Cavalier (Crimson Elite 1)

“Fuck off.” Falcon flips him off. “That’s my car spot.”

Ma grunts at them and they both instantly shut up. Ma’s sweet, but when she wants to be lethal, she can. She was a shark of a lawyer and one of the best in her world. So her sweet facade is just that. I like to think I get my wits from her, but I could never be as good as she is. Ma’s gotten us guys out of a lot of trouble growing up by just being her.

“So, I can’t see any handcuffs, how did he get you here?” D asks as he sits at the table. We follow him, sitting down as Ma finishes cooking.

Elicea looks to me then quickly gazes around the room to make sure my mother isn’t standing there when she answers, “He didn’t tell me where we were going.”

“Oh, snap! You did not do that, did you, Creed?” Echo laughs, shaking his head.

I want her to meet my mother, I don’t see any problem with bringing her. I planned to take her today anyway—that was until she rushed out instead of waiting. “She was also at my house.”

All three sets of eyes look to me, then to her. Her arms are crossed over her chest as she looks around not understanding what’s going on.

“He doesn’t let anyone there. No one. We all have to wait out front.”

I shake my head at Echo’s words. “You’re in my house now.”

Echo’s head drops to the side. “This is your mother’s house.”

I shrug. Half true. Half mine. This is my family home, it will always be my number one residence.

“Why don’t they go to yours?” Elicea asks, as everyone waits for an answer.

“They already have all the other aspects of my life, that one I’m keeping for myself.”

“Now I do.”

Their heads follow, bouncing around to who’s talking. If I had a knife I would throw it at them.

“You don’t.”

She shakes her head. “I work with you. I often spend my time off work with you. Now I’m at your mother’s, and I have been to your house. How is that not all aspects of your life?” She pauses, looks down, before she speaks again, “Unless you’re hiding something else from me.”

“I choose for you to be in those aspects of my life.”

She straightens in her seat as Ma walks out with food. Ma looks around at the guys before she places the food on the table. “When are you boys going to bring your girls here? I want to meet them, too.”

They all cough at the same time before I start digging into the food.

Elicea sits quietly next to me watching me closely.20EliceaHe doesn’t make any sense, whatsoever. And the last place I want to be is here in his mother’s house. Even if she is the sweetest woman I’ve ever met. How she created him, I’m not really sure.

Creed’s hand goes to my upper thigh and sits there just holding me in place like he’s afraid I might run off. I do want to, make no mistake about that. I don’t really know this man. His body, maybe. But nothing else.

Darby’s eyes flick to me as Echo argues with Falcon over lunch, like he wants to say something but knows he shouldn’t. At first, I thought it was a joke that no one had actually been to his house, but now that I think about it, I’m not surprised.

“Why don’t you help me in the kitchen?” his mother asks picking up the plates. Creed’s hand drops from my thigh as I stand, grabbing my plate and following her into the kitchen.

“He’s very taken by you.” Turning the water on, I don’t turn to face her, she’s a reader. I see people like her all the time, she reads people’s actions and how they react to a situation. So, I try not to let her know that her son is more than likely sadistic and possibly a killer as well.

“Thank you.”

“I must say, though, if you don’t mind, you don’t seem to have the same affection toward him as what he has to you. Is this just a fling for you?” My head turns around to her. Her eyes are kind and I can see she’s only trying to protect her son. If my mother were alive I’m sure she’d do the same, or at least I would she hope.

“I’m very taken with him.”

Her eyes assess me. It’s true even if I wish it weren’t. No other man has made me feel half of what Creed has, and I know for a fact if another man did half the shit he does, I wouldn’t be here.

“I can hear it in your voice that you are, but your body language says you aren’t sure.” Taking a deep breath, I try to think of something to say that won’t scream, ‘Well, I just saw your son covered in blood, forgive my reticence.’ Instead, I smile. “We’re just—” looking to where he’s seated, not saying a word, just watching the guys talk all around him, “—two very different people.” Looking back, she reaches for me.