Page 153 of Malice and Surrender
“Oh fuck,” I growled as Raine’s elbow caught me across the jaw hard enough to rattle the teeth in my head. I dropped her to her feet and rubbed at my jaw with one hand while I kept hold of her with my other.
She twisted out of my hold, leaving me holding a leather jacket. Spinning around, I managed to get a hold of her as she stomped toward the group of sweetbutts gathered together as they watched.
“You too, don’t think I don’t see all of you. If you fucking touch him…I will claw your fucking eyes out,” Raine yelled, her body fighting mine as she wriggled in my hold. Holy fuck, I didn’t think I could love this girl any harder, and she goes all Rhonda Rousey with jealousy. I mean, a guy could hope, but I never thought she’d actually do it.
“Tink, calm down.”
“Don’t you dare fucking tell me to calm down,” she roared and caught me in the gut on the same side as my bruised ribs with her hard elbow.
“Ugh, fuck.” My grip loosened, and I thought she was coming for me next as she turned to face me. Instead, she yanked the leather jacket I was still holding out of my hands and marched for the exit. “Fuck you, Kai.”
My long strides ate up the ground, and I caught her before she could get out the door.
“Tink, stop,” I said, gripping her shoulder, but when my hand touched her, she whipped around and caught me with another wild fist that knocked me back a step. Fuck, she could really hit when she wanted to. This was not the same scared kitten I found in her home. She was another animal altogether. This was the girl that was locked away, but she was free now, and I loved her so damn much it hurt.
“You can’t even go a single day, and you have the nerve to talk about me,” Raine said, her voice dripping with anger and jealousy. Raine’s hands slammed into my chest with a hard shove. “Fuck you. I never want to see you again. We’re done.”
“Fucking hell we are,” I growled, my temper flaring.
That was so not happening.
TWENTY MINUTES EARLIER
Raine
It was later than I had planned when Avro dropped me off at Kai’s house, but I’d never traveled except for my bus ride to Atlanta. So I needed luggage, and I had very little clothing to my name. So after the rigorous yet enjoyable shower with Avro and Jace, I had a nap and some food, then went shopping with Avro.
It was official the man could shop. He knew all these great stores I’d never been to that had amazing clothes with even better deals. We were both loaded down like pack mules by the time we were done.
“Thanks for dropping me off. I guess one of these days I should learn to drive and get my license,” I said.
“Well, if you want me to teach you, just say the word. I know many empty parking lots where you can’t hit anything.” He smiled.
“Such a vote of confidence.” I looked down at the new leather jacket I wore, running my hands over the material, and couldn’t stop wondering if Kai would like it. My stomach was all butterflies which was crazy considering what we’d already done, but I couldn’t seem to get the jitters under control.
“Are you going to give me a kiss,” Avro asked as my hand went to the door. Jace was right. I was worried about what Kai would think and how he would feel. I needed to stop that if this was going to be my reality from now on. Either he was in and okay with them in my life, or he wasn’t, and we would have to part ways. I couldn’t let his anger dictate what I did.
Leaning across the seat, I grabbed Avro’s face and kissed him as if I didn’t care if the whole world saw. “I love you,” Avro said.
“I love you too.” I opened the car door and stepped out, then leaned in and looked at him. “By the way, how did you find me and Kai?” He smiled wide and winked.
“A story for another night.”
“I’m not going to forget if that’s what you’re hoping?”
“I’d never dream of such a thing,” he said, laughing as I closed the door. Backpack in hand, I waved as he turned around and left. I waited until he was gone before I walked up the steps to the porch, knocking on the door to Kai’s home.
Avro said Kai’s motorcycle was an Indian, so he drove to the dealership and helped me buy a plain black jacket with the small emblem on the sleeve. It was so soft and way too hot, but I never wanted to take it off. There was something about slipping it on that made my heart pound hard. I thought about what it would be like to sit on the back of Kai’s bike and hold him tight. It was a hot image that had me blushing.
“Why are you doing this,” I asked Avro as we got back in the car from our last stop of the afternoon.
“Because I love you, and I want to see us all happy, and that’s not going to happen unless Jace and Kai get on board. Don’t kid yourself. They said they would try, but they’re both making plans. Regardless of Jace's speech this morning about Kai, he is no better. He wants to cocoon us for himself,” Avro said.
“And you don’t?”
Avro lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “First, you must know by now how much you have me wrapped around your finger,” he said, smiling as he linked our fingers together. He effortlessly set me at ease and made me smile. I squeezed his hand. “Second, I’m more pragmatic than either of them. I’m also more open with what I’m okay with in a relationship…the majority of the time.”
I laughed at that statement. Based on what Jace said, you’d think that Avro was a raving jealous lover, but it seemed that Avro was good at playing up what Jace wanted. I smirked and leaned back to look his face over.
