Page 33 of Carver

Plus, it wasn’t like he understood the feelings going on inside him.

The warmth that came from Carver’s smile.

The urge he had to hug the man like he’d seen the others do.

He might have still feared the future, but there was more than fear lurking in the shadows with him now.

Sixteen

Unfortunately,the cage worked.

The boy appeared more at peace behind those four metal walls. It was as if he could relax for the first time since he’d woken up.

Carver hated it. He wanted the boy to be free to roam and explore. He wanted the boy to figure out his true self. He wanted him to open up to the others so they could get some answers.

In the two days since they’d put the cage together, life had become a routine of sorts. They attempted to feed the boy, to which he often refused. Fury would sit with him to see if he’d talk. Doc occasionally came in to check his bandages as well.

Still, nothing changed. It was as if the boy was fully content to live in the box he’d been put in. It was only Carver who could see the truth. He saw the way the boy’s eyes tracked his movements. Carver could feel the way the boy appeared to want to know where he’d been when he wasn’t in the room. There were tiny tells in his face—most so miniscule no one else would have a chance to notice them.

Carver did though.

He noticed everything about the boy in his care.

Carver hated himself for this.

It wasn’t right.

It wasn’t fair.

What fucking sucked most was how much he enjoyed it. He shouldn’t have liked having the boy’s attention. He should have wanted to get him out of the cage, to get him reacquainted with life.

Carver was no better than the people who’d hurt him.

“It’s time to eat, sweet boy. You’ve got to come out.” Carver stood far enough back to give the young man room to move, yet close enough to catch him should he try to hurt himself again.

He’d already tried twice.

Though since they’d gotten the cage, he hadn’t attempted anything else. It was yet another reason Carver knew it had been a smart decision. Carver refused to let him end his precious life before it truly began.

If he could go back to kill those fuckers slowly, he would.

“He any better?” Slash mumbled from somewhere behind Carver. The other man had been shadowing him anytime they didn’t have other club business going on. Some would say he was behaving as backup. But Carver knew the truth.

Slash was worried about him. His second-in-command could tell how invested he was. Carver couldn’t hide anything from the man who was more brother than club member.

Eyes trained on the cage door; he shook his head. The boy might not trust him now, but he would.

His sweet boy would get better with time and patience.

Thankfully, Carver had an abundance of both.

“He won’t eat outside of the cage. And feeding him in there feels fucking wrong,” he grumbled.

Slash nodded, then tilted his head. “Maybe you can feed it to him. Like sitting at the entrance and mama birding the stuff.”

“Mama birding?”

“Yeah, you know… feeding him by hand. I think he trusts you the most out of everyone here. If you get on his level and show him it’s safe, then he’ll do what you want.”