Page 65 of Serpentine
The drive back has my mind turning in circles. Not only do we have this shit that we’re about to dive headfirst into with Aella, but now the Jackals have declared war on us. We might’ve been the ones to declare it on them because of what Miles did to Vito’s sister, though. Family members are off-limits. Miles knows that, so I don’t think he’d done it intentionally, but he might have.
He’s done stupider shit than this before.
When we get to the clubhouse, Kylo pulls into the last bay where we keep the truck, and I hop out and head toward the noise of loud men hitting pool balls and people talking over one another.
It’s too much for my frayed nerves, and I roll my neck.
I won’t be able to stay long, but I need to confront him.
Miles is laughing at something Sully is signing, but my brain is too busy to focus on what it is. Miles eyes me and smirks. “Bro, what happened to you? You look like hell.”
Aella is on his lap, and I notice her last. Anger washes through me, and she registers it first, standing between Miles and me.
“What the fuck? What’s going on?” Miles asks as other Cobras gather around. If he and I go at it, especially when I’m this angry, it’ll take them all to get us apart. They know it.
“Whatever it is, I think you should cool off first,” Aella says, and my eyes somehow meet hers through the noise in my mind.
She nods.
There’s too much fury, and the lights are too bright. It has to be now. It simply fucking has to be. The feel of my leather jacket becomes too slick on my skin, adding to the overwhelming moment, and I rip it off and throw it to the ground. The photo skims across the floor, nearly going under the couch. Miles pushes Aella a few steps forward so he can bend and retrieve it.
“What’s this? Where did you get this?”
“From your little girlfriend’s house,” I spew, knowing it’s too far and not fair. Also, knowing it’ll get Aella on my side, a little selfish part of me loves how sharp my tongue can be when I’m angry.
Even though I know I’ll regret it later.
Miles stands, looking it over. The color drains from his face before he meets my eyes again. Even though to me it’s a sign he didn’t know who she was, I’m still pissed off.
Aella turns toward Miles as she makes it to my right side.
He looks at her, pleading with his eyes. “It’s not what you think.”
She nods but doesn’t say a word.
“She’s Vito’s sister, Bro,” I sneer, and he doesn’t miss it.
Panic comes over him. “I didn’t know. I swear… Fuck! I didn’t fucking know.” He throws the photo and shoves his hands into his hair as he paces.
“They watch her house. Someone saw me break in. They followed me to Zeke’s and trashed my fucking bike.”
He stops pacing. “What?!”
I pick up my jacket. Now that I’ve given him the necessary information, I must go to the basement. I need to come down. I turn to Aella, and she stops me, hands on my face. Her lips crash to mine, giving me a slight outlet.
Usually, this would send me over the edge—I don’t like to be touched—but it’s as if she’s the one whose touch does the opposite. I feel the frenzy leaving me in her kiss as if it transferred from me to her. As if she took on the burden.
Her tongue lashes at mine, and I groan, tugging her hair in one hand. I break the kiss, resting my forehead against hers.
“I’m sorry, I just thought maybe it would help,” she whispers.
“It did, Bambi. It did.”
I kiss her forehead tenderly before storming out of the clubhouse and back towards the house. I stayed up long past Aella, who had fallen asleep last night, thinking about what would come. About how she’s going to be back home soon. Back in her world.
I thought I’d be fine without her. After all, my nature is to be completely fine on my own. Now, I don’t know if I’ll be.
It was that one kiss that just turned the tide.