Cavalier (Crimson Elite 1)

Her eyes look to the floor before she looks back up to me. “I somehow believe you.”

She releases the door and waits for me to speak. Offering her my hand she looks to it then back to me not taking it.

“Come for a drive with me.”

“I don’t want to go with you, even if I feel you won’t hurt me. Doesn’t mean I don’t think you might get someone else to do it.”

Leaning toward the door I cup her face with my hand. “Put on some shorts, now, Elicea.”

She huffs before she turns around, walking inside the apartment. She emerges not long after dressed in shorts and a different shirt.

“You showered,” I state smelling her fruity smell.

She rubs her arm. “You made me feel dirty,” she tells me truthfully.

Opening the car door for her, she gets in, her cell glued to her hand as if she has someone on speed dial in case I try to kill her.

She isn’t on my list of people I would hurt—she’d never be on my list.

When I get into the car her eyes are closed, and I hear her murmuring as she counts to ten. She does this quite often when she’s stressed and trying to calm herself down. Pulling out, she opens her eyes watching every turn I make as I drive, not one word leaving her mouth except for when I finally come to a stop.

“Where are we?” she asks, as I open her door. Offering her my hand, she gets out then slips her hand free from mine as she looks up to the house I once called my own.

“My Ma’s house.” She stands in the middle of the street as my Ma opens the front door. She looks from me to Elicea who’s still standing there, stock still. The sun shines brightly on her making her perfectly tanned skin glisten under the sun.

Her eyes search mine then back to my Ma. She walks up and runs up her hand over my arm as she whispers up to me, “Why did you bring me here? I’m not dressed to meet your mother,” she hisses.

I lace my fingers through hers and pull her to where Ma’s standing. Ma’s eyes look at Elicea. The minute we’re standing in front of her, my mother grips onto Elicea and squeezes her in a tight embrace. She pulls back then gushes at her before she pulls me in for a cuddle.

“Echo told me all about you, so happy to meet you.”

Echo opens the door behind my Ma and holds up his beer smiling at us.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Elicea replies.

Following everyone inside, she squeezes my hand until her nails start to dig into my flesh, marking me and possibly making me bleed.

“By the look on your face he didn’t warn you,” Echo says laughing as we pass him.

“No, he didn’t inform me,” she says pleasantly, but clearly pissed at me.

“Well, he comes here once a week for lunch. Everyone else will be here soon as well. So enjoy.”

She pauses and I have to tug at her arm to get her to move again. But she pulls me back. “I want to go.”

I shake my head, but the look in her eyes is determined.

I’m going to try with her—not to be my complete asshole self.

So, I pull my keys from my pocket and hand them to her, dropping her hand as I follow my Ma into the kitchen. I don’t hear her follow and I’m not going to force her to stay. So giving her a way out is all I could do.

“She’s awfully pretty, Creed.” Ma grabs my cheeks kissing them each as I lean down to let her.

“She is.”

Ma looks over my shoulder then back to me. “Did you scare her off?”

Looking to where I left her, I see Falcon has just walked in with his arm draped over her shoulder and is pulling her this way.

“It appears so.”

She taps my cheek with her hand. “You’ll win her back. You, my love, are very special.”

“I found someone trying to escape,” Falcon says, holding onto Elicea as she stands with him holding her. “Now, I don’t know why she’d do that to you, Ma, considering you’re the best cook for miles. You must stay, Elicea. I insist. You can even sit next to me considering—Creed has no manners.”

Her cheeks go red as she looks to the floor.

“Don’t embarrass the girl, Falcon. Do you need me to call your momma?”

“No, ma’am.” His hand drops from around Elicea and I reach for her to pull close to me again. She comes easily, sliding her hand into mine, but when I look down she’s giving me the keys back. I put them in my pocket and hold onto her as the guys arrive one after the other.

“Your car is parked in my spot,” Darby states as he arrives, walking in then stopping when he sees Elicea next to me. He nods to her then looks up to me—he isn’t sure about us. But he also isn’t against us either.