Page 46 of Cinder
“Well praise be, the chores are done,” Mrs. V. says.
“That sounds awfully like you didn’t think I would get them done,” I say.
Mrs. V. gives me a stern look. “It’s day one, missy. We’ve got a long way to go before we’re dancing partners.”
“Go easy on her, Mrs. V. That’s my new best friend you’re talking to,” Mya says, giving me a wink.
“Mya, you’re best friends with everyone,” Mrs. V. says.
“True,” Mya says with a giggle. “But Ella is my new favorite.”
Mrs. V. rolls her eyes before disappearing into the huge walk-in pantry.
A sudden burst of activity draws our attention to the doorway. Two bikers rush in carrying a third biker by his arms, his feet dragging along the ground and leaving a trail of blood behind him. A giant biker follows them into the kitchen, followed by Lars, and another biker whose name I don’t know yet.
“Put him on the counter,” the giant says. On the front of his leather cut is a patch that readsPresident. This must be Beast.The boss.
The two bikers do as he commands and haul the wounded biker onto the long kitchen counter. He roars with pain as blood spills from a hole in his thigh. There’s a belt used as a torniquet above it, but there is still a lot of blood dripping onto the floor.
Mya grabs my hand and squeezes it tight. She’s not afraid. But she thinks I might be, and she’s trying to comfort me. Little does she know I was there when my father put a knife into the neck of an Irish mob king who once threatened my mother. And again, when he shot Vinnie the Viper in the face for betraying him to a rival crime syndicate. Blood doesn’t scare me. Wounds don’t scare me.This doesn’t scare me.
“Bear, get Rev,” Beast demands.
“I texted him and he’s on his way,” Lars says.
Beast nods at the biker called Bear. “Then go see where the fuck he is and tell him to get here now. Stone is about to bleed out on the goddamn kitchen counter.”
The biker called Bear disappears out the door.
The wounded biker, who I gather is called Stone, tries to sit up.
“You need to stay put,” the biker next to him says.
Stone looks up at them with gritted teeth. “Fuck you, Ryder. You take a bullet to the fucking leg. Give me your knife. I’m going to dig it out myself.”
“Stop behaving like a princess and stay the fuck on the counter,” Beast growls.
I think about the bottle of whiskey in the pantry and let go of Mya’s hand to quickly retrieve it.
Stone tries to move his leg and roars with pain again.
“Where the fuck is Rev?” Beast demands impatiently.
I return from the pantry and hand the bottle of whiskey to Stone. “This should help.”
Stone snatches it. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, lady, but I think I just fucking fell in love with you.”
As he chugs down the whiskey, Lars and I make eye contact, and I see his lips tug at the corners with a smile.
Bear returns with Rev who is… fuck, he’s beautiful. High cheekbones. Dark hair. Zac Effron blue eyes and long dark lashes. Tattoos crawl down his neck and along his forearms to his fingers.
“Who’s that?” I whisper to Mya.
She leans in. “That’s Rev. He’s the Knights’ tattoo artist and club medic. He left the club a few years ago to join the marines. He only came back a couple of months ago.”
Rev is carrying a small canvas bag which he sets down on the counter. He looks at Mrs. V. “Got any scissors?”
She nods and gestures to me. “In the drawer beside you.”
