CHAPTER 5
CORBIN
Rain walks over to me, and I open my arms to hug her, ready to kiss her ass to find out what Ruby told her. Instead of hugging me, she slaps me across the stomach.
I bend, letting out an “oomph.” It’s totally fake, but we humor her, letting her think those tiny little fists of hers inflict some degree of damage. If we didn’t humor her, she’d go for the balls every time, and that shit really does fucking hurt.
“What was that for?” I ask, rubbing my stomach as though it still stings, which it doesn’t. Hell, I barely felt it.
She puts her hands on her hips and glares at me. That makes me feel a little queasy. Surely Ruby didn’t tell her—
“You tell me,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.
I relax immediately. Rain wouldn’t hold back if Ruby had told her everything. She also wouldn’t be pissed. She’d be drawing up the perfect plan of apology and trying to convince me that all’s not lost. She’s a romantic, after all. It’s what she does.
“Damn.” I continue rubbing the spot, biting back a smile when she gives me a smug grin, proud of her little slap. “I just sent you to make her get over Blade,” I remind her. “Not dig around in ancient shit. What’d she say?”
I give her my charming grin, the one she always seems to fall for. Rain is the sister I never had, and she’s the only female, besides Ruby and my mother, who has ever given a true shit about me.
Sighing, I see her lose her feigned anger, and she shrugs. “She’s going to be here tonight. I convinced her of that much. She’s still pissed at you, though. Why’d you go and make her break up with him?”
And now she’s prying. The thing that sucks about her caring about me, is the fact she cares enough to pry. She’ll even meddle if I give her an opening—which I won’t.
“He was a total douche knob. If you’d met him, you’d agree. Besides, Ruby didn’t even really like him. I don’t know why she’s being so stubborn about this.”
Rain arches that eyebrow at me. That eyebrow that says, “Don’t act stupid when I know you’re smart. And don’t think I’m stupid when you know I’m smart.”
I ignore her eyebrow and its smug remark.
“When’s Ruby getting here?” Dane asks as he walks out, shutting up Rain’s eyebrow when he wraps his arms around her waist.
“Don’t ask me,” I grumble.
“She said she’d be here around eleven,” Rain interjects, then she snickers when I reflexively glance down at my watch like a fucking pussy.
Fifteen minutes.
Silk is booming, so hearing Dane is getting harder to do. Especially since I’m distracted. But a brooding Maverick draws my attention as he runs a hand through his hair, seeming pissed off as he joins us.
It always makes my fucking day when Maverick is pissed.
“No bites?” I drawl, already poking the bear as he glares at me.
“Too many fucking bites. But they’re all keepers instead of throw-backs.”
I start laughing, but Rain tilts her head in confusion.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He has to talk louder to be heard over the music, but I don’t even have to know what he’s going to say. I’ve been dealing with the same bullshit. Dale, too.
“It’s your fault!” Maverick tells her, pointing an accusatory finger at her for emphasis.
He’s fucking five-years-old, I swear.
“What is?” Rain asks, completely and genuinely befuddled.
“First Dane settled down with you, and it got harder to find girls who just wanted a good time, because Dane got saddled. Why wouldn’t we? The buzz died down, but then that cocksucker went and got whipped by Tria, and you two adopted a daughter, so now they think all the Sterlings are ready for hardcore commitment. Now the only bites I get are talking kids and marriage and shit. The fuck?!”
Dane smothers his laughter while looking away, ignoring Maverick’s glare. Rain still looks confused.
“Dale was technically engaged first. She just turned out to be a lying, cheating bitch. So wouldn’t it be his fault?” Rain asks sincerely.
Before I can respond, Maverick goes on another tirade.
“Hell no. Apparently everyone thinks Dane is our group leader or some bullshit. And that’s what it is: bullshit. Now every woman in here thinks she can tame me, and we know my rule; I only get with girls who don’t expect a future.”
Rain laughs this time, then turns around and says something to Dane about him being an alpha. Hell no. If anyone is alpha, it’s totally me.
When they start making out, I decide I’ve seen enough. Maverick walks away with me, still bitching about the stage-five-clingers epidemic he’s facing. The music tapers down some as a familiar face comes into view, shaking his head as he closes in on us.