Chapter Eleven
Rage
Mila is quiet in her car seat behind me. “It’s okay, sweetie. We’re going home now. No more hospitals,” I tell her.
I probably should have called Serenity to warn her that we’re on our way, but the twins were headed out there. I assume she already knows.
I’m not sure how this is going to work with my friends being there. Mila seems scared of men. They said they didn’t find any evidence of sexual trauma, so I’m trying not to make too much of it. I pray the so-called experts are right.
She’s chewing on her shirt sleeve, watching the world go by outside. I can’t imagine how frightened she must be.
I’m kicking myself for not getting her room painted and set up. Like I told Serenity, I didn’t think it would happen. I always held hope, but that was as far as I could let myself go in the vision. I had to stay grounded for both of us.
At least the run last night went smoothly. My brothers are the best. The Omaha Chapter arrived and between their guys and mine, Jameson should be happy as fuck.
I look in the mirror again, and Mila’s little chin bobs to her chest. She rubs her eyes sleepily. She’s been so tired it breaks my heart, but I’m going to get her healthy again.
When I pull into the garage, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Mila is home.
She fell asleep when we were on the last stretch, so I carefully unbuckle her, hoping not to wake her. I’m not really sure what I’m doing here. I’ve never had to take care of a kid. But what I do know is that if I had just fallen asleep and someone woke me up five minutes later, I’d be pissed.
Mila’s head rests on my shoulder, and she snuggles against me. It warms my heart. If she was awake, it would be a different story. She’s unsure of me, and I don’t blame her. She doesn’t remember me.
I place my finger over my mouth when I walk in. Cole, Carson, and Cub are sitting at the kitchen table eating. Shit, where am I going to lay her down until I get her room set up?
Cole hops up and waves for me to follow him down the hall. He pushes the door open and steps aside. Mila’s room is finished. Cole rushes around me and moves a stuffed giraffe out of the way before pulling the blankets to the end of the tiniest bed I’ve ever seen.
Gently, I place her on it and cover her up. She did manage to get a few chicken nuggets down at the hospital, so she shouldn’t be hungry till morning. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, I can always make something for her then.
Cole goes back out to the kitchen while I take a minute to look around Mila’s room. I can’t believe the club got all of this for me … for her. I kiss the tip of my fingers and place them against her forehead before walking out.
I head out to the kitchen, and Carson hands me a plate. “Welcome home, brother.”
“Thanks, guys. This transition is going much better than I imagined. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for my sister and me. On top of handling the shipment Omaha brought in, you fuckers even painted. You’ve been busy.”
Cub leans back in his chair and stretches. “It only took the club a few hours to have everything gathered that a three-year-old could need. Some of the ol' ladies are crazy good shoppers, but none of us can take credit for painting or setting up her room.”
I look at my brothers, and they all offer me the cheesiest fucking smiles I’ve ever seen. I’d knock them off their faces if I wasn’t so damned relieved to be home.
“It was your ol' lady,” he says smugly.
It’s now that I remember Serenity is here, or at least she’s supposed to be. “Where is she?”
Cub stands. “Follow me.”
He stops in front of the guest room door and pushes it open quietly.
Peanut sits up on the bed, his ears on high alert.
It seems he’s already made it his mission to protect the woman sprawled out beside him with a streak of pink paint covering her left cheek.
My gaze roams down her body, finding more paint on her clothes.
Her mouth is partially open, and she’s snoring lightly.
He closes the door, his gaze locking on mine.
“She painted Mila’s room?” I rub my temples, not sure why this surprises me. She literally ran into Janet’s trailer not knowing what she would find other than a kid who might need her help.
“Not only that, but she also put the furniture together and organized everything,” he says, walking back to the kitchen. “When Cole got here a few hours ago, she told him she hadn’t slept since she was over at the Inn.”
I fall into my chair, staring at the cut of meat on my plate. “Have you fuckers been eating all of my good steaks?” I ask, ignoring the loud thump of my own heartbeat.
