Page 32 of Duke
My eyes drift across the center console, taking in Duke’s profile when a sudden flash of him with Mason in the shower infuses my cheeks with heat. It’d been super hot, and I hadn’t realized until I saw them like that how deep their feelings run. Ever since finding out that they’re into each other, I’ve kinda gotten a kick out of watching them interact—clothes on and clothes off. That day Duke and I had to help Mason after his nightmare will live rent free in my head until the day I die. But it wasn’t until I witnessed them in what should have been a private moment that I truly understood it wasn’t just about sex with them. The vulnerability they’d shown each other made me weak in the knees. It’d been beautiful.
After seeing them like that, I’d been slightly concerned that they couldn’t have feelings for each otherandfor me, but I think that was the mean girl on my shoulder feeding me crap. Since that night—honestly, way before that—we’ve been functioning as a unit. It’s the four of us. Ride or die. What we have is unconventional, but it works for us, so I’m going to stop second-guessing myself. I’m theirs. And they’re mine.
Duke turns the music down a bit, his brow furrowing hard when he glances my way, almost as if he senses the chaotic thoughts zipping through my head. “Hey. You okay? How were classes?”
It feels funny to have been thinking such deep thoughts—especially when a lot of them were about him—only to have him yank me back to reality with small talk, even if the guy has proven heisconcerned with my well-being.
“I’m good. Classes are fine. I’m starving.” That last bit just kinda slipped out. I shoot him an apologetic grin, my teeth clenched tight.
“Ah. That explains it. Can’t let Stella Bella get hangry. That’d be way worse than Stella Bella angry, and that’s fuckin’ scary enough.” He shoots me a wink. “We’ll pick up food on the way home.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes later,cheesesteaks and fries have been acquired, and we’re pulling up the driveway. At my suggestion, we picked up extra sandwiches in case anyone at the house wants lunch. I’ve noticed the last two days that around mealtimes, a lot of the guys have stuck their noses into the kitchen, then turned back around, shoulders slumping with disappointment. It hit me later that they are so used to Bear cooking meals for them, that his recent disappearing act has meant a whole lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have been consumed. And while half of the brotherhood have been rotten assholes to me, in the end, I’m human and I have a heart… even iftheydon’t seem to. I set the bag on the counter, and Duke begins to fish out the containers of fries and wrapped sandwiches.
“I’m gonna hide two of those for Mase and Bear.” Duke shakes his head. “Otherwise these animals will scarf everything down.”
“Where’s Mason again?” I tilt my head to the side, watching as he tucks two of the sandwiches behind some other takeout containers, then sets the rest in front.
“He was going to stay and get some work done because he has a meeting with his advisor late this afternoon.” He gestures toward the patio. “You wanna eat outside?”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
Duke jerks his head toward the patio, as he gathers our meal in his hands. “I’ll take the food out. Can you grab us bottles of water and some ketchup?”
“Yep. I’ll be right behind you.” I spin on my heel and pull open the fridge, snagging a pair of water bottles, which I set on the counter before rummaging in the door for ketchup. Locating the bottle, I pull it out with a groan. One of these yahoos put it back empty. With a semi-annoyed sigh, I chuck it in the trash, then wander over to the pantry to get a fresh bottle.
I pull the door open, and the fact that the pantry is dark and unnerving sets off warning bells in my head. My breath catches as my vision goes hazy, and I work hard to swallow past the lump in my throat. I stare into the tiny room while I chew on my lip and contemplate whether we really need ketchup with our fries, anyway. Maybe a different dipping sauce would work instead. My eyes crash shut.Fuck.I’m being a big baby about this. Here I am, having a perfectly nice day andwhammo. I exhale hard, clenching my fists. I hate how easily my past can trigger me—and at the most inopportune of moments. My stomach takes this opportunity to rumble, reminding me that Duke is waiting on me outside. Taking a deep breath, I exhale slowly, and take a step into the pantry, my fingers reaching for the light switch.
