“Is that a real question? My guess would be because he cares about you—maybe loves you.”
She gaped with a chip inches away from her lips. “After watching us fight, him calling me a bitch, and me calling him an asshole, you think he loves me?”
Dang, when she put it that way, I must not know crap about relationships.
“Honestly, I’m not very good at reading people. Ignore me.” I sat across from her and put some chips on a napkin.
Karma considered me a long second. “How’s Ire?”
“He still doesn’t remember me.” I forced a smile.
She stretched her arm across the table and touched my hand. She had a snake, or maybe it was a cobra, tattooed around her forearm. It was eating its tail. Creepy.
“Don’t worry.” She patted my hand. “He’ll get his memory back.”
“How can you be sure?” I shoved a chip into my mouth and crunched. “Everyone keeps saying that, but I’m not so sure.”
“True love conquers all, right?”
I exhaled a breath, letting the tastiness in my mouth soothe me. “I hope so. The same would be true for you and Cobra, y’know?”
She retracted her hand and waved me off. “Nah. We’re a lost cause.”
“Why’s that? It seems to me all you need to do is lower your guard and have a real conversation with him, then all will be okay.”
Karma snorted and licked the tips of her fingers. “It’s not that simple. He shattered my heart. I’m a bitch to him and the entire world, sans Nova, because I’m dead inside.”
I studied her, trying to read her. Her tough-girl act was a front—a shield. Karma tried to hide the sadness eating her alive with snark and bitchiness.
“Is he Nova’s father?” The question whizzed out of my mouth.
Karma and I jumped in our seats when the back door slammed shut. Storm stomped through, not paying us any mind.
“I need to go check on Nova.” Karma grabbed a handful of chips. “I’ll see you later.” And she was gone, conveniently leaving my question about Nova’s father floating in the air.
Call it a gut feeling, but trouble was on its way—probably with Karma and Cobra, but most definitely regarding the woman the guys had brought back the other day. I hadn’t seen her or heard much about her. I only knew she was held at some place they called the “quiet room.” It didn’t sound like a pleasant place to be.
I shook my head as I placed another chip into my mouth. I was confident Storm wouldn’t hurt the woman, so I wouldn’t worry about her. Drew was my only concern.
Several hours had passed since I’d last been to see Drew. I couldn’t hold off going to the dorms any longer.
I cracked open his door and peeked my head in. He was still sleeping. I entered anyway, if only to be close to him. Maybe fill my lungs with his natural scent and touch his hand.Creepy much, Ava?
Patch nodded in greeting. “Mind if I step out for a short break?”
“Please. Take all the time you need. He’ll be fine.”
“I believe he will be.” He winked on his way out.
I listened to Drew’s deep, peaceful breathing as I eyed his wonderful mouth. I touched my lips lightly, inserted the tip of my finger, and tickled it with my tongue. The small gesture made me tingle as I remembered how his dominating tongue had played with mine.
It was crazy how needy I felt when I hadn’t even kissed him a week ago, much less had had sex.
Four days ago, it all had changed in the most incredible and beautiful way. Drew Rivers loved me. He most definitely cared for me. That I’d known before he told me he loved me.
Then he went a step above and beyond when he’d given me his will. He’d done all the things a man would do for the woman he loved, for his wife.
Why hadn’t we talked about the future? Marriage and kids? I wanted both.