cock strains against the seam of my jeans. I know I need to make a decision right now—make a move or back the hell away before I can’t.
Eva’s chest heaves, it almost has me undone. So, I take my hand from her wrist, stepping back.
Her eyes droop somberly like she regrets my decision, and I do. We’ve had a good night, and I’m not going to mess it up now by making a move which could fuck everything up.
Clearing my throat, I take my eyes from hers, placing the handcuffs on the desk. “You should go to bed. It’s late.”
“You’re not staying?”
Rubbing the tension in the back of my neck, I really fucking want to. “I can’t. I have some shit I need to deal with. Club business. Then I’ll come back.”
“I’ll wait up—”
“No, Chiquita, you go to sleep. I might be a while, but I will be back.”
She walks over to the bed, slouching on the mattress. I’m not sure if it’s me she’ll miss or more the fact she’s now back in isolation.
Maybe I’m hopeful.
Or maybe I’m fooling myself.
“Okay.” Her tone is flat.
Damn! She was so full of life out there tonight. So happy. So carefree. Bringing her back in here has made her sad again.
I hate watching her like this.
But I’m the one to blame.
“Sleep well.”
She lays on the bed, turning her back to me.
Ouch.
Taking in a deep breath, I turn for the door without saying anything else and walk out. I feel like the asshole that I one-hundred percent am. I’m toying with her emotional state. What kind of prick does that? I need to figure my game plan, and I need to do it now.
Exiting my room, I close the door, locking it. My eyes stay firmly on the lock for a good thirty seconds.
Maybe I should leave it unlocked. See what she does?
But it’s asking for trouble.
She’s not ready.
Not yet.
The fight for her sister is still too strong. Eva would leave in a heartbeat, not giving me a second thought. Rolling my shoulders, I turn, leaving Eva behind and walk out of the hall back into the scarce clubhouse. Unlike me, most of my brothers sleep at night. Seeing as the party has died down, they’ve headed off to bed. A few stragglers are still up drinking.
I wonder what Ivy’s thoughts are about Eva being out tonight?
She’s probably asleep, but I’ll take my chances.
Heading downstairs, I make my way through the Bricking Room toward the Brick Cell. The lights are on. Void sits in the room with her on the sofa watching the television. I stand back taking the scene in. They’re not talking, not doing anything unusual, just spending time together.
I walk through the door. Both their heads casually turn to me, and Void raises his chin. “Eva in bed?”
Ivy’s eyes widen at the mention of her sister’s name.
I take a seat on the edge of the sofa. “Yeah, she’s had a big night.”
“Void said she looked like she enjoyed herself.”
“I think she did. You were always at the forefront of her mind, but she managed to relax and unwind a little.”
Ivy sinks back into the sofa. “Good... that’s good.”
Even with her wrist cuffed to the chain, she’s at home here. This woman is somehow at ease.
“Ivy?”
She turns to face me. “Yeah?”
“How do you feel about being here?”
Void tenses as Ivy shrugs. “Honestly, at first, I was cautious, wary of being here and of my surroundings. Of course, I’d love to go upstairs and mingle like Eva’s being allowed to. I’d love to be able to come and go. You don’t trust me, I get it, but honestly, Nycto, I’m not going anywhere. I feel safe. I’ve felt the safest here than I have for my entire life. I don’t want to give that feeling up.”
My eyes meet with Void, and I give him a head bob. We both stand and walk out into the Bricking Room. He folds his arms over his chest as he peers back at Ivy. She keeps watching the television, oblivious to our discussion.
“What’s going through your mind, Prez?”
“You’re down here with her all the time, you tell me. Is she a flight risk?”
He exhales. “I don’t think so. If she’s playing me, then she’s fucking good at it. I mean we don’t talk a lot, you know what I’m like, but she’s content, Prez. It hasn’t been much time to make a judgment call, but Ivy, I’m sure she doesn’t want to cause shit. She wants to