Page 66 of From the Ashes
Noah puts his fork down and stares at me, wincing. “Because Mom, don’t be sad, but you’re a girl. And girls don’t know a lot about dinos. But Carter, he’s a boy, you see? He’ll know exactly how to make it.”
I burst into laughter, “Honey, even if I’m a girl, I can still make you a killing dino, okay?” The many little lights of our living room illuminate our home with the cosiest feel. I even added a few fairy lights above the sofa, and looking at it just makes me smile each time. Noah narrows his eyes into slits, doubtful. “Okay, but it’s better if it’s Carter. Boys know aboutdinos mom.” I shake my head, confused between being appalled by my four-year-old's reasoning but also overjoyed with how comfortable he is about having Carter around.
“Okay, okay, I’ll ask him.” I chuckle, running a hand in his hair.
“Can we finish the puzzle together after?” he pleads, joining his little hands, and I nod, because that’s exactly what I want to do with my son. Find the right pieces and finish this damn puzzle.
It’s about time.
18
LANA
“You okay, sweetness?”Carter asks after removing my helmet and dropping it on the back seat. The ride was wild, and we kept going in the forest until I couldn’t see the city anymore. He said his boss had wanted it that way, far enough from anyone who could try to harm him. I guess he must have many enemies to think this way. Finding a place sufficiently far away from the people who could harm you, yes, I get it.
Been there, done that.
“I’m a bit nervous,” I admit, looking at a dozen or more other bikes parked on the front of the property. There’s a massive modern cabin made of wood with large windows and sleek finishes in front of us. Rustic but elegant. That’s quite a sight. I check one last time on my phone to make sure Noah is good, but all I see is a picture of him and his cousin painting in Nancy’s living room. He’s laughing in the picture. My little boy. A week has passed since the last time I saw Carter, and it was almost impossible to keep my hands to myself tonight when I saw him with his black clothes, thick muscles, and blond stubble working toward me like a warrior.
“Don’t be.” He takes my shaking hands into his, then raises them to his mouth to kiss each of my palms gently. His touchsends fireworks to my skin. “You’re perfect and they’re nice people, a bit rough around the edges, but overall quite nice. You don’t have to worry about a thing other than having a great time,” he reassures me, his hand cupping my jaw. I notice his cobalt gaze drifting to my mouth and his tongue licking his lower lip like a lion waiting to feast on its prey.
“A week without you felt like a lifetime,” he states, his voice cold as ice, and yet, I feel its warmth into the deepness of my bones.
“I missed you too.” I grin, then lift on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek, noticing his jaw clenching immediately.
“Let’s get in there,” he rasps as if he couldn’t contain himself and I follow him, our hands laced together, eager and also apprehensive of what his world looks like. Will they like me? Will I like them?
There’s only one way to find out.
CARTER
Her hands are shaking.
That’s not good.
Each time Lana’s hands are shaking, it’s either out of fear or, as I'm figuring out right now, nervousness. Her amber pupils aren’t dilated, so she’s not completely terrified like the first time we met when her ex invaded her home. She did tell me she was nervous, though.
Why would she?
The Raven Sons members may look a bit rough, but they’re all good guys, especially around women. From what I’ve noticed with Mia, Rose, Erin, and all the other girlfriends, they always keep a genuine smile each time they come to the club. Often laughing and, I guess, just having a good time there. I’ve nevernoticed any signs of uneasiness or fear, like heavy breathing, fidgeting hands, or eyes glancing at the main door to get out.
The more time I spend with my girl, the better I get at reading her. Not that it’s something I’ll ever fully master. I'm well aware that the layers making up her complex, fragile-yet-strong personality will take me decades to uncover. But one thing I do know for sure is that she likes things organized. She likes knowing when and where things are happening. That’s why I don’t want her to be stressed out by that, especially since there’s nothing to fear. Lana’s been through enough in her life to get an adrenaline rush from yet another man. The only thing I want to see on her face is a complete, relaxed smile, with shoulders low and a calm breathing pattern. She can drop her armor when she’s with me. ‘Cause I look out for her. I make sure nothing can harm her so she can justbe.
“Lana,” I mutter, pulling a bit at her hand so she can come near me before I knock on the door. “We’re here ‘cause you’re mine and I’m yours. That’s all.” I point at the door, “In there, all you’ll find is a bunch of folks eager to meet you ‘cause they thought my case was pretty much helpless.” My hand falls on her hip, her light blue blouse preventing me from feeling her exact body heat. She’s wearing it with a pair of jeans that made me almost dizzy when she turned to straddle the bike, and she added brown leather boots with a slight heels, making her so fucking beautiful I almost have to crush my teeth from how much I’ve been clenching my jaw since I saw her. The moon shines on her face, like glitter on a painting.
“You’re so pretty. I want to bite you,” I admit, and she blushes in the most stunning red shade I’ve ever seen. Maybe my new favorite color now. I grin, ‘cause I can and because I know she likes seeing me smile. It’s weird, actually. I haven’t done that in a while; it’s almost rusty, like the wheel of my facial features creaks each time I do that.
“Maybe you should.” She smiles shyly, looking down and biting her lower lip.
Did she just give me her consent to bite her?
I don’t need to be told twice.
“Come here,” I murmur, pulling her closer until our nose touches. I don’t think we’ll be able to be that close once we’re in there because that’s not really my thing to display affection and because this is too fucking precious to be seen by everybody else. She holds her breath and shuts her eyes. I tilt my head to the side, lowering myself a bit ‘cause she’s so small, and my lips meet the side of her neck, the scent of honey filling my nostrils immediately. Her scent, damn, her scent is like pure heroin. I lick my lips and dig into her flesh. Gnawing her soft and creamy skin. An unrecognizable small sound comes out of her, but she suppresses it with a hand on her mouth. I kiss the place where I’ve left my teeth mark and inhale deeply because the urge to do it again is overwhelming me.
“I… I really liked that,” she confesses, locking her chocolate eyes with mine. I like it when she tells me how she feels. She knows that I need her to say things out loud ‘cause I can never be certain of reading her properly, and this is the kind of thing I never want to misread. One corner of my lip rises, and she smiles at me. Our hands are still laced, but she’s not shaking anymore.
Biting helps her relax.
