Page 17 of Killer Kiss

Disgust for myself hit me hard. I didn’t fumble around men. Not even the attractive ones.

I huffed out a sigh, trying to hide my mistake. “Fine. Sorry. He’s Scythe today. It’s a long story.”

The older guy clearly didn’t give a shit. “It’s a private party,” he barked out at us. “We ain’t open. Come back tomorrow.”

He went to close the door, but Scythe stuck one heavy boot in the way and pinned the man with a glare that sent frost into the air. “I don’t think we’ll be doing that.” He clapped a hand on the door and pushed it open, gaze bouncing around the four men who blocked the entryway.

His gaze came to rest on the man from the train. What had he said his name was? Aaron? Austin? I swear it started with an A but I’d been so distracted.

My brother clearly wasn’t concerned with the name on Train Man’s birth certificate like I was. He took him in, every inch of his tall, solid frame and practically snarled out his words. “Where the fuck is my sister?”

“Who the hell is your sister?” someone asked.

“Fawn,” Andre or Adam spoke up with surety in his tone, his gaze never leaving mine. “They’re Fawn’s siblings. I met her the other day.” He pointed in my direction. “Told her I worked here, which I’m guessing is why they’re here now.”

At least I was memorable.

A curvy brunette gasped from across the room and came rushing forward, shoving at the broad-shouldered man who held her back. “Dammit, Josh, get out of the way.” She pushed at his thick arms, but he wasn’t budging. She stopped and glared at him. “They’re Fawn’s family. Let them in.”

To my surprise, the man glanced over at us, his expression softening. “You got weapons?”

“No,” Scythe and I both lied in unison.

The woman gave him a triumphant look and focused on us. “Please. Come in. We’ve got a ton of food. Are you hungry?”

Like it was just waiting for the mention of food, my stomach gave a pathetic growl of hunger. I could blame our mother for that. It’s not like she’d offered us a meal at her place. I’d barely eaten anything all day, and the club smelled oddly delicious.

I took in the room, expecting to see half-naked bodies writhing around poles and depressed old men shoving dollar bills in G-strings. But the lights were all turned up, tasty plates of food sat half-eaten on the tables, and a group of children stood by their mothers, all staring at us with big, wide eyes.

“This is the weirdest strip club ever,” I muttered. But I followed the woman, pausing distrustfully when she offered me a plate of a rich, meaty stew.

I eyed it, but Scythe had no such concerns. He reached around me and took the bowl from the woman’s hands. “You snooze, you lose, big sis. That smells amazing. Thanks.” He grabbed a chunk of crusty bread, dipped it into the stew, and took a bite.

The woman beamed at him, then tried again with me. “I’m Eve,” she said quietly. “I own the club. Please. Sit. Have something to eat. We can talk.”

“We just want to know where our sister is,” I told her.

Eve nodded, placing the food on the table beside where my brother was already scarfing down the meal like he wasn’t ever going to get another.

“Eat while we talk,” Eve said. “We’ll tell you everything we know.”

“Like hell we will.”

I glanced back at the deep growl from the man from the train. “Excuse me? Anthony, was it?”

“Augie,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.

Pretty men like him always got pissed off when a woman forgot their name.

I wrinkled my nose, just to be a bitch. “Augie, as in short for August?” I fought to control a laugh. He didn’t look like an August.

“As in none of your business. Eat your food if you want, but we aren’t telling you anything.”

“Augie!” Eve admonished sharply. “I’m so sorry, he’s a jackass at the best of times. Ignore him.” She glared in his direction. “The rest of us do.”

Scythe mumbled a complaint in Augie’s direction, but his mouth was too full for anyone to understand him.

I didn’t need my brother to stand up for me. I was perfectly capable of fighting my own battles. I narrowed my eyes at the big blond man. “Why exactly don’t you want to tell us where my sister is?”

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