Corrupting Cinderella (25 page)

“No problem.”

He happily gets to work.

The scene inside doesn’t shock me like it might have months ago. Someone brought in a special chair for Wrath and he’s sitting in the middle of the room, letting everyone fawn all over him. Trinity is hovering over at the bar, but she squeals and gives me a big hug when I come in.

“Hope! You’re finally here,” Wrath calls.

I’m shocked he seems so happy to see me. When I approach and he sees the bag in my hand, he looks almost giddy. “Whatcha got?”

Handing him the bottle, I giggle at his excited expression. “Oh, now that’s what I’m talking about. Fuck, you’re awesome. I didn’t expect you to get such a big-ass bottle.” He looks up at me with soft eyes. An almost guilty expression clouds his face for a moment. “Thanks, sweetheart, that was real nice of you.”

Something strange is going on. Maybe he bumped his head harder than we realize. I reach out and run my fingers over his shoulder.

“And that’s enough of that,” Rock says from behind me. Before I know what’s happening, Rock scoops me up and carries me to the couch. He settles me in his lap, keeping his arms around my waist.

“Jealous much?” I tease.

One corner of his mouth twists up in a sexy smile. I lean in and whisper against his ear, “You already know you own my p—”

“Hello, kids,” Wrath interrupts, flinging himself onto the couch. His crutches go clattering to the floor and he kicks them to the side with his good foot.

Rock sighs. “Aren’t you supposed to be using a wheelchair?”

“Fuck that shit.” He focuses his gaze on me. “What’s doin’, Cinderella?”

I snort out a laugh. “Stop calling me that. I’m no Cinderella.” Glancing at Rock, I run my fingers over his cheek. “Although, you are definitely my Prince Charming.” A broad grin curves his lips and he kisses my fingers.

“Christ you two are going to make me hurl,” Wrath bitches.

Rock ignores his friend. “This ain’t a fairy tale, baby doll.”

“No kidding,” I agree with an exaggerated eye-roll that makes both of them laugh.

We’re interrupted by one of the girls—Swan, I think—who comes over and whispers in Wrath’s ear. Rock rubs my back and kisses my cheek. My eyes flutter shut at the feel of his lips on my face. When I open them, Wrath’s shaking his head and clearly giving Swan a look of dismissal. She shrugs and says hi to me before sauntering away.

Wrath turns on a more serious expression and aims his attention on Rock. “Anyway, since you were
unreachable
before—” He gives me a pointed look like it’s all my fault Rock kept me horizontal for twenty-four hours straight. “I didn’t get to tell you my big news. I got someone to maybe cover my classes down at the gym. But I need your help to oversee stuff until I can get down there.”

“You own a gym?” I ask.

Wrath quirks a smile at me. “I didn’t get this buff by sitting around on my ass, sweetheart.”

I chuckle. “You’re impressed with yourself.”

His grin widens. “Just know my strengths. All brawn. No brains.”

He says it with a smile, but it still bothers me for some reason. Many words come to mind when I think of Wrath: mean, scary, loyal, terrifying, formidable—but not dumb. “That’s not true.”

“Please. I never would have graduated from high school if this fuck hadn’t forced me to,” he says with a punch to Rock’s bicep. Rock sighs as if he’d rather talk about anything else, but I’m fascinated with their history, so I ignore him.

“Really?”

“Yup. Gave me a roof over my head on the condition that I stay in school.”

I glance at Rock. “That was nice. Your dad didn’t mind having him around? I imagine he took a lot of care and feeding.”

Wrath snorts.

“Already had my own place by then,” Rock answers slowly.

“Total shithole,” Wrath elaborates. “But better than the street or some chick’s basement.”

“How old were you?”

Wrath glances around the room before answering. “Sixteen? Seventeen? Was doing small backyard fights and shit for money.”

“He was a talented, yet angry little fucker,” Rock says without a trace of a smile.

“I doubt he was little, even back then,” I tease.

Wrath grins at me. “Very true,” he agrees. “Rock wanted me to teach him how to fight. In exchange he let me sleep on his couch. Said he’d start bringing me to the MC when I finished school. He was barely a prospect himself.”

“You two must have been something back then.”

Rock raises an eyebrow and shakes his head.

“Stayed with him until after the she-devil moved in, then I moved into the old MC.”

“She-devil?” I ask.

Rock tenses under me and sighs louder this time.

“His whore of an ex-wife,” Wrath explains with a scowl.

Wow. Okay. I’m not sure what to do with that. I’ve heard some unfavorable things about her from Z, but Wrath has some intense opinions on this subject too.

“Hmm…I guess I should be flattered when you call me Cinderella, then, huh?” I joke to ease some of the tension.

Wrath cocks his head and seems to be considering what he wants to say for a change.

“Can we save the history lessons for another day and get back to the gym?” Rock asks. “I’d like to take Hope upstairs soon,” he adds with a dirty wink at me.

Smart move, because now I’m blushing so furiously I’ve forgotten what we were even discussing.

