Page 20 of Savage Salvation

“Shut the fuck up, dude!” Cruz shouts, throwing his hand in the air as Ryan lets out a sharp whistle. “Isn’t that your dumbass stepbrother?”

“No. Not related in any way. But he’s the jackass son of my mom’s best friend. Lucky me,” I utter, sliding closer to Cruz in a bid to guide him out of the booth.

He takes the moment to drape an arm over my shoulder, pulling me to him. He tilts towards me, his forehead to my temple, and whispers, “The other guy is the one you stabbed, right? Because he’s looking like he wants to gut me.”

“Yep. That’s him.” The one and only. In the flesh. “I’m just gonna take this to go.” I debate for all of two seconds on leaving the damn pie behind, but it’ll make a tasty breakfast since I’ve lost my appetite for the night.

“I think we should stay.” Cruz has lost it. As in, his mind. Because by his playful tone, he wants to jack with the sociopath who is already leveling us with a lethal look.

“No. That’ll just give him a reason to start up again.” Not that he truly ever stopped. Even if his hands haven’t touched me, his eyes have taken extensive and intrusive assessments that make me feel like he can see straight through me. But maybe that’s because he has a rat feeding him intel that I don’t want him privy to. But nothing unsettles me more than when his eyes are locked on me in a way that holds my focus and won’t allow me to look away. Because it makes me feel the need to run far away but also to fight and maintain my ground simultaneously and impossibly. Shocker. Gage twists my mind and feelings with his assholism.

Cruz moves his mouth closer to my ear. “All right. But I’m here if you want to use me.”

Damn it. He drank the same Kool-Aid as Isaac. “Let’s go,” I say, nudging his knee with mine.

No sooner are the words out of my mouth than I see the imminent threat, but it’s too late to react. Gage swipes his arms over the tabletop, sending plates, cups, silverware, everything on the surface, flinging in all directions. A cold splash of water spills into my lap, mixing with the other food, and liquid remnants splatter on me. Panic surges through my core, causing me to freeze. Only my eyes move, scanning the table littered in food and liquids, then I look at the three other people who were seated at the table.

Cruz is on his feet, dishes falling to the floor as he rises. I know he’s intending to charge the asshole standing there, and Gage makes no attempt to deny his tirade as he declares, “Meal’s over. Time to close up.”

Cruz shouts curses and threats, unthinking, only rage filled, and I don’t blame him in the least. I’m fuming too. Only, I’ve seen Gage fight. I don’t want Cruz to be on the receiving end of that cruelty. Not over something as ridiculous as this. Rising from the booth, I quickly dart between the two lugs, my back to Gage. It’s unwise and dread rises in my gut. Nevertheless, there’s a possibility I can persuade Cruz to stand down. Gage … he’s a lost cause.

“Let’s go.” My hand pushes against Cruz’s wet, food-sodden T-shirt, which matches my own. When he doesn’t budge, I grab a firm hold on his shoulders, shoving him away. Looking to Isaac, I see him eyeing Gage. Surely, he’s not going to give the idiot exactly what he’s looking for. A battle. Destruction. Pain.

“Isaac. Come on,” I holler, already heading to the exit since Cruz has relented, following my lead. Benji didn’t need any encouragement to get out of the diner—he was the first out the door.

Reluctantly, Isaac walks away, following the rest of us away from the pointless endeavor. When I look past Isaac, I spot Gage’s hateful sneer pointed my way, but his eyes are looking beyond me to the exit.

“Choo choo.” Ryan’s obnoxious voice sounds just before I exit the diner.

We walk the short distance back to Savage Serenade and Cruz stands by the door as I lock up and set the alarm. Isaac had already quietly dropped into his car and driven off. Benji took it all in stride for the most part, only grumbly a bit as he swiped at his soaked jeans. I know the feeling with my saturated clothes and something sticky that splashed into my hair. The bathroom isn’t exactly equipped for bathing, but I make do, rinsing my hair and wiping down before pulling on a tank and a pair of cotton pajama pants. The alarm is set. And the bed looks inviting even if it is less than comfortable.

As I’m wringing out my hair a little more with an extra T-shirt, movement from the corner of the storage room catches my eye. Gage. He’s standing on the perimeter of the room, his back against the exit door that leads to the alleyway behind the building.

“How’d you get in here?” I know the alarm was set. The doors were locked. I checked all of it three times before securing myself in the bathroom.

He pushes off the doorway, slowly strolling toward me. I step back, my ass hitting the wall. When he’s within reach, he lifts his hand and my lungs seize, anticipating what he’ll do. Even as his fingertips tenderly twist the ends of my damp hair, I hold my breath, waiting for him to make a move.

What I don’t expect is his soft tone. “You can shower at my place.”

A delirious laugh bubbles up (probably from lack of oxygen to my brain) as I slap his hand away from my hair. “That’ll never happen.”

“Stop being stubborn for once, Kinsley. There’s plenty of space at my house. An extra bathroom you could have all to yourself.” His eyes drop to the old mattress with my bag and guitar resting on it. “And a room that would be all yours.”

I only thought Isaac was hot and cold. Gage swings so far between extremes it’s making my head spin. But not enough to trust that any of his intentions are honorable. “There’s no way in hell I’d step foot in your house. No matter how desperate I am for a shower. I can’t believe you’d do that to me and my friends.”

“They’re not your friends. And they shouldn’t have their hands on you.”

“For fuck’s sake. That’s what that stunt was about?” Gage is entirely unhinged. “You’re sure as fuck not my friend or anything to me. You have five seconds to leave before I call in a trespasser in the store.” Because he is definitely uninvited and where he shouldn’t be—on my goddamn nerves. And every one of them is freakin’ exhausted.

Before I can move to make good on my threat, his hands are on me, palms caressing up my back as he takes in a deep breath while I struggle to catch mine. How does he make me feel like he’s literally stealing the oxygen from my lungs? “Just one taste.” His lips crash to mine, his mouth quickly capturing mine. My hands move between us, pushing him to break free as he lets out a frustrated groan. “Just let me touch you, Kinsley. You don’t have to do anything. Just let me in. And you’ll see how it should feel.”

His hands move up and down my back, his lips feather tender kisses along my collarbone. Digging my nails into his shoulders, I force him back with everything I have, and breathe a sigh of relief when he stays back, leaving space between us. Because the tender touches aren’t something I can take. Because it’s not him. Not really. The savage creature beneath the surface will claw his way out eventually.

“Hate. That’s the only thing I feel for you.” For a second, I worry he’s going to take exactly what he wants. Me. My body. Along with anything else he damn well pleases.

But to my shock, he steps away, his hand cupping his mouth, pulling at his lips before dropping to his side. “You won’t allow yourself to feel otherwise. With me or anyone else.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key chain. Metal clinks together as he maneuvers the fob around before tugging a key off the ring, dropping it onto my bed. “If you decide you’d like an actual bed to sleep in, it’s all yours. No strings attached.”

The sincerity in his voice makes me want to vomit because I actually believe him. “Nope. No strings, just a fucking chain and probably a muzzle.”