Page 75 of Crave

“Is…is she okay?” I know she is physically. I’ve been watching her.

“Why aren’t you there? I’ve never seen one without the other. Did you have a falling out?” Jax asks.

I shake my head. “No. We never argue. She’s worried someone is watching her house at night.”

She never tried to tell me. That hurts. Does she think I’m useless because I didn’t save her quickly enough?

I hold up my palm to stop the questions I know they’re going to ask. “There isn’t, though. I’m still protecting her. Don’t worry.”

Mikhail nods and Nikolai looks at me quizzically. If they knew how I really felt about their sister and what I wanted to do with her, they would not be okay with me being so close to her.

“I’ll go check in on her tonight.”

“Good. Ivan is unpredictable and until we find that fucker Kirill, she could be in danger,” Mikhail grumbles.

I know that. It’s all I think about.

I can’t wait to kill that asshole. So fucking painfully.

Dropping a handful of bills to cover my beer, I push out into the hot night and head to my bike. It takes me straight to Lara’s, where I wait out on the road until all her lights go out.

I miss laughing with her.

I miss the way she would pout at me pretending to be annoyed.

I miss the way she smells like vanilla.

I miss the way she made me feel all warm inside. Something I’ve never experienced in my life.

My parents never loved me or cared for me.

Lara does.

Maybe I can give her what she wants. I am a quick learner, especially for her.

CHAPTER 33

LARA

I siton the edge of my bed biting the skin around my nails.

I want to hear his voice. I miss him.

Everynight when it gets dark, I think my mind is playing tricks on me. Hell, the other night I swear it was like someone was looking over me in my sleep.

Except I wasn’t scared, at all.

I think my mind is playing tricks on me.

I trust Alexei and my brothers to protect me.

No one can hurt me in my own house.

So I cuddle up under the blanket and close my eyes, trying to ignore my aching heart.

CHAPTER 34

ALEXEI

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