Before I can flip it, my breathwhooshesfrom me as I’m knocked from behind. I land on my hands and knees with a shriek, my heart going from zero to sixty in no time flat. The door slams behind me, leaving me in pitch-black darkness. I let out a horrible, raw cry, nervously pushing to my feet and jerking around unsteadily. Another scream rips from my throat as my heart rate soars and sweat-inducing panic begins to set in. My mind flips and turns in on itself.Waking in the dark. The closet door wedged shut. Banging my fists on it. Touching the front of my neck and unable to understand why it hurts.Don’t leave me in here. Mama! Help! Let me out!
A rough sob gets caught in my throat, but then I force myself to pause and breathe.You’re okay.I feel along the wall and flip on the light, determined not to turn this into something it’s not. To not allow whoever keeps trying to shove my past down my throat to win. There’s no lock on the pantry door, so it should open. I grab the handle and push on the door with my palm flat against it, but it’s clear there’s something blocking the way.What the fuck? Who the fuck?My internal terror gives way to something else—a full steam of mad builds inside me until I back up and ram my shoulder full-force into the door. It inches open, but only a fraction. My brows pinch together. I step close to peek through the small gap between the door and the frame.
I let out an unbidden scream that echoes off the walls of the food-lined pantry.
On the other side, Tucker’s beady eye stares at me through the crack.Mother. Fucker.“What the hell are you doing in the pantry, sexy?” He shakes his head and gives me a confused look like I’m the crazy one. A moment later, he removes whatever is being used to keep the door closed, and I burst free of my temporary prison.
I’m immediately on him, slapping at any part of his body I can reach and clawing like a wild animal. “Why the fuck did you shut me in there?” I heave out, glaring at him.
His head rears back and his thin lip curls. “I didn’t fuckingdoanything except let you out.”
My gaze narrows on him. “Like I believe you, asshole.” I spin away from him and run directly into Duke’s solid chest.
His arms wrap around me, holding me close. “The fuck’s going on, Tucker? I heard her screams from outside.” Tucker may not realize it, yet, but the low, controlled tone of Duke’s voice is concealing a good amount of fury, I can practically feel it in the tension radiating from him. Tucker is woefully unaware of the anger simmering just below the surface of Duke’s words.
“What the fuck ever. Our crazy houseguest shut herself in the damn pantry this time. I heard her shriek and ran in here to see the chair jammed under the doorknob.”
Before Duke can say anything to defend me, I see red and jerk in his arms, pushing away from him to face Tucker. “I absolutely didnot.Someone shoved me. I fell and whoever it was slammed the door shut and put the chair in front of it. If it wasn’t you, it was someone else because howthe fuckwould I have put the chair where it was if I was inside the pantry, you absolute fuckingmoron?”
“She has a point, Tuck.” Duke blows out a hard breath behind me, keeping steady hands on my arms. I don’t know whether he’s trying to keep his cool by assuring himself that I’m okay or if he’s afraid I’m going to scratch the douchebag’s eyes out.
At this point, half the brotherhood has shown up, curiosity spilling over their features.
“Whatever,” he spits. “Think what you want. I’m telling you I didn’t do it. If it’d been me, I’d have shut myself in therewithher and she’d have been deep-throating my cock, completely incapable of calling for help.” He’s panting like he’s run a race as he searches the room, wild-eyed, as if he’s looking for backup among the brotherhood. He finds none.
Disgust fills me. Before I can open my mouth to let Tucker have it, the rage spilling from Duke fills the room. It’s potent. Thick in the air. And it distracts me from all the thoughts flying through my head. There’s a shuffle of feet as most of the brothers fall back. Duke steps into Tucker’s personal space and backs him up to the kitchen counter. I’ve never seen Duke like this before. “What the fuck did you just say about her?” His voice is low and lethal, leaving no room for Tucker to do anything but give the right answer.
“Nothing. Nothing, man.”And that wasn’t it.
