Page 60 of Savage
I nearly jumped out of my skin. The butterknife I’d been using went flying.
“Damn it, Sayge,” I said as I placed my hand over my chest, willing my heart to slow down.
He smiled sweetly at me, batting his thick blond lashes as if he hadn’t scared me on purpose.
I squinted my eyes at him, aware he knew what he was doing. A slow smile curved his plump pink lips.
Shaking my head, I picked up the butterknife and placed it in the dishwasher. I grabbed a new one and went back to making sandwiches.
Sayge hopped up on the counter and stared at me. “So, are you going to tell me what you were thinking?”
“No.” My face heated up the longer my best friend stared at me.Look away already.Yet, I knew he wouldn’t. Sayge was relentless when he was in a teasing mood. And ever since we’d moved in with Elio, he’d been even more playful than before. He was more carefree than when we’d been out on our own. The fact would make me smile if it wasn’t for the fact that I was his constant teasing’s target.
Sayge poked my cheek, and I snapped my teeth at him.
“Oh, bunny has teeth,” Sayge said.
I cocked a brow at him, chuckling under my breath. “What?”
He laughed. “You know, like kitty has claws, but you are most certainly not a cat. If anything, you’re a cute bunny rabbit.” He tapped my nose. “Boop.”
“That’s it. You can make your own lunch,” I said.
Sayge’s face fell. Like the star fucking actor he could be, a tear formed in the corner of one of his eyes. “Please, Cal.”
I knew it was an act, but my stomach dropped all the same. I passed the plate that was already made over to him. “Go eat.”
Like flipping a light switch, Sayge went from sad to grinning like a fool. “Thank you.” He kissed my cheek and took his food to the table.
I sighed, knowing I was encouraging his behavior. “Dar, your food’s ready.” I made sure to triple his meat and made him three sandwiches. He’d no doubt still be hungry, but there was a ton of home fries as the side.
He raced into the kitchen sweating, and my nose scrunched up. “Where were you?”
“Working out.”
I glanced passed him. Ken and the huge one called Feleti stepped out of the gym room, closing the door behind them, something Dar forgot to do. We’d met all of the men who worked under Elio. They were surprisingly normal compared to our daddy.
“Did you two want a sandwich?”
Ken shook his head. “No, thank you. We are going to head out. Novak and Devyn will be outside.”
I nodded as they headed toward the door. Feleti rarely spoke, if ever, but there was something reassuring knowing he helped keep the place safe. Ken had told us they never stayed around the warehouse until Elio had something worth protecting.
I smiled to myself as I finished up Elio’s second sandwich.Perfect.I took the apron off and hung it up. Making quick work of straightening up the kitchen, I picked up the plate and a glass of water. I took a deep breath as I headed up the stairs toward Elio’s office.
Maneuvering the glass of water so it didn’t spill into the crook of my arm was a lot harder than I’d anticipated. Once I was ready and calm, I knocked.
Elio’s calm deep voice wrapped around me and instantly made me relax. “Come in.”
I opened the door and smiled at him as he glanced away from some papers he was reading. He put out his cigarette in the ashtray. His gaze traveled up and down my body; it felt like a heated caress. I swallowed back the whimper that threatened to fall.
“It’s lunch,” I said breathily. I mentally counted each step it took to reach his large desk. I found a clear spot and sat the plate and glass of water down.
Stepping back, I rested my hands on my back. “If you need anything else, let me know.”
“Did you eat?” Elio asked.
I licked my lips. “I’m not really hungry right now.” I still had a few things to do around the warehouse before I sat down and ate.
