Stupid, stupid shaking
Serena thought to herself as she tried to atop the spasmodic reaction of her body yet no amount of "You are fine now" from Kincaid nor her own determination to stop the shaking changed anything.
It was as if her body was functioning independently from her will, so she just huddle there and shook like a leaf in the winter night.
A whistle from Bassett had her looking up "Wow, babe. You look hot! No wonder the men couldn't shoot straight"
Serena craned her head to see who he was referring to.
A gorgeous redhead in a pink leotard with what seemed like a mile-high leather heels on her tanned, dainty legs stood with a pistol in each of her hands as she rolled her eyes at Bassett.
"Oh, hush. Remind the bad guys to give me some ample warnings next time they decided to strike and not do it when I am in the middle of my training, will you?"
She leaned in to kiss his cheek soundly before shifting her gaze to Kincaid. Her eyes shone with curiosity as she saw Serena and she said "Uh uh"
With a feigned annoyed look, Kincaid said "You have a lot of explaining to do, kiddo. Just when exactly did you started leading my men? Two guns? Since when did you get so good, you badass?"
The girl wrinkled her nose playfully at him before turning her gaze back to Serena "You save someone's ass and all you get is a grunt of displeasure because you prove to them that it is not always about what you have between your legs"
"Hey! I will take what I have between my legs anytime. Thank you very much!" Basset shouted as if miffed behind her.
"Hush" she repeated again before smiling beatifically at Serena, so radiant was her smile and her scent was so mesmerizingly calming as well that Serena felt her shakes reducing.
"Hi, I am Rayla, cousin to these uncivilised two. Nice to meet…" she looked down at her hand when she saw Serena flinched when she extended her hand to her in greeting.
She laughed lightly as she saw that she still had a gun in the hand she was extending to Serena.
"Oh shoot" she said with a sheepish grin. "Didn't mean to scare you"
"No, it is fine" Serena said unevenly, glad that the latter had handed the guns to one of the men that stood behind her. The man must be having a good view of the lady's tanned behind. She thought fleetingly before berating herself for being uncharitable.
She extended her hand to shake the lady's outstretched one "I am Serena. It is nice meeting you"
She felt Kincaid looked directly at her and remembered that she had not told him her name before, she did not turn to see the look he gave her though, and she simply focused her gaze on the lady with the pleasing smile-Rayla.
Rayla laughed out loud. A sound so musical to Serena's hearing.
"Nice? You call a welcome to our home with bullets flying and crazy idiots showing their perceived power on their toy ride nice? Where did you find her, Cade?"
She asked in a mischievous way that had Serena herself smiling. And just like that, the shaking stopped.
There was something about the lady, something calming. Serena thought it probably had something to do with the fact that she had been in the midst of men for the past hours or the fact that the lady reminded her a bit about Amara. Her smile widened.
"Be nice" She heard Kincaid said with amusement lacing his voice.
"Hey, I am always nice" she protested with a pout before running around to Serena's side of the car and opening the door "Come ride with me. Let's leave this old, grumpy man alone and I will tell you all the embarrassing stories about him"
Serena had the uncomfortable feeling that Rayla thought there was something between Kincaid and her but she couldn't resist the beckoning smile on the lady's face so she stepped out of the car into the crisp midday air, the sun was shining brilliantly down on them and Serena was almost jealous of Rayla in her tightfitting, skin-baring, one piece leotard. Almost. Serena knew she could never be found dead in such a revealing cloth, not if she visibly swallowed courage itself.
Could she?
She decidedly averted her face from the bodies that the Aslanov men were ransacking and carting off
She heard a gasp behind her and looked swiftly at Rayla. She saw her staring at Kincaid. No, staring at his bandaged wound that was seeping again.
Gone was the chirpy young lady as worry filled Rayla's face. She rushed towards him but he held her off with a raise of his hand.
"No, Ray" he shook his head.
She backed off with a mutinous look in her eyes "Fine but you are going to tell me how you got yourself banged up like that later" she came out of the car again and turned her eyes on Bassett "How could you let him…"
"Hey, don't look at me" Bassett protested with his hand raised in surrender "He was like that when I got there. Worse off actually" he shrugged.
"Worse…" she blanched and shook her head "Later. Everything" she said as she motioned for Serena to follow her.
Serena couldn't help but smile when she heard Kincaid said "Thank you, blabbermouth"
Bassett replied him with a short laugh "You are welcome brother" then "She is becoming a bit of a terror, isn't she?"
"Damn straight"
Their laughter trailed Serena to Rayla's car. A spiffy blood red audi. Serena almost let out a whistle of her own.
These people must be goddamn rich.
Rayla shook her head at her cousin's jest.
"Would you tell me…" she started when a thud was heard. No, not a thud but a pinging sound that struck the fender of her car.
Serena didn't want to believe it but it was happening again.
And this time, she was out in the open.