Page 7 of Carver
6
Carver
Jennifer was a soft soul who’d been hurt and torn down way too many times. That much was clear. I was thankful Lindsey hadn’t blamed her for what happened, that she wanted toprotectJennifer, too. But if she and Blink didn’t get Eric’s little ass in line, we were going to have a fucking problem. I wouldnotallow him to make Jennifer feel unwelcome here, especially when he was only here solely because of Lindsey allowing him to use this clubhouse as a safe place to fall when home was too much for him.
We all loved the kid; there was no denying that. But if one of us had caught him seeking shelter under the clubhouse awning, we’d have booted him right back off the property. Sometimes, he seemed to forget that.
“You don’t have to defend me,” Jennifer said softly as I led her into my apartment upstairs. It was a small studio-like space with a couch, a TV mounted on the wall, a desk, a bed, a dresser, and two nightstands. I had my own attached bathroom and a spacious closet. It provided the privacy I needed without making me feel like I was confined to a tiny bedroom.
I turned to face her as I nudged the door shut with my boot. “Princess, I know I don’t have to, but Iwantto,” I confessed. Her eyes softened as she looked up at me. I cupped her cheek with my hand and leaned forward, pressing my lips to her forehead. Her body tensed, but just as quickly as that tension bled into her body, she relaxed, closing her eyes to soak in the moment. “Just… let me take care of you,” I whispered against her forehead. “Don’t question it. Don’t second-guess it. I don’t do anything I don’t want to do.” I leaned back to meet her eyes again. “Just remember that, yeah?”
Licking her lips, she nodded. “Okay.”
I released her and walked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open and flicking on the light. “I’ll send one of the guys out for some stuff for you in a bit, but for now, you can just bathe and wash your hair with my stuff. I’ll see if I can hunt down a toothbrush for you.”
She smiled at me when I moved aside to let her into the bathroom. “Thank you, Carver.” After taking in the bathroom, she looked at me. “Everyone talked about you like you were an unhinged psycho, but you’re… nice.”
I flashed her a quick grin, amused by what people tended to say about me. “Oh, princess, Iamunhinged. But I know how to rein it in.” I jerked my chin toward the shower. “Towels are in the cabinet above the toilet. Take your time.”
I stepped out and shut the door behind me, giving her privacy. Blowing out a soft breath, I scrubbed my hands down my face before leaving the room to go find her a toothbrush and to get my damn need for her under control.
Because all I could think about was what she might look like with that water running over her body.
When I stepped out of the bathroom later that night, a pair of black sweatpants riding low on my hips, Jennifer was in bed, the blankets pulled up to her chin. She’d tried to argue with me when I told her to take the bed, but I won. I wanted her to be comfortable here. For now, I knew this was basically another prison for her, but honestly, Lindsey wasn’t allowed to leave the clubhouse either. I was just trying to protect her, same as Blink was, even if my brothers were treating her like the enemy.
I didn’t like it, but Ididunderstand their stances.
Quietly, thinking she was already asleep, I made my way to the couch. I was just about to settle onto the leather cushions when her voice broke the silence.
“Will you come lay with me?”
I swallowed thickly, running my eyes over her slender body, which was covered by the blankets. Getting under those covers with her would be a test of my control. And I already barely had any when it came to her.
“You sure?” I asked, my voice thick and raw. Why did I have to want her so badly when I should only be focused on protecting her and keeping her safe? Was this how Blink felt daily? If so, no wonder he was so fucking feral when it came to Lindsey.
I barely saw her nod in the dark. “Yes, please.”
I padded barefoot across the hardwood floor to reach the other side of the bed. Slowly, I slid beneath the covers, keeping some distance between us. I wanted so badly to reach out and tug her closer to me, to feel her body press against mine, but I resisted the instinct to do so.
She neededtime. And space. And I would give her that.
Even if it might murder my balls.
“Goodnight, Carver,” she said softly.
I smiled at her, though I was sure she couldn’t see it. “Goodnight, princess.”
Jennifer’s scream shattered the quiet apartment, jerking me out of my sleep. I shot into an upright position, my gun already in my hand. But there wasn’t a threat in the room—not any that weren’t in her own head anyway.
She was having a fucking nightmare.
I quickly shoved my gun back under my pillow before reaching out to draw her sobbing form against my body. She jerked awake, her nails digging into my chest hard enough to draw blood. She took one look at my face and started crying harder, curling into my arms and letting me hold her.
“I thought you sent me back,” she sobbed. “I thought Blink gave the order—” Her voice broke off on a hiccup, followed by a sob that left her choking and gasping for air.
I buried my face in her dark waves, tightening my hold on her. “We’ll never send you back. And no one can touch you here,” I promised, my voice husky with sleep but strong. “I’ll slaughter anyone who tries to.”
She only nodded, her tears drenching my skin. I didn’t know how long we sat like that, but eventually, her tears began to slow, and soon after, her breaths began to even out until she was quietly sleeping on my lap, her tear-damp cheek resting against my chest. I slowly moved across the mattress until my back was resting against the headboard and continued holding her.