Chapter Fourteen
Rage
Before I pick up Mila from Serenity’s lap, I sear the image of the two of them into my brain … and then I take a picture for good measure.
Her brows pull together, and she narrows her eyes at me. It’s literally the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Serenity isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met. Since her arrival, she’s rolled with every single punch that’s been thrown her way. She’s the type of woman I need by my side. She’s resilient, and that’s the kind of stuff she’s going to pass on to my little sister.
Don’t think I’ve forgotten her problems. I’m very aware of them. It isn’t anything I can’t handle.
I’m committed to Mila, and I’ll be just as committed to her.
“I can carry her to bed,” she offers.
“I know you can, but it’s the only time I get to hold her.”
Her face instantly softens, and I’ll admit I like being the reason for it.
I hear her feet pad down the hall behind me. She quickly darts around us to turn the bedding down. “Should we change her into some pajamas?” she asks.
“I think she’ll be okay in this. I don’t want to risk waking her.”
She nods. When I don’t lay Mila down right away, she quietly leaves the room, giving me a minute alone with her.
“Oh, mi hermanita, we’ve got a long road ahead of us, but I promise it will be worth it. I’m going to do all I can to give you the best of everything,” I whisper against her brow.
When I finally lay her down, I notice the photo sitting on a little stand beside her bed. It’s the same picture I carry on my bike.
My finger runs over the frame, and something strange happens in my chest. I run my hand over it, urging my heart not to make more of this than what it is. The fact she saved Mila’s life put her on a pretty high pedestal in my eyes, but this small gesture feels more personal.
Maybe I should have watched more of the security film. She had to have been by my bike to have gotten this photo. I make a mental note to look as soon as I get a chance.
Serenity and the twins have moved everything inside by the time I leave Mila’s room. “If my sister so much as sniffles, call me and we’ll head right home.”
Both men salute.
Serenity yawns into the back of her hand. Maybe I’ll skip going to the Cage and head right to Janet’s trailer. She needs to go to bed early tonight, and I’ll admit I could use a bit of shut eye myself.
“We won’t be gone long,” I tell the guys as I usher Serenity into the garage. “We’ll take the truck.”
She doesn’t say anything as she slips into the passenger seat. When we get a few miles down the road, I notice how quiet she’s been.
“You’re awfully quiet.”
“Same.”
It makes me chuckle, which seems to surprise her.
She crosses her arms over her chest when I turn the opposite way of town. “I thought you were going to the Cage.”
“Change of plans. I saw your yawn, so I thought we’d head over to the trailer.”
A long, drawn-out sigh leaves her lips. “I still think this is a bad idea.”
“She lived it every day. I think I can sit with it for a few minutes.”
Her head falls against the seat. “You know what else is a bad idea?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“This game you’re playing. It’s not fair to Mila. I’m not her mom. We need to be honest with her about what is really going on, or she’s going to be even more confused.”
I pull into the driveway and shut the engine off. “What’s really going on?”
Serenity’s gaze snaps to mine. “You know what’s going on. My brother left a debt unpaid. I came here to gather the currency to pay it, but I couldn’t go through with it, and now …”
When she turns away from me, I reach behind the seat and grab the gift I have for her.
“What’s this?” she asks, taking it from me.
“It’s a small thank you for saving my sister.”
Her brow cocks at a skeptical angle. “Just so you know, I’m not easily bribed,” she says. “I don’t care about material things.”
She’s not lying. The guys looked through her belongings, and it was pretty much all essentials. Clothes, toiletries, blankets, and a few kitchen items. If I’m right, I know why.
“I’m not trying to bribe you. It’s truly just a gift.”
Hesitantly, she peeks inside the bag. Slowly her eyes widen, and her mouth falls open.
“I saw you on the security footage. It seemed to have moved you.” When she goes back to staring inside the bag, I explain further. “Most of the stuff we use at the Cage are items left over from garage or estate sales. You know, the stuff nobody wants.”
Shit, maybe this was a bad idea. I mean, I don’t know the first fucking thing about women.
I suppose admitting that my gift was someone else’s trash isn’t the best thought I’ve had.
“I’m sorry, maybe I misread the situation.
You just had this look on your face like you wanted to save it,” I continue, digging myself a bigger hole.
Her hands shake as she lifts it from the bag. “I did … I just …” She runs her thumb over the smooth lake. “You saved this for me before I rescued Mila.”
“Yeah.” I run my hand over my head. “We’ve been a tad bit busy. When you and Mila were down by the lake today, I remembered I hadn’t given it to you yet.”
“So, it wasn’t originally a thank you gift then?”
“I guess not.”
Her eyes meet mine. “I can’t stay …”
I cut her off. “You can.”
When she begins to argue again, I stop her by getting out of the truck. She hurries after me.
“Rage, my past always has a way of finding me. Trust me, you don’t want it to find me here.”
I rip the yellow tape off the door and push it open; the smell instantly assaults me. Serenity cups her hand over her nose.
“I’m not afraid of your past or mine. Sometimes you have to face things head on,” I tell her, stepping inside.
“Trust me, I have.”
“No, you haven’t. All you’ve been doing is running.” I turn the lights on.
I walk over and begin thumbing through piles of unopened mail on the counter. Serenity stands quietly beside me.
“At least it looks like she paid the bills,” she says, picking up Janet’s electricity bill.
“She didn’t.”
I move on to the fridge and find it packed with all the food I recently had delivered. Almost all of it is uneaten.
Serenity opens a cupboard, finding a hoard of food inside. The expression on her face morphs before my eyes. Her gaze snaps back to the bills on the counter. “Rage, did you pay your mother’s bills?” She looks back to the cupboard. “And did you have groceries sent here?”
I close the fridge, kicking an unopened package of electrolyte drinks on the floor. “Yeah, a lot of good it did. She obviously didn’t give any of it to Mila.”
When we get to the first bedroom, it’s filled with everything I had sent here for her.
You can’t even walk into the room. It’s piled high.
I reach in and pull out a box of unopened diapers.
It makes me chuckle and not in a happy way.
I’m going to have to drop Serenity off at the house and then go to the Cage by myself. I need to hit something.
She grabs my arm to steady herself, and she fishes out a little girl’s dress with the tags still on it. Serenity looks at me. “We should donate all of this. Everything is new.”
“The clothes will smell like smoke.”
“I’ll wash them,” she says quickly.
“I’ll have the guys come out here and pack up this room. There’s a shed we can store it in at the house. You can go through it there. I don’t want you here any longer than you have to be.”
Her gaze softens. “Rage, none of this surprises me. Well, I mean, this surprises me. The way you loved them despite her unwillingness to accept it.”
“I didn’t love her. Everything I did was for Mila.”
She bites her lip between her teeth.
I don’t care if she believes me or not. “Just show me where you found her. I don’t need to go deep diving into any more of Janet’s shit.” I lean against the wall, waiting for her to lead the way.
Hesitantly, she does. “It was in here,” she says, stopping in front of the main bedroom. “She was in the crib.”
Before she can say any more, I immediately step over the threshold, practicing what I preach.
I face things head on.