Chapter 7
SEVEN
PYRO
“Can I come in?” Inferno asks, eyes on his sister.
I can hear her uncertainty, but it’s nothing like her brother’s. Since bonding with her the other night, I’ve dealt with a lot of thoughts in my head. Had to think about a lot of my own shit.
Feeling the bond with Carina, something inside me has shifted, and I don’t understand it. All I know is I can’t stand to be away from her. She’d been out for a full day before her conscious mind started to wake. My dragon had reached for her, instantly clasping onto her, keeping her with us.
“You know you don’t have to ask,” Carina says, speaking to her brother.
The man hadn’t seen his sister while she was in the ICU. Blamed himself, but from what he said, it won’t be on him, her being here. She’d left before he spoke to her. What he said might have been fucked up, but that doesn’t make it his fault.
Inferno steps into the room, his grandparents right behind him, along with his mate.
“I’ll step out and talk to the others while you all talk,” I tell them while looking between Inferno and Clay.
“You don’t have to go,” Marina remarks. “Stay. This is family talk right now, and you’re now family.”
I wouldn’t say that. Just ‘cause I bonded with her doesn’t make me a part of a family unit.
“Brother stay,” Inferno says, meeting my gaze.
I look to Carina, hearing her thoughts and nod as they all come closer. I need to report to Heat and find out what’s going on with Kinley and finding her. Also, other shit that’s going on at the club, but my dragon wants us here.
I sit back out of the way while the family talks. It’s different seeing the group together talking. I hear what they’re saying, though I’m not fully listening.
Not until Inferno steps closer to Carina’s side and takes her hand. “I shouldn’t have said what I did to you. It was fucked and not cool.”
“You didn’t say anything but the truth.” Carina shrugs. Her eyes say one thing, like she’s brushing it off, while her thoughts say something completely different. What Inferno said had hurt her. Made her feel . . . fuck. I can’t take this shit.
“Brother, what you said fucked her up,” I say, speaking up, my voice rough even to my own ears.
Inferno glances at me, brow cocked. “What?”
“She’s lying to you,” I tell him, and look to Carina. “Tell him the truth. He’s man enough to hear it.”
“Stay out of my head, damnit,” she snaps, glaring at me.
“Wouldn’t be in your head if you fuckin’ shielded your thoughts. For fuck’s sake, woman, he knows what he said was fucked up. Keep it real with him and don’t sugarcoat shit.”
Carina narrows her eyes to tiny little slits, and I don’t look away while I speak. “She’s hurt by what you said, but she doesn’t want to hurt your feelings.” I narrow my eyes on her and continue, “You keep too much shit bottled up. You shouldn’t from your family. They need to know you.”
I feel her panic as her eyes go from narrow to wide.
The way her mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water should amuse me, but it doesn’t.
I want to know what the hell she’s hiding behind the wall she has up.
Her head has been open to me this whole time, but there’s a part of her that’s hidden deep inside that no one can see.
“Carina, sweetheart,” Clay speaks up, getting his granddaughter’s attention.
“I didn’t mean what I said,” Inferno mutters, shakes his head, and lets out a heavy breath. “I was pissed.”
“I know you were,” Carina murmurs. “I told you it was fine, and it is.” She sighs and lays her head back against the pillow.
“Yes, it hurt, but I’m fine. It’s not anything that isn’t true.
” Inferno opens his mouth, but Carina shakes her head and continues, “You spoke the truth. Everyone speaks the truth in anger. Not just bullshit, and you know it.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Marina says. “In the heat of the moment, a lot of things can be said. Some of it complete and utter bullshit.”
My lip twitches at her use of bullshit. The woman isn’t one for cussing. Any time I’ve been around her, I don’t think I’ve heard her use any form of vulgar language or such. She’s a proper lady, as some would say.
“Bamba,” Carina starts, but Marina raises a hand, stopping her.
“You know I love you. You and your brother both. You’re both as stubborn as can be.
Just like your father was. Your mother was a saint to put up with his hard-headedness.
Love them both for each other. But you need to learn right now.
Things don’t always go as they should. Don’t work out as we want them to.
We all make mistakes. Say things we don’t mean.
Say things that are hurtful. Go about running from problems rather than facing them head-on. ”
“What your grandmother is telling you is that you both need to understand each other and know where the other is coming from.”
“I know exactly where Cason’s coming from. I get it and understand completely.”
I can feel the sincerity behind Carina’s words, though she’s also still hurting from them. My dragon doesn’t like it, which makes me twitchy. I shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t have even spoken up, but I couldn’t resist. The need to protect her is more overwhelming than I thought it would be.
For fuck’s sake, I hadn’t even wanted to bond with her. I was fine being on my own.
Settling in, I listen to the family talk, work through issues, and hug. I see the tears spill down Carina’s cheeks, but don’t say anything. It’s not my business. Only I can’t seem to stay away from her.
As Carina’s eyes start to droop, the others leave the room. Not without talking to me first and giving me hugs. It’s strange and something I’m not used to. Sure, I’ve hugged my brothers. They’ve been there for me since I met them and joined the club.
Our club has a saying, ‘Nobody fucks with the Kings’.
Well, that’s the fucking truth. We have charters all over the States with our National Charter out in California.
Some clubs are filled with humans while others are filled with both humans and paranormal beings.
Hell, our club’s President is the son of a Valkyrie.
Fire is the son of Freya. Brimstone is the grandson of Odin, for fuck’s sakes.
Flame is human, and so is Boot. Trigger and Fever are wolf shifters.
Several others were also shifters, but different species.
The club is a mixture and makes things interesting. One thing we all agree on is that no one is treated differently for being different. Which is why I fucking love my club as much as I do. There’s never a dull moment within it.
Not even when we go to California for parties. The last one Fire ended up leaving early because of some shit that was going down with him. We also all found out that he’s got a twin brother who is also a KOA member, but with the Louisiana Charter.
It’s a big ass family, and I’m lucky enough to be a part of it.
I shake my thoughts off as everyone leaves the room and stare at the woman sleeping. She’s healed a lot since I bonded with her, but it’s still gonna take some time for her legs to heal up. The best thing we’ll be able to do is get her out of here and home where she belongs.
I don’t give a fuck if she doesn’t want to go home, it’s where she’s going.
No more running away. She can be pissed all she wants that she doesn’t get her way.
She’ll go where she belongs, heal, and get through whatever the fuck is going on with her.
Maybe with her having to spend time in her hometown, she’ll have no choice but to confront whatever the fuck has got her wanting to run away from the family that loves her.