Page 78 of The Devil's Scars

Chapter Fourteen

Wolf Connor was absolutely a lot of things, and many of them were really, really bad… but a liar wasn’t one of those things. He also wasn’t subtle or careful with language. If anyone was going to tell Zoe how it was and how badly she’d messed up, Wolf was the man for the job.

Zoe had just finished telling him everything about her and Scars – from that first unplanned and mind-blowing night in the bar back room, to the kitchen confrontation over pizza, to both flirtations/fights in the tattoo parlor, to the desk fingering, to Scars’ astounding patience finally hitting its limit the night before – and she was now sitting fidgeting on nhis bed as Wolf stared at her in amazement as he packed.

“For God’s sake,” she blurted out at last. “Say something!”

“Still decidin’ what to say, Zee.” He shook his head, zipped shut his duffel bag for his trip. “I mean, of course I knew that you two were foolin’ around. Lots of us knew, and we’ve been layin’ bets when you two would just come out and own up to it. Mostly you, really, because it was obvious that Scars was head-over-heels.”

She sputtered, and he raised his voice a bit.

“But I am a bit surprised how far it’s all gone and how many times you’ve been at each other’s throats sayin’ stupid things that are just wastin’ time. And I didn’t know when it all started, so that bar back room story is a bit of a shock.” He grinned. “Gotta admit, I warned the boys away from you when you first got to Denver, but when you took up with Scars, I was fuckin’ thrilled. He’s one of the good ones. One of the best. Me and the guys really think that you gotta stop messin’ him around.”

“Uh, hold up. You – you knew that me and Scars were… you knew what we were doing?”

He rolled those hard gray eyes. “Jesus Christ, Zee. You think I’m an idiot?”

“So why didn’t you say anything?”

“Why didn’t you?” he rejoined, throwing the duffel next to the bedroom door.

“Because… well. Because it was just – just sex.”

“Bullshit.” He sat down next to her on his bed, stretched his long legs in front of him, drank some coffee. “Such total damn bullshit. If this is how you tell Scars that he doesn’t mean much to you beyond his cock, I can see why he doesn’t believe you. You’re a terrible liar, Zee. Always have been. And you must be especially fuckin’ bad at it naked after cummin’ for the guy multiple times.”

“Wolf,” she said, automatically blushing bright-red. “It really is just sex. Was.”

“You don’t do that.”

“I don’t do what?”

“Just sex. You ain’t built that way, baby girl.”

“Well –that’s normally true.”

“And Scars doesn’t do just sex.”

“Sure, he does. He did.”

“Nope. He doesn’t and he didn’t. He told you that he doesn’t and he didn’t.”

“You believe him?”

“Yep. I do. I’ve known you for twenty-two years, since I was thirteen, and I’ve known Scars for almost fifteen years, since I patched in at twenty-one. He’s my VP and my brother, you’re my sister and the only woman that I’ve ever really loved, Zee. I know you both, know you like I know myself… and I know that you guys ain’t like me, and you don’t do casual sex. Not with anyone, and most especially not together.”

She sighed. “Yeah. Yeah, OK… I mean, shit. You’re right, Wolf.”

“Now we’re gettin’ somewhere at long last. So, this is how I think of this goddamn mess that you’ve created: seein’ as you don’t do just fucks, and Scars doesn’t do just fucks, but you two are fuckin’, I’d say that you’re doin’ more than just fuckin’. Don’t you think?”

Zoe paused, trying to figure out just what the hell Wolf had just said.

“So… you’re saying that…” Her voice trailed off. “Sorry. What are you saying?”

“I’m sayin’, baby girl, that the very fact that you two keep havin’ sex when you don’t do casual tells me that you’re important to each other. You obviously can’t stay away from each other, no matter how hard you try. You both got a lot of history that you’re workin’ against, and it’s the kind of history that keeps people from really trustin’ and connectin’. It’s hurt history, and you both keep lookin’ past it for each other. That has to mean somethin’, don’t you think?”

“What’s Scars’ history?” she asked, suddenly burning with curiosity. “You mean all his club crimes and womanizing?”

“Christ, Zee,” Wolf snapped. “I just finished tellin’ you: the man ain’t a womanizer.”

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