“I can’t wait to see the finished result,” says Ava.
“Me too,” I reply, my gaze lingering on the drawing.
Moments later, Milly reappears, dragging Twitch toward us. He chuckles as he approaches. “What’s up?”
Milly points at the drawing. “That’s going to be my wedding ring. Rose is a jeweler and she’s going to make it for me.”
His eyes grow large as he leans closer to the drawing. “That looks good.” He gazes back at Milly. “What are we going to do about the one we already purchased?”
“Send it back and get a refund,” Milly says without hesitation. “I want something special.” She grabs my hand and shoves it in his face. “Look at all her rings. She created them. Aren’t they stunning?”
He smirks, clearly amused. “Yes, Milly,” he agrees with his soon-to-be wife. He looks at me. “How much is this going to set me back?”
“I’ll price the gold up for you and let you know,” I reply. “I’ll only charge you for the ring, not my time. It can be my wedding gift to both of you.”
Milly is beaming. “Oh my god. Thank you so much. It’s the best wedding gift ever.”
“When’s the wedding?” I ask, wondering how much time I have.
“One week,” Milly says with a wince. “Sorry about the short notice. I didn’t know you were a jeweler, and this man here”—she elbows Twitch—“couldn’t wait to get married. It’s nothing big, just here at the clubhouse with friends.”
Twitch wraps an arm around Milly’s waist, bringing her close and kissing her on the temple.
I smile up at them, but a part of me feels conflicted. I should focus on my business, on earning money, and figuring out my future. Where I’ll live. What’s next for me. But another part of me—the deeper part—has feelings for Rage. What if leaving means losing the love of my life? But what if staying means losing myself again?
Twitch’s phone beeps, interrupting my thoughts. He glances at the screen and his smile vanishes. His body tenses as his eyes flick to me briefly before darting away.
“What’s wrong?” Milly asks.
“Club business,” he says curtly, then looks at me again. “Is Rage up?”
Why does he need to talk to Rage directly? My stomach drops. “He’s asleep. He looked exhausted.”
His eyebrows pinch together. “When he wakes up, can you tell him I need to talk to him?”
“Yes, sure,” I reply, though curiosity gnaws at me.
“I need to go talk to Reaper,” he adds, before rushing off. Milly, Ava, and I watch him disappear.
“What do you think that was about?” I ask, unable to keep my snooping to myself.
“Twitch isn’t usually a serious guy, but the look that crossed his face...” Milly shivers. “I hate being left in the dark, but I respect them enough to know that club business is private.”
I nod. I have enough to worry about, so I focus on the ring. I’ll get it done before their wedding. I measure Milly’s finger and spend the rest of the day catching up on emails, updating my social media, and letting customers know I’m back. The warm responses from my customers make me smile, and I dive into working on Milly’s ring.
Ava brings lunch up to my room. Once I’ve eaten I check up on Rage, and he’s still fast asleep.
Later that night, after dinner, I retreat to Rage’s bedroom. I’m still reeling from the mental exhaustion of the day before, and the lack of sleep and getting back into my business today further tired me out. I gently close the door and get into bed, trying not to wake him, because his body is trying to heal. He shuffles slightly and reaches out his hand. When he touches me, he pulls me closer. Then his breathing evens out and he falls back asleep.
My chest aches with agony so raw it feels as though my heart is being torn apart. Tears stream down my face, carrying my pain. I feel warmth and love in his arms, so how could I even think of leaving him? I’ll never find a love like this again. Then it dawns on me.
I love him.
FIFTEEN
A STORM IS BREWING
Rage
