Page 57 of Savage Cravings

She blushed all the way to the roots of her hair. “Yes, I know.”

“Baby, there is nothing wrong or shameful about what happened in the car. You know that, don’t you? I don’t view you any differently, or less.”

Fuck that shit. That way of thinking was fucking toxic to women and to society, and that was coming fromme, a man who’d probably committed every unspeakable sin in the book.

“We barely know each other.”

“That can change.” And how badly I wanted to get to know her. To know every single little thing there was to know about Mila Hayes.

“But it doesn’t change that we don’t know each othernow.”

“Does that matter?”

“Yes.”

I shook my head. “Did you enjoy it?”

“That’s not important,” she said, almost desperately.

I shook her a little. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes.” The word seemed to be wrung out of her.

“Then that’s all that matters. Understand? No one can tell you how to live, or how to feel. I don’t know what bullshit you grew up with to think your feelings don’t matter, but fuck that. I enjoyed doing that with you, and you enjoyed being on the receiving end of my… gift.”

She narrowed her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched. “Gift? Someone certainly thinks highly of himself.”

“Oh, baby. You have no idea. And just wait until you see the full extent of my gift. I’ll make you see heaven.”

She giggled, the sound surprising me. It must have surprised her, too, judging by her expression.

“I should go back in,” she said. I nodded, glancing at the surrounding building. This really wasn’t the safest place to be, and something about having Mila spend another night alone in this shitty motel raised my hackles like nothing else.

“Go in and lock the door, baby,” I said, not missing the irony of my words. I was concerned about her safety, but what Mila didn’t know was that soon, I was going to be the biggest monster in her life.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. Opening the door, she crossed the threshold and turned to look at me. She seemed to want to say something, but at the last moment, changed her mind and shut the door. I waited until I heard the lock click into place before I walked off the motel’s property.

It didn’t take long for Killian to find me.

I got in the car and turned to my brother. Even with the low lighting, I could tell his face was set in disapproval.

“I don’t want to hear it,” I said before he could speak.

I could imagine his lips thinning in annoyance.

“Maverick?” I asked.

“With the fucker you knocked out.”

I smiled. “Perfect. Let’s go see dear old Lenny. I have a feeling this is going to be fun.”

11

KILLIAN

In silence,we drove back to a small, abandoned factory we’d found on the outskirts of town.

I would have really preferred us to do this on one of our secured properties, but we didn’t have territory in New Orleans. Though that could change in the future, it wasn’t the case now, so an abandoned factory would have to do.

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