Page 37 of Darkness

She snorts. “Deep throating… you’d think with these dick-sucking lips I’d be a queen at it, but nope, my gag reflex is fucking terrible.”

Everyone bursts out laughing as I widen my eyes. She winks at me, then turns, walking back over to where she was. I lean into Nycto’s side. “Is that true? A club girl who can’t…” I trail off, and he says nothing.

Instead, he turns toward his brothers. “Everyone, this is Eva. As you can see, she has a wiseass side to her, so feel free to give it back. I want you all to make her feel welcome, though. She’s been through a lot. I want to give her some freedom and let her know she’s got a home here at Defiance.”

His words make warmth flow through me. Everyone comes off as hard and tough like they’ve seen a lifetime of bad decisions and hardships, but their eyes tell a different story. They’re kind and forgiving. It’s how you tell a true man’s soul. That’s how I know that even though Nycto’s moods are all over the place, he would never hurt me. He harbors demons, sure, but the way he looks at me makes my concerns about them disappear.

“Thanks, everyone, for taking me in. You didn’t need to. You could have let me be taken by those men. I don’t know where I would be now if it weren’t for this club…” I tense but continue, “Probably wherever my sister is now.” Heads sag as gazes shift to the floor. They must feel bad for not rescuing her too. “I hope we can find her soon.”

As I look around the room, I realize I’m thankful to be here. They saved me from who knows what. With how everyone is watching me, I can’t help but feel secure.

A man I recognize from the night I was taken steps forward. He was handling Ivy and put her into the van. His eyes are haunted as he approaches me. “Eva, I’m Void. I’m the VP around here, and I want you to know I’m personally looking for your sister. I won’t stop until she’s found.”

Nycto narrows his eyes on his VP. Something’s unspoken between them, but I don’t care right now. Void is telling me he’s working on finding Ivy, and that’s all I need to know.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I hope you find her soon. I don’t want her alone and scared.”

Void narrows his eyes on me. “I have an inkling she’s close by. Don’t worry, Eva. You’ll see her again.”

For such a strong, angry-looking man, he comes across as a genuinely nice guy. I reach forward to give him a hug, but he pulls back with a grimace. “Nothin’ against you, Eva, just not the huggin’ type.”

“I understand. It’s nice to have someone on my side when it comes to Ivy.” I side-eye Nycto with a raised lip.

Nycto rolls his eyes. “Do you think Void would have any interest in Ivy if it weren’t for me?” He tuts.

I purse my lips. “I know you’re doing everything you can to find her. It just kills me to imagine what those men could be doing to her. Of the…” I pause, contemplating the horrendous sexual acts they could be putting her through and my eyes well. “I feel bad for even considering enjoying myself out here with you all while she’s suffering.” I sniffle and glance at Void. A flash of anger crosses his features as he looks to Nycto, but it’s quickly hidden. I’m not sure what that’s about, but I choose not to say anything.

Nycto tightens his hand in mine and exhales. “Just enjoy your freedom for now. How ’bout I take you on a tour?” Nycto slaps Void hard on the shoulder, then leads me to the bar. It’s a long concrete slab with black marble on top. Tall black metal stools line the length of it, finishing off the décor. Not what I would have normally pictured for a biker bar, but it suits this place.

A tough-looking woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a nose ring stands behind the bar area, wiping the bartop down. Her arms have scattered, mismatched tattoos. I suspect she’s had a few hard years in her life, but she smiles at me kindly.

“Hey, Eva. I’m Stacey. You want something to drink?”

I shrug. “I’d kill for a Cuba Libre.”

Stacey’s eyes shift to Nycto, and he dips his chin in approval. She throws the cloth over her shoulder. “Cola, rum, and lime coming right up.”

“Thanks so much.”

Stacey turns to where the wall is lined with alcohol and glasses, similar to a real bar. She moves around like a bartender, and I’m impressed. “Wow, girl’s got moves.”

“Stace is our resident bartender. We pulled her out of a dive bar that was going under. She wouldn’t have been able to pay her rent, so we offered her a place here instead.”

Stacey turns, pouring the lime juice into the glass. “Haven’t looked back since.” She throws a straw into my glass, then slides it over.

“I’m glad you found a home here, Stacey. It certainly is… interesting.” I raise my Cuba Libre in cheers to her.

“You have no idea, but I’m sure you’ll find out. Enjoy your drink, hon.”

I bring the straw to my lips and take a sip. The refreshing coolness from the ice, the fizz from the cola, and the tang from the lime all make for a flavor explosion in my mouth. Then, the warmth hits from the rum. She’s mixed it perfectly. No wonder they like having her here if she makes drinks this well.

Next, Nycto pulls me over to the left. We walk toward the first big room, and that fabulous smell from the kitchen hits me again. Nobody seems to mind us—we casually stroll around as everyone moves about doing their own thing. We enter the room, and the large stainless-steel kitchen makes me envious. I did all the cooking back home. I would have loved to have something like this. By the looks of it all, no expense has been spared. There are two large industrial ovens, two six-burner gas stovetops, a walk-in pantry I can’t see the end of, and two giant refrigerators, not to mention a chest freezer the size of a wall. It’s the perfect kitchen for mass production.

In the middle is an island, where another beautiful woman is standing, stirring something in a bowl. Her hair, a rich chocolate color, is tied up in a messy bun on top of her head. Her eyebrows are perfectly manicured, and her shirt is so tight I can’t be sure it’s not glued to her skin, but she looks amazing.

I’m not ugly by any means, but this woman is the epitome of perfection.

“Freya, how are you doing with that batter?” I didn’t even notice Trixie was in the room until she called out to the stunning woman.

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