Page 80 of Laila Manning
Rounding the shop between the barracks and Carly’s cottage, I pulled out my phone with the intention to try anyway despite knowing nothing about seduction.
I wasn’t totally sure what went on inside the ominous building between our homes, but the aura coming off of it led me to believe I never wanted to end up inside.
I pulled up my message app and watched the cursor blink at me, waiting for the seduction to roll off my thumbs and into hyperspace on its way to Zeke, but I was blank.
“Cut it out.” A voice snapped from the side door of the shop, where a black box truck was backed up to the entrance. “I said fucking stop it.”
I kept on the path to the barracks, but couldn’t tear my eyes away from the truck as I moved around it.
That voice.
There were men unloading boxes from the truck, and some of them nodded to me, with slightly guilty looks on their faces, as they caught me staring. They were crew members whom I’d never been introduced to but knew from their coming and going from the estate.
“Pick it up.” One of the men snapped, using his boot to kick a box across the ground toward the door. “You’re taking forever.”
“They’re fucking heavy.” That same familiar voice cut back with venom. “And it doesn’t help when your boys fucking throw them at me from ten feet up.” The voice walked out from behind the truck with a box three times the size of him in his arms, covering his face.
But I recognized the ratty black hoodie with holes along the sleeves.
“Kade?” I called, turning back, and going to the truck. The men unloading the boxes stopped as the young kid from the street the other day dropped the box and scowled at me.
“You?” He snapped. “Are you fucking following me?”
“Hey!” A large voice boomed from the back of the truck, and Jed jumped down, landing powerfully on both feet. “I know I didn’t just hear you talk to her like that.” Jed grabbed Kade’s hoodie and pulled him back to face him. “The fuck is wrong with you?”
“Hey!” Kade cried, scrambling to get free as he stared up at one of the most intimidating men he’d probably ever seen.
“Jed!” I clawed at his arm, trying to loosen his hold on Kade’s sweater as panic filled the young kid’s eyes. I recognized the fight-or-flight burning behind his bright blue irises. I remembered that feeling as I begged Jed, “Let him go.”
“What’s going on out here?” Another voice demanded, with less volume than Jed’s, but with so much more authority. It sent shivers down my spine as it washed over me, calming and simultaneously exciting me.
Zeke.
I swung around to find him walking out of the shop with that perfect scowl on his face as he found Jed and me in a game of tug-of-war with a child.
“Dove.” He said, flicking his glance at Jed and then down to Kade.
“Dove?” Kade mouthed off, and I cringed before the next words came out of his mouth. “I thought you were that big, gnarly biker’s old lady.”
“Shut up.” I snapped, glaring at the kid I had contemplated harming and saving on two different occasions. “If you want to live to see the sunrise tomorrow, keep your smart-ass mouth shut.”
Jed snorted and loosened his hold on Kade’s sweater as I risked a glance up at Zeke.
As expected, that dark scowl was even darker after Kade’s comment about Diesel.
“Wait.” I shook my head, turning back to Kade and effectively removing Jed’s hold completely. Kade shook free, adjusting his sweater, and I watched as that big tough guy act morphed back into his body language now that my brother wasn’t threatening to clobber him. “What are you doing here, Kade?” I ignored the imposing men all around us.
“What’s it look like, lady?” The mouthy kid scoffed, “I’m working here.”
“With the crew?” I cried, turning to look at Jed and Zeke, who stood shoulder to shoulder, both staring at me like I had three heads. “He’s a child!”
“Excuse you.” Kade reacted as if he was offended. “I’m not a fucking child. Just because you’re middle-aged—”
“Enough.” Zeke snapped domineeringly, and both Kade and I shrunk a little under his stare. “How do you know each other?”
“We don’t.” Kade snapped. “She’s a stalker trying to kidnap me and turn me into a skin suit.”
I pushed the kid on the shoulder, frustrated with his smart mouth, and enjoyed the look of outrage as it covered his face. “I stepped in and saved him from getting his ass beat by some kids the other day.”
