CHAPTER FOUR
CLOVER
“You still could have split them up. Jet was out of control.” I scolded Daire and Cash as we arrived back at home.
“It wasn’t our fight, Angel. Let it go.” Daire gave my ass a spank as I entered the house before him.
“The bouncers took care of it anyway,” Cash added. “That’s their job. Better not to get involved in things that don’t concern us.”
I swatted Daire’s hand away before he could spank me again. “I didn’t want you to get involved because of Jet. I wanted to help Lyra. She shouldn’t have to deal with that crap.”
“Not our problem, Clover. That’s between Lyra and Jet.” Daire couldn’t have possibly cared less.
Annoyed with his inability to give a shit, I stomped ahead into the kitchen. It was late. I needed to get to bed. I kind of wanted a snack first.
Blaze emerged from his bedroom, coming down to join us in the kitchen. “Hey, Doll. Did you have fun?”
“It was okay. Until Jet started a fight with a guy dancing with Lyra. He’s so unhinged.” Opening the pantry, I perused the snack options. Maybe a few crackers and an apple.
Blaze perched on a stool at the island, watching me cut the apple into slices. “Yeah, well, some of us get a little crazy when it comes to our ladies.”
“So I’ve noticed,” I muttered.
While Cash went to the living room to roll a joint on the coffee table, Daire swiped an apple slice. I pretended to stab him with the knife. He merely grinned, inviting me to take a swing. Yep, definitely more than a little crazy.
“So about tomorrow night,” Blaze said, tapping his fingers on the counter. “Are you sure that you want to go, Daire? It might be better if Clover and I establish ourselves as regulars. It will be easier for us to get close to the VIP area.”
Daire let out a bark of laughter. “Nice try, Blaze. Nothing you say will keep me from going this time. Clover is changing her appearance for this visit. It’s better if nobody there gets used to seeing us repeatedly.”
Cash stuffed some busted up weed into a rolling paper, licking the adhesive to seal it shut. “Why can’t all three of us go with her? I’m sure there’s a lot of group action in that place. I’d think it would be expected.”
He had a point there. I’d definitely seen groups of people playing together.
Daire shook his head, helping himself to a cracker from the box on the counter. “As much fun as that would be, it might draw too much attention. That’s the last thing we want. Too bad Havoc and Raina will be there. I’m not sure that will help our cause.”
“I don’t think it will hurt,” I said, taking a bite of an apple slice. “They’ll have our backs if anything goes wrong. That’s a good thing.”
“Agreed.” Cash lit up his joint, taking a long pull. “It can’t hurt to have them around. Raina won’t let anything happen to Clover if she can help it. She’s proven that.”
Although I knew what he meant, I didn’t love the implication that I always needed someone to watch out for me. Okay, so I wasn’t a mob princess like Raina or a vigilante badass like the Angels. I’d survived some fucked up shit though. I’d killed. Didn’t I get any credit for that?
“We don’t need her,” Daire insisted. “I’ll be there to protect Clover. Raina will just get in the way.”
I tossed the knife in the dishwasher, trying not to slam it shut in irritation. “Is that really what you think? Or is there another reason you don’t want her there?”
Daire met my gaze, remaining calm and cool. “What other reason would there be?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you don’t want to be reminded of what you did to her. Maybe you don’t want to see the scars you left all over her body.” My face grew hot as my temper flared. “We all need to find a way to get over the incident with Raina and finally leave it in the past. We need to settle this so we can all move on.”
A strained silence fell over us. Blaze mumbled something about needing to finish up his project before bed and hightailed it upstairs. Cash didn’t say a word as he followed.
Daire and I were left alone to stare down one another. I hated that this would always be a sore subject between us. Daire was no hero. No knight in shining armor. I knew that. Why did he have to hurt my friend though? Of all people, why did it have to be her?
Feeling my appetite fade, I dropped the apple slice I held onto the plate. “Forget it. Forget I said anything at all.”
I pushed away from the counter, intent on storming out of the room. Daire caught my arm, forcing me to a stop. Knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, I still tried to pull away.
“Don’t walk out on me.” Daire’s voice held an eerie calm. “If you want to hate me for what happened with Raina, there’s nothing I can do about that. But you need to know that I would take it all back if I could. Not for Raina. For you.”
My heart squeezed as my anger softened. On the surface Daire came off as a cold, vicious monster. I’d seen a glimpse of what lie below the surface. There was so much more to Daire Keller than he allowed the world to see.
“I know you would,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “It’s hard because I love you both. I don’t want there to be this animosity between you two. I’m not sure it can ever be fixed. Why, Daire? Why did you do it?”
He rubbed a hand over his forehead before pinching the bridge of his nose. “What do you want me to say, Clover? It happened. There’s no changing it now. I wish I could. I’m sorry.”
I was hoping for something that could never happen. Without being able to turn back time, nothing would right this wrong. The only reason the Gods hadn’t killed Daire was because Raina kept them from doing so. The precarious peace between them now was for me. Because of me. I had to accept that this was as good as it would get.
“I know. I’m sorry too. I just wish I could make this all go away.” I sucked in a shaky breath, willing my emotions to calm.
Daire caught my chin in his hand, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Did I hear you correctly? Pretty sure you just said that you love me.”
A teasing smile played about his lips. His green eyes were all serious. Yeah, I guess that had blurted out, hadn’t it?
“Did I?” Pretending not to know what he was talking about, I batted my lashes, lowering my eyes.
“Don’t play that game with me. You’re not getting out of this one.” His hand drifted down from my chin to wrap around my neck. “Look at me, Angel.”
A thrill of excitement shot through me as his hand tightened. “I suppose I may have admitted to having some kind of feelings for you.”
“And here I thought you hated me.” His thumb came up to graze my bottom lip. He leaned in like he might kiss me, stopping short of actually doing so.
Swallowing hard, I said, “I thought I did too.”
“So what changed?” Daire’s breath was warm on my skin. God, how I craved him.
“When I figure it out, I’ll let you know.” Unable to restrain myself, I strained against his hold on my throat, pressing my lips to his.
Daire let me dominate the kiss. Parting his lips, he welcomed my tongue as it slid into his mouth. My hand glided up the back of his head to fist a handful of his hair. I pulled hard enough to make him groan as I entangled my tongue with his. He kissed me back with a heated passion that rang with emotion.
There was so much Daire didn’t say. He felt it though. I sensed it. Maybe one day he would give those feelings words.