Lifting my gaze to his, I try to hide how I feel my good fortune slipping away. “Things got better because of you.”
Silas studies me like I’m lying. Exhaling deeply, he nods. His hard body softens, only for a moment as he watches us. Getting tense again, he turns to look at his club friends.
“We’re staying for lunch,” Ruin tells Woodrow.
Silas growls, “Not all of you.”
“I’m not staying,” Armor announces and gestures at the younger bikers. “I’ll leave when they do.”
I sense dick measuring happening. Blair might notice the tension because she ditches the women in the kitchen and walks over to me.
“Where did Succotash go?”
“Down the hall.”
When Blair moves in that direction, Silas snaps out his hand and stops her.
“Don’t go around those people,” he mutters.
Blair looks at me with worried eyes. I gesture for her to come closer. Once I can whisper in her ear, I explain, “He doesn’t trust them around you.”
Relieved she isn’t in trouble, Blair leans against my chair.
I watch all the people moving around and feel Silas complaining in his head. I can’t be sure why he’s angry or if I’m the one upsetting him. I just wish we were alone again like this morning.
Feeling myself sinking into a depression, I try to imagine later today. The kids will be cuddled together in bed. They won’t be so scared. Our stuff will be here rather than in the house where the Coppers can rummage through it.
After everyone’s in bed, I’ll be alone with Silas. He can show me what he wants, and I’ll do my best to give it to him. Only then will we know if he can desire the real me?
SILAS
Irarely have visitors. Back when Kati lived here, she would invite her idiot friends and her snooty family over. They’d touch my shit and say annoying crap. Her father complimented the tables I built for the house. Fine, no harm, except he followed up with how I should go into professional woodworking rather than running with “those bikers.” Afterward, I nearly firebombed his fucking car.
People always judge me.Don’t stand around glaring, Silas. Speak up, Silas. Well, not like that. Talk quieter, Silas. Now, you’re mumbling. You need to speak clearly. Hey, Silas, turns out your very fucking existence intimidates people. Stop doing this! Start doing that! No, no, you’re failing again!
I hate most people. Not dislike, but actively hate them. Kati’s family was no different. Her stupid giggling friends and their smirking douche boyfriends were garbage. None of them belonged in my house.