Page 16 of Fury
Slash’s day was ruined. Biting back a groan, she went to retrieve the just-filled mug from the coffee machine.
“How ya doin’?” Carrera’s sexy voice rumbled through her. “I’m Carrera Santini.”
Slash turned to face the one man she hated with a passion.
That familiar hit of adrenaline powered through her, followed by a slow wave of nausea. Nothing like that two-punch effect from Carrera Santini.
If he were the only person left on planet earth, she’d find a different continent to live on. That’s how much she loathed him.
Carrera’s eyebrows jutted into his forehead while he pierced her with his bedroom eyes. Large, brown orbs that could hypnotize with a simple glance. Only she wasn’t like every other woman who’d ever met him. She couldn’t stand the sight of him, let alone being in the same room.
“Whoa, it’s you,” Carrera blurted. “You… you changed your hair.”
“Your brilliance astounds me,” she hissed.
Elsa joined them at the counter. Probably to ensure Slash didn’t grab a kitchen knife and slice him into bite-sized pieces.
Carrera swept his grandmother into his arms and hugged her. There was a time when Slash loved those ripped, muscular arms around her, loved how his handsome face split into the most breathtaking smile whenever he looked into her eyes.
But those days were gone. Long gone.
“Are you hungry?” Elsa asked him.
“No, he’s not,” Slash bit out.
Carrera sauntered over to check out the leftovers. His manly, leathery scene filled her lungs but she refused to move. He was invadingherspace. She would stand her damn ground.
“I was here first,” she murmured.
“Amanda May, play nice,” Elsa said.
“I’m not playing,” Slash bit out. “We’re in the middle of a birthday celebration.”
As if he’d been invited, Carrera pulled a plate from the cupboard, piled it with chicken, potatoes, and broccoli, then got too damn comfortable at the table.
With another movie-star grin cemented on Slash, he said, “Happy birthday, G-ma.”
“You’ve gone cock-eyed, Carrera,” Elsa said, and Slash laughed. “I’m over here, but I see you noticed how pretty Amanda May looks with her new hair color. She did it for me, for my birthday.”
“Heiscock-eyed,” Slash grumbled.
Elsa sat back down at the table and slid the card over to Carrera, along with Slash’s simple homemade coupon for the symphony.
If Slash had a thing for Carrera, she would have snatched that coupon so he wouldn’t laugh at her rudimentary handiwork, but she didn’t give a fuck what he thought about her… or about anything at all.
She steeled her spine, set the mug of coffee in front of Elsa, along with the cake. After lighting the candles, she sat, but she refused to even glance in his direction.
Every cell in her body wanted to flee the scene, but she wouldn’t leave just because this asswipe showed up. As far as she was concerned, Carrera Santino wasn’t even in the room.
Only he was.
She could feel his one-of-a-kind thunderous energy rolling off him, she could smell his baseline scent, and she could see his guns out of the corner of her eye. Large, cut biceps and triceps of granite-hard muscles. Her thoughts jumped to him planking over her, while she ran her fingers over his soft skin.
A growl ripped from the back of her throat.
They looked at her.
“Make a wish, Elsa,” Slash said.
