Chapter 27 Kratos
Jade rode back on ‘her’ new bike. I’m unsure if Rick is unaware she’s claimed it as her own or is okay with her taking it. Either way, he won’t be getting it back now. Zander and I rode with her while the rest of them piled in Trent’s truck.
Nobody is supposed to know Jade’s back outside of us, and a select few others, even members of Vengeance, are on a need-to-know basis. Trent’s truck is the least likely to be noticed, and with Jade on Rick’s bike, nobody would look twice at the three of us out riding.
Jade disappears to take a shower the second we’re back at the house. It’s such a simple thing, but out of everything the guys have, their warm water, expensive shampoo, and body wash are probably among her favorite things.
I’m tempted to join her, but I see her grab Trent as she races up the stairs and decide to follow Rick to the kitchen instead. I’ve got her tonight, and from the look on Trent’s face earlier, he isn’t down to share more than he already did with Zander.
Poor guy looked like he’d stood up in front of the entire police station only to realize he was buck naked when Zander called him out on sharing Jade earlier. If only he knew how jealous the rest of us were, maybe he wouldn't have been so self-conscious about it.
He’s in good hands with Jade, though. She’s got the right mix of energy to help him work through his nerves without pushing him too far.
If he really didn’t want to be with her, she wouldn't have made him, but considering the way he and Zander had her screaming last week, I’d say that’s not the problem.
If I had to guess, I’d say it’s nerves. He’s not alone, either.
I can see it in the other guys, as well.
Feelings aren’t something they're great with, and the dynamic we’re going for isn’t exactly normal.
Throw in everything else, and it’s understandable, especially for someone like Trent, who lived as far from this lifestyle as he could just a few months ago.
Whatever their issues might be, we'll figure it out, eventually.
For Jade, there isn’t much we wouldn’t do.
Spencer takes off to his computer dungeon the second he gets coffee, and I know he’s already looking into everything he can to give us the upper hand.
He’s still just as into his research as always.
It’s something that made him valuable to Vengeance from the start, but that’s not all he is anymore.
I can see the change in him, and I’m sure the others can, too.
He might never admit it, but Jade is good for him; she’s good for all of us.
Zander stayed in the garage to ensure Rick’s bike was in tip-top shape now that Jade would be using it.
I know it is, but none of us argues with him.
Except for Rick, who gives him shit for only caring about it now that it’s Jade’s.
Seeing Zander do something that won’t leave him bloody and crazed is refreshing.
It won’t be long now before we need that side of him again, I’m sure.
Soon, we’ll take on more than we ever have before, but for now, normal is nice, if not a little strange.
Jake checks in to ensure we're good for the night before heading out, with the assurance that he’ll be back tomorrow.
His responsibilities to Vengeance require him to be more of a face than ours do.
Our names are enough to keep people on track, and our appearance usually isn’t a good thing, but Jake isn’t on the same level, yet.
His phone beeps as he heads out, and I watch as his lips pull up in a smile as he reads whatever just came through.
Rick huffs a laugh across the kitchen, making Jake’s head snap up.
The smile melts from his face when he finds us both watching him.
Clearing his throat, he quickly tucks his phone into his pocket and walks out, as if nothing happened.
“Hundred bucks, says Jade messaged him,” Rick calls over his shoulder as he rummages through the kitchen, looking for something to make for dinner.
We hadn’t been doing great keeping up on basic tasks while Jade was gone, which meant the kitchen was seriously lacking when Jade came home.
We had to order out for dinner, which almost killed Rick.
He’d gotten up early to shop the next morning and had been cooking every night again, just like before.
“No way, I’ll bet on that. I’ve seen that smile around here way too often not to know that’s exactly what it was,” I tell him, heading to the fridge for a beer before sitting down at the counter, unsure of what to do with myself.
Most everything I have to do would require me to leave, and that’s just not something I’m willing to do right now.
It can wait until tomorrow.
Rick laughs, shaking his head, as he makes his way back to the counter, his arms full of ingredients that make zero sense to me.
“Yeah, well, let's not pretend like you're unaffected.”
Damn, got me.
I ignore him. I don’t have any shame in my feelings for Jade.
I’ve known what it was for years, but it’s not something I want to discuss right now, either.