Carson swallows the bite in his mouth. “You know it.”
Cub pats me on the back. “Eat and then you should get some shut eye too. I know you haven’t gotten any sleep either.”
“Hopefully Serenity wakes up soon. She hasn’t eaten anything since we got here.”
“I’ll make sure she eats,” I assure him.
“You going to be able to handle this by yourself?” Cub asks, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I can stay if you need me to.”
“Us too,” the twins both say in unison.
I cut into the steak in front of me. “No. I’ve got it.”
The three of them look at each other.
“What?” I ask, shoving a bite into my mouth.
Cub leans forward. “Don’t take offense to this, brother. You know you’re my best friend …”
I grip the knife in my hand and he pauses.
“I’m just saying that maybe you need someone around who is a little less …” He looks to the twins for backup.
“Harsh,” Carson finishes for him.
I ignore the way they’re looking at me and continue eating.
“I said not to take offense,” Cub teases lightly.
“I didn’t.”
“Okay, well then maybe one of us should stay.”
“No.”
“But you’ve never dealt with two ladies at one time,” he continues to argue.
“Not true.”
“Cub said ladies, not patch bunnies,” Carson says, and the three of them laugh. “Not the same thing, man.”
They’re right. I don’t really know how to deal with females other than an occasional hookup, but so far, I’ve been managing just fine.
It was me who got Serenity to start working through whatever shit she’s been avoiding, and I got Mila home.
Both are sleeping soundly in their beds, so I think I’m doing just fine.
“Dude, you’ve got a lot going on right now. You just lost your mom, and …”
Cub instantly snaps his mouth shut at the look on my face.
“Don’t ever call her that. She was never a mom. The woman didn’t know the first thing about being a mother. She was me and Mila’s way into this world and nothing more.”
Again, the three men exchange a glance. “Okay, then. We’ll just clean up and go,” Cub concedes.
I wave my hand in the air. “I’ve got it. Just go.”
They stand and make their way to the door, but before they get to it, I stop them. “I’m … I’m sorry. I just …”
Cub walks back and crouches down beside me. “Don’t worry about it, brother. It’s been a long couple of days. You just remember you’re not that little kid who was all alone with that bitch. You’ve got a club. You got me.” He pounds his fist over his chest.
“I know.”
He stands, pats me on the back one last time, and then the three of them leave.
I sit in silence, staring at my plate, until I hear the soft click of a door opening.
A few seconds later, Serenity peeks around the corner. “Is everything okay?” she asks, glancing behind her like she’s looking for something.
“Yeah, sorry if we woke you. The guys just left.”
Her eyes go to the front door before returning to me. “You didn’t wake me. Is Mila here?”
I nod slowly, watching her every move. The way she scratches her nose. The nervous way her hand roams over her slender neck.
“She’s sleeping.” I offer her a little more information to ease her worries.
Her shoulders immediately fall, and the lines on her forehead smooth. “Oh, that’s good.”
However, the relief on her face is short-lived.
“I guess I should be going then,” she says, hugging herself.
My dog sits by her feet, looking at me like he might take a bite out of my ass if I let that happen.
I stand and begin warming up a steak and potato for her. “Cole said you haven’t eaten. Sit.”
Peanut stands and pushes his nose right into her ass. She squeaks, jumping away from him, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes me.
She huffs and sits down in the chair farthest from the one I just vacated. “You and your dog are awfully bossy.”
I set the plate in front of her before going back to my chair. “That’s not what I’d call it.”
“No?” she says, digging right in. “I don’t know what else you’d call it.”
I’m glad to see she’s eating. “I call it being persuasive,” I inform her.
“Ordering me to sit is not that.”
I shrug. “Fine. We’re bossy.”
My good boy finally comes over to greet me. I rub him all over roughly just like he likes it. He falls to the ground with a thud, rolling over so I can get to his belly.
