Page 17 of Dark & Deceitful

Dark hasn’t crashed our party in ages.

Transfixed on the swirl of red liquid in my glass, I do what I always do in Dark’s presence—pretend he’s not there. It works for half a song until my dance partner curses, and another set of feet drop into view as I stare down at the refinished hardwood floor. I know those boots—worn leather, a scuff on the right toe from a bar fight. I also know those legs, clad in dark denim, and that wide stance.

“Kali.” My name’s a prayer upon his lips.

I heave a sigh.

“Kali.” His tone sharpens.

My grip on the glass stem tightens.

The arm around my waist turns into a band of steel as it lifts all of me off the floor as if I weigh nothing and slowly backs away.

“Angel. Put my fuckin’ wife down,” Dark seethes, taking a step forward, fists clenching and unclenching down at his sides.

“Not your wife,pendejo,” my savior grumbles.

I snicker, and Dark’s jaw ticks as he advances on us. Knowing a scene is about to go down, Sunshine’s out of his stool in a flash, inserting himself between Dark and me. Till opens the door to the hall, and Angel carries me through the back and into the office, where he sets me back on the ground. Till’s hot on our tail, shutting us inside and leaving Sunshine to handle his son.

“That selfish motherfucker.” Till paces the room, hands balled down at her sides. If this were a cartoon movie, steam would billow from her ears.

Angel, being the biggest man in a fifty-mile radius, sets up shop in front of the closed door and crosses his arms until his biceps, the size of my head, look like they might explode in repressed anger. His lip curls up in disgust as he leans all his weight against the steel. Nobody’s getting past him unless he wants them to.

Barely fazed by this entire ordeal, I hitch my ass on the edge of the basic office desk I share with Till and cross my ankles. “That’s not at all how I saw tonight going.”

Drinking my memories away and ending the night with a fat cock courtesy of Angel… Yep, that’s how I wanted things to go. It’s been months since I last got laid. If you haven’t already caught on… I don’t date much. Staying busy with the shop, Lily, or the sisters leaves me little time to do the whole get-to-know-someone, and at forty, what’s the point? I know that makes me sound like a sad sack Sally. But it’s true. So, I meet a random man off the street, date him, and then what? He finds out my invasive, far-too-hot-for-his-own-good ex and my… Sunshine, the equally sexy but less douchy of a man, are bikers. If that’s not enough to scare them off, how about the other stuff? Like… me. I’m weird enough to put average men off, or in the case of the stalkers, weird enough to find me appealing enough to stalk. Make it make sense. When you figure it out, let me know.

“What do you wanna do about this, Kali?” Till stops her pacing long enough to thumb toward the door.

Toying with my glass, I shrug and consume my last sip of port. “What’s theretodo?”

“Kill him,” Angel suggests unhelpfully, his lips spreading into a cruel smile.

“I love that idea,” Till adds. Of course, she does. She’s Dark’s sworn enemy. Not that he cares all that much. Till’s all tits and spicy personality. She talks a big game, but she’s no killer.

My eyes roll so far into the back of my head that I can see what I ate yesterday for lunch. “Neither of you actually want him dead.”

Angel grumbles, knowing I’m right.

Till returns the sentiment.

See.

There’s a knock at the door. “It’s me.”Sunshine.

“He gone?” Angel asks.

“Nope.”

An entire short story of Spanish expletives flies from Angel’s mouth. Bitch and asshole are a few colorful additions I pick up, but the rest I can’t understand.

Till takes the wine glass from my hand and gestures for me to get off the desk. I swing my legs, hop down with flair, and approach the door, where Angel stands guard. If Sunshine couldn’t get Dark to leave and Dark was here for me, that means he’s got something he needs to say that can’t wait until tomorrow. Or he thinks can’t wait until tomorrow. That’s far more likely.

Knowing the dicking down isn’t gonna happen tonight, I grip what I can of Angel’s forearm in apology. “You know I gotta talk to him.”

Angel’s nostrils flare.

“Thanks for coming to see me tonight.”

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