I’m pretty sure we're all just about on the same page at this point. But I’m not sure they know that yet, and I won’t be the one to point it out.
“What are you making?” I ask to change the subject.
Rick loves to cook, and asking about what he’s making is usually a pretty good way to change the subject.
Almost everything I can make is from a book or a recipe that’s impossible to mess up.
I can survive, but I’ve never been the type to make something out of a bunch of random ingredients.
When Rick does, it’s not only delicious but healthy, too.
“Um, Tuscan Chicken Pasta,” he says, his voice low, his focus completely on the knife he’s selecting, almost overly so.
Odd. Rick isn’t one to shy away from a conversation, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say that’s exactly what he’s doing right now.
I sit for a minute, watching him as he sets a pot of water on the stove to boil.
Moving down the counter to cut up tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and finally, the chicken.
He keeps his head down the whole time, careful not to catch my eye or even acknowledge that I’m still here.
It’s not until he throws the chicken in the pan on the stove that he finally lifts his head.
He doesn’t face me directly, so I can’t be sure, but I swear his cheeks have a slight pink coloring to them.
“What?” I finally ask, unable to wrap my head around what’s got him acting so weird.
“Nothing,” he says in a rush, but I’m not buying it.
He glances back at me a few minutes later as I continue to watch him, waiting for an actual answer. “I just…” His words trail off, and he groans in annoyance, turning back to his frying chicken. “Jade likes pasta,” Rick mumbles before quickly moving to the boiling pot and pouring in the noodles.
His words jog my brain, and I realize that we’ve had a lot of pasta over the last few days. More than someone who is known to be a health nut would typically eat.
Now it makes sense.
He’s making food specifically for Jade. Rick isn’t really known to be overly emotional unless you count his temper.
The three of them have always been like a balance to each other.
Zander has so many emotions; he often flips from one to the next in the blink of an eye.
Spencer is more laid back, bored with anything that isn’t research, and Rick is the brute force.
I’m not surprised he seems uncomfortable doing something just for her.
Usually, he makes whatever he feels like, and that’s it.
The guys have learned to eat almost anything because it means they don’t have to order out or cook their own meals.
But he’s taking Jade’s preferences into account, to the point of putting aside his need to balance meals.
“I’m sure she’ll love it,” I tell him, choosing to go easy on him. I could tease him like Zander would, but that’s not really my style. Besides, if it makes Jade happy, why would I want to discourage it? I’m all for catering to her.
Rick’s head snaps up at my words, a calculating look on his face as he tries to figure out if I’m serious or just giving him shit. Poor guy doesn’t know what to do with himself. I’d laugh if I weren’t trying to make him take me seriously right now.
“Yeah?” he asks, unsure, and I nod. It’s easy to forget these guys aren’t used to being anything for anyone but themselves.
Rick might have a happy home, unlike the rest of us, but it was never what he wanted.
He had to work hard to make his own way outside of his father’s shadow.
Most of his choices came at the disappointment of his father, who wanted him to follow in his footsteps.
“Yeah,” I assure him, and just like that, he’s back to normal. Moving around the kitchen with his usual confidence as he continues making dinner.
I throw back the last of my beer, dropping it in the recycling bin as I head out to find something to do until dinner’s ready.
“Oh, Rick,” I call back to him, stopping short of leaving.
He pauses for a moment, glancing my way to let me know he’s listening, before turning back to the pan.
The smell of the chicken already drifts around the kitchen.
I contemplate my words for a moment. There’s no real easy way to say it.
He’s either going to accept or he won’t, but I want to leave that up to him.
“I think Jade would like it if you joined us tonight.”
He whips around so fast that he takes the pan with him, holding it in the air as he looks at me with wide eyes. Of all the things I could have said, I doubt his mind was on her offer.
He’s silent for so long that I’m not sure he’s going to answer. Maybe I overstepped, but I didn’t want to be the reason he stayed away. If she wants him there, I don’t mind. Right before I turn to leave, he gives me a stiff nod. Turning back to the stove and dropping the pan back onto the fire.
Well, can’t say I didn’t try. Now it’s up to him. Either way, I have the night with my girl, and a grin splits my face at the thought.