“He missed you,” she says, keeping her eyes on her plate.
“Did you?” I ask.
“Why would I miss you?” she snips, finally gracing me with those green eyes that had me in a chokehold the first time I saw them.
“Because you secretly like it when I boss you around.”
Her eyes narrow on me, but she doesn’t offer a rebuttal.
I give Peanut a final pet and then go back to my food.
We eat in silence the rest of the meal. I’m surprised that Serenity finishes almost everything on her plate.
“I’ll clean up while you go shower,” I tell her when she pushes away from the table. I stand with her, meeting her at the sink.
I feel her body curl in on itself at my nearness. I don’t like it.
“I already took a shower.”
My finger trails over the paint on her cheek. “I think you might have been headed there, but you never made it.” My eyes meet hers. “Thank you for painting Mila’s room.”
Her hand goes to where I just touched, and she sighs. “Oh, yeah. I forgot I never made it in the shower before I fell asleep.”
“I think both you and Mila could use a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll just go back to the Inn.”
“Serenity, it’s getting late and it’s dark. You’re tired. I’m tired. We’re all tired. We can discuss your living arrangements tomorrow.”
“My living arrangements?” She shakes her head. “Rage, you know I can’t stay here. Savage will be looking for me.”
“I know. That’s exactly why you need to stay with me.”
“I can’t do that. There’s no way I’m putting her at risk.”
I place my hand at her back and guide her over to the kitchen island. I reach under the cabinet and hit a button to slide open a hidden panel, revealing a set of stairs.
“If anyone is ballsy enough to come out here, they’ll have to get through me and him.” I point to the dog before leading the way down. “If by chance they get through both of us, we’ll at least slow them down enough for you and Mila to get down here … to my safe room.”
My fingers press the buttons slowly so she can watch and learn the code. “Did you catch that?”
She nods.
“Memorize it.”
The door clicks open, and I push her in ahead of me. Serenity moves to the far side of the room, again hugging herself.
“There’s a phone, water, food, a first-aid kit.”
Her eyes follow my direction, but I can tell all of this makes her nervous.
“Is your life so full of danger that it warrants one of these?” she asks.
I shrug. “There are plenty of homes with safe rooms.”
She spins in a circle. “I’ve never seen one.”
“First time for everything,” I tell her, gently guiding her from the room. “Like I said, we can talk more about this tomorrow. Besides, he doesn’t know you’ve turned on him.”
“But Tiffany.”
“I’ve got eyes on the Scorpions. She hasn’t made it back to them yet.”
Her brows pull together. “How do you know she even left?”
“I escorted her out of town myself.”
Her fingers drift to her hair. “I’ve caused you so much inconvenience.”
I reach out, wrapping my hand around hers to stop her from pulling at her silky soft strands. “I haven’t noticed,” I lightly tease.
She holds perfectly still at my closeness.
“Maybe it’s not what’s out there that scares you … maybe it’s what’s in here.” I twirl my finger in front of her face. “Maybe it’s me.”
She pulls away and yawns. “I’m still so tired. Maybe you’re right. We can discuss this tomorrow. I hope you sleep well.”
I’ve hit the nail on the head.
“Goodnight, Serenity,” I say quietly as she disappears into her room.
After I clean up, I check on Mila and find her curled up and sound asleep.
Peanut is laying in the hallway between their rooms. I try to call him into mine, but he remains where he’s at.
“Good boy,” I say, scratching his head. “You keep an eye on our girls, yeah?”
He gives me a little snort in response.
When I get into bed, I look at the camera footage on my phone from the past few days. I watch Serenity flit around my house, but most of the time she’s in Mila’s room working. I don’t have cameras in the bedrooms, but I do monitor the doorways in and out of all of them.
I rewatch the part of the video where Serenity stands in front of my bedroom door. She didn’t open it, but she damn sure wanted to.
She’s curious about me.
I have to say I’m a bit curious about her too.