Wrath snickers at my discomfort. “Yeah okay, you’re not going to like this, but—” He stops and glances at me, then gives Rock a
look
. I grit my teeth because I know what’s coming.

Rock thrusts his chin in the direction of the bar. “Babe, can you see if Trinity needs any help, and bring me back a Crown and Coke in a few minutes? Please.”

Scooting off his lap and out of his reach, I grumble at him, “You could have just said ‘club business, get lost’ you know.”

Rock’ face softens and he gives me an apologetic smile.

“You gonna pay for that later?” Wrath asks in his uniquely dickish way.

My gaze is glued to Hope’s backside as she walks through the crowd to the bar. Already I miss having her body heat against me.

Shaking it off, I turn and focus on my brother. “Speak.”

“Christ. You really ain’t tired of hittin’ that yet, are you?”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “One brush with death wasn’t enough for you this week?”

Finally, he wipes the brash grin off. “Sorry. I just never…never seen you like this. It’s fuckin’ weird.”

“Get used to it.”

He throws a quick glance at Trinity.

“How’s that working out?” I ask, because I can be a dick too.

His jaw clenches for a second before answering. “Fine. We can talk about that later.”

“Yeah, okay. The gym,” I prompt, because I wasn’t kidding about taking Hope upstairs.

“Irish visited me in the hospital.”

I rocket forward. “What the fuck?”

He holds up a hand in “calm down” gesture. “No, it’s all good. He apologized. Heard about the shit his crew pulled. Wanted me to know he had no part of it. He was really upset. They’re up at Northern Hospital, by the way.”

I grunt at that. I must be getting soft. They
should
be fucking dead. “You trust this little punk? How do you know he’s not trying to worm his way in for some payback?”

“That’s why I need you to oversee him. I’ll talk to Whisper and Jake too. But I could use his help. And he asked if I’d help train him when I’m better. Guess he was impressed with the way I kicked his ass.”

“Up to you, brother. It’s your place.”

“I got at least a week to think it over. He’s pretty fucked up. Not in any shape to be doin’ much,” he says with a big dose of glee.

I just shake my head.

Trinity flashes me a warm smile as I approach the bar.

“I’ve been sent away,” I grumble as lean my elbows on the shiny wood counter.

A sympathetic smile turns the corners of her mouth up. “Club business?”

“Something about Wrath’s gym.”

She seems surprised and hesitates for a second. “Always play dumb when it comes to club business, Hope.”

Startled and feeling a little foolish, I straighten up and take a step back from the bar.

Alarm crosses Trinity’s face and she reaches for me. “I’m sorry, Hope. I didn’t mean to sound like I was scolding you. Just if…you know, we were ever around any other clubs or one of our other charters—always act as if you hear nothing.”

I realize Trinity’s trying to help me—she wasn’t trying to be mean. Also, I need to acknowledge that she knows a hell of a lot more about this stuff than I do, so instead of getting offended, I might want to listen to what she has to say if I plan to stay in Rock’s life.

Anywhere else, I wouldn’t tolerate being excluded from something because I’m female. How much of myself am I willing to give up to keep Rock?

I’ll save that dilemma for another time. I realize I haven’t responded and Trinity is about to freak out because she thinks she’s offended me. “Sorry, Trinity. I know you’re just looking out for me.” I resume my position, leaning on the bar counter.

Her shoulders drop and she gives me another faint smile. “I’m used to it, but I can imagine it’s weird for you.” Her gaze sweeps over me, and her mouth twists into a playful grin. “FYI, I wouldn’t keep standing like that in a room full of bikers. You know how they say men think about sex seventy-five percent of the time? With these guys, it’s closer to ninety-nine percent.”

I turn my head and catch a glimpse of Rock watching me intently from across the room. Very slightly I shift my weight, wiggling my ass at him. He closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“Hey, Hope. Keep standing like that and you’re just begging for a spankin’,” Z says, startling me into an upright position. I yank my shirt down.

Trinity’s giggling. “Told ya.”

“You startled me, you perv!” I say, giving him a playful smack on the arm.

I get a roguish smile in return.

“Rock’s gonna kill you,” Trinity mutters.

“Nah. Hope’s like that hot sister-in-law you got inappropriate feelings for, but wouldn’t touch on a dare.”

A confused, nervous giggle bursts out of me. “Thanks, I think.”

Z winks at me, then focuses on Trinity. “Now
you
—nothing about my feelings for you are brotherly. What are you doing later?”

Poor Trinity blushes and flicks her eyes at me. Suddenly, I wish I was elsewhere.

“Can I get a Crown and Coke
to go
, please?” I ask.

Ignoring Z, Trinity pours the drink and hands it to me.

I leave them staring at each other because it’s awkward and I want no part of it.

Rock glances up as I approach. “Everything okay?” he asks as I hand him his drink.

“Yeah, things were just getting a little too intense up there—” One glance at a tightly coiled Wrath, and I wish I’d kept my mouth shut.

Rock rolls his eyes and pulls me into his lap.