Page 49 of Cook

“You aren’t alone. Neither is Maddie.” The Warden leaned up from Belle, but she stayed in place.

I peeked over at the closed door, Maddie nowhere in sight.

“I’ve got a person for you. There’s a club I used to frequent in LA.”

“A club?” I parroted, like I had never heard the word before. I thought this was all supposed to be so quiet and shameful. Things that happened in dungeons or behind closed doors. How many people were out there doing this?

“Yeah, a club,” he said, an excited shine in his eyes. “There is a syndicate in Phoenix called Serenity.” He ran a hand down the side of Belle’s face. “Go get the bike ready.”

She stood and marched out to where his Harley waited next to my Indian.

Fuck, I’d never seen a woman obey someone like that. Then again, there hadn’t been many long-term women in my life aside from Bou and my mom, and Bou would probably draw a gun on a man who tried to order her around.

Ward stood. “I’ll text you the contact info.”

“You need my number?”

“Funny.” He pulled out his phone, turned on his boot heel, and walked away.

By the time he slid his arms into the leather jacket Belle held open for him, the phone in my back pocket buzzed.

Maddie

When the bike pulled awayin a cloud of dust, I pulled back the curtain and stole a glance at Cook, who still stood on the porch watching too. He glanced down at his phone again, then grabbed his bottle and moved toward the front door.

I scampered back to the sink, scrubbing all the pans and utensils we’d used.

When Cook entered he walked straight over to me, letting the door slam shut. “How long have you been washing dishes?”

“Since Belle left,” I said into the sink.

He reached into the water and pulled out my hand, rubbing the tips of my pruned fingers. “I’ve told you already that you don’t have to do all this.”

I stuck out my bottom lip. “I wanted to. For you.”

Something, though, distracted him. Pointing his nose upward, he scented the air, turning in one direction then the other. “You’ve made it smell sterile in here.”

What he was telling me, I couldn’t be certain. Perhaps one day I’d be able to read him better than now, but for today, I could only speculate.

The displeasure I sensed had me all tied in knots, and I rushed to apologize. “I’m sorry. We can get something to make it smell better. Or open the windows. Or—”

He pressed a finger over my lips, leaning close enough to make my heart do that hard pounding thing against my ribs. “Shhh.”

My wet hands fell to my sides, and I hushed.

“It’s fine, Maddie. I’m just not used to this place smelling like anything but dust and grime.” He grabbed the towel I’d hung from the stove handle and dried each of my hands. “Come on. I’ve got something for you.”

Jerking my head up, I couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth.

Cook curled his finger and nudged my chin up with his knuckle. “Damn, you’re stunning.”

His eyes roaming over my face brought heat into my cheeks, and I tried to look away.

But he growled. “Give me your eyes.”

Shit, that order made my knees quiver. I fixed my gaze on him, waiting for him to give me more. He didn’t, and it wrenched my gut when he let his hand fall.

“You have a gift?” I asked, trying to work out if or when I’d ever received a gift that didn’t hurt. I hoped this one wouldn’t, not that I believed Cook would ever harm me. “For me?”

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