,” Kingston said.
“We’re not talking about you two,” Alice said and looked back at me. “We’re talking about Clove and Ender,” she announced to the whole damn room.
Ender looked at us on the couch. Now he for sure heard Alice.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and shut up. Jesus.
“Let’s just speed this up so you two stop dancing around each other out here.” Alice pointed at Ender. “You got the hots for Clove?”
Ender looked at Alice, and then to me. “I like her.”
“Like a sister or…”
“The feelings I have for Clove are far from sisterly, Alice,” he drawled.
My heart did a flip. I knew his answer, but it was big to hear him say it in front of everyone.
Alice pointed at me. “Is it like kissing your brother?”
“Oh dear,” Mom whispered.
“Why do we let Alice be the one to take the reins?” Brinks asked.
“Because it’s entertaining,” Jude called. “I love telling people my aunt is crazy.”
Cora pointed at Jude. “Ding, ding. Imagine if we didn’t have her? We wouldn’t know half the shit about each other that we do. She’s good to have around.”
Alice pointed at Jude. “Your appreciation for me is appreciated.” She turned back to me. “You got the hots for Raven’s kid?”
“Hey, pretty sure I had a hand in the kid, too,” Clash piped in.
Alice waved her hand at him. “Just a squirt.”
“Oh my G-G-God,” Eden groaned. “Do you ever have a-a-a filter?”
“No, sweetie. So it’s probably for the best you don’t date because I’ll be telling them no glove, no love.”
“Mom!” Kingston scolded.
“I freaking love this shit,” Jude called. “Should I pop some popcorn?”
This whole time, Ender was just watching me. A slight smile on his lips.
Wrecker walked into the common area and looked around. “What the hell do we need popcorn for?” he asked.
“Mom is quizzing Clove and Ender,” Kingston said.
“She’s also b-b-being inappropriate,” Eden added.
Wrecker scoffed. “So everything is normal.”
“Clove hasn’t answered my question,” Alice said.
“You like him?” Wrecker asked.
Everyone stopped again.
“Uh, yes,” I said.
Wrecker nodded to Alice. “You satisfied now?”
She pouted out her bottom lip. “Yes, but it’s more fun when I ask the questions. You just scare it out of them.”
“I’m efficient,” he said.
“You make her cry one fucking tear, and I’ll break your legs,” Dad called to Ender.
Ender nodded to him. “Noted.”
“Same goes for your girl,” Clash said.
“Got it,” I said.
I had zero plans of hurting Ender, and I didn’t think he would hurt me either. We both had too much to lose.
“You wanna go for a ride?” Ender asked me.
I jumped up, thankful to get the heck out of there.
“Be careful,” Mom said.
“Remember what I said,” Dad called.
Ender grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door.
“And remember, no glove, no love!” Alice hollered over everyone.
“Babe,” Wrecker groaned.
“What?” Alice said. “It’s good to be reminded,” she argued.
The door shut behind us, and the chaos of the Fallen Lords was gone.
Alice had announced my feelings to the entire damn clubhouse like she was reading a weather report. And Ender, Ender had answered her.
Out loud.
In front of everyone.
It was Ender looking at me the entire time, like the only person in the room who mattered.
We reached his bike, and Ender finally stopped walking.
He turned toward me. The wind stirred his hair a little, and the late afternoon sun hit the side of his face, catching that hard line of his jaw and the stubble that made him look older than he really was.
He leaned a hip against the bike, still holding my hand, and for a second neither of us spoke.
Inside, I could still hear someone laughing, probably Jude, because he laughed like it hurt sometimes. I could hear Alice’s voice too, muffled but still loud enough that it made me smile despite myself.
Ender’s thumb stroked over my knuckles. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, then let out a breath that came out half-laugh, half-disbelief. “That was…”
He dipped his chin. “Very on-brand for the Fallen Lords.”
I snorted. “On-brand is one word for it.”
Ender’s mouth kicked up at the corner, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Not fully. I could still see the tension there.
He was trying, though. He was trying to be present with me instead of letting the anger eat him alive.
That mattered.
“What’re you thinking?” I asked.
He studied my face like he was deciding how honest to be. “I’m thinking I’m glad I got you out of there before Alice started asking about… logistics.”
I choked on a laugh. “Oh my God.”
Ender’s eyes warmed. “Exactly.”
I shook my head, cheeks hot again. “Do you think they were watching us?”
He shrugged. “They watch everything. That’s what they do. You got kidnapped, baby. They’re not gonna stop hovering just because you’re back.”
The word baby hit me like it always did. Warm and electric at the same time.
I swallowed, then forced myself to focus. “And you?”
His gaze sharpened. “What about me?”
“You were watching the door all day,” I said softly. “You were ready to explode.”
Ender’s jaw flexed, but he didn’t deny it. “I’m fine.”
I gave him a look.
He exhaled, slow. “I’m not fine. I’m… trying.”
“Why did you ask me for a ride?” I asked.
His eyes dropped to my mouth and stayed there for a beat. “Because I needed air. Because I needed to get out of my head. And because…” He paused, then lifted his gaze to mine. “Because I wanted you. Only you. I didn’t feel like sharing you with your mom, Alice, and everyone else.”
My chest squeezed. I licked my lips, suddenly nervous. “Where are we going for a ride?”
He stepped closer, and the space between us shrank until I could feel the heat of him. He tipped his head down and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Just driving, baby,” he murmured against my mouth. “Wherever the road takes us.”
My heart thudded. “Okay,” I whispered, like it wasn’t the easiest yes I’d ever given.
Ender pulled back just enough to look at me. I lifted my hand and touched his cheek.
It was a simple thing. A small thing.
But Ender went still, like no one touched him gently very often.
His hand came up and covered mine, palm warm over my fingers. For a second, it felt like the world stopped.
Then Ender broke it first, because of course he did. He was Ender. He didn’t linger in softness unless I forced him to.
“Helmet,” he said, voice rough.
I smiled.
He grabbed my helmet off the seat and settled it onto my head. His knuckles brushed my jaw, and I shivered.
Ender’s gaze flicked to my eyes. “Cold?”
“No,” I said honestly. “Just… you.”
His mouth quirked.
He didn’t say anything else.
I climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
The moment my hands locked together, Ender exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for days.
He started the bike, and the engine roared to life.
As we pulled out of the lot, I looked back once.
The clubhouse sat behind us, big and solid. Home.
I turned forward again and pressed my cheek to Ender’s back.
Wherever the road took us to, I knew one thing.
I wasn’t alone anymore.
Not with Ender.