Page 42 of Avenging Devil: Part 1

Is she that naïve?

“Cyn, they’re not dancing for themselves. It’s for the benefit of the men. Men who get off watching, or, who use it to choose who to go with that night. You get my meaning?”

“I wasn’t doing it for that!”

“I know you weren’t.” Or I fucking hope I do. Nothing would surprise me. But while I might not trust her, I trust my brothers. “But that’s the effect you were having. As for stripping off—”

“Cindy’s not even wearing a bra. At least I kept mine on.”

Thank fuck for small merciesis all I can think. “Cyn, your behaviour reflects on me. Believe me when I say it was wrong. Dance during the day when no one’s around, but for heaven’s sake, not in the evenings.”

“Your brothers weren’t complaining.”

The stubborn twist of her mouth gets to me. “Is that what you want, Cyn? For men to see you as nothing more than a body?”

Her shrug reminds me this was the girl who professes to still love the only man who ever looked twice at her, despite him being abusive. Could she be so desperate for attention that she’ll take it in any way she can get it?Difficult, Mom had warned me. I’d just had no idea how true that was.

If she needs help, I’m not qualified to give it.

Fuck me. I don’t deserve this. I might be worried about Saffie, but that’s my choice. Cyn, well, I know just as little about what makes her tick, and what I’m learning, I don’t find attractive.

Tempering my voice, I ask, “You had any thoughts about going home?” It seems the best solution all around.

Her eyes widen. “I want to stay here.”

I sigh. “This is only temporary, remember?”

She looks disconcerted, and then a sly smile comes over her face. “Salem says I’m indispensable. He won’t want me to leave.”

Damn the man.What initially seemed like a good idea is coming back to bite me in the ass. For a moment, I don’t have a response.

“There are conditions to you staying, Cyn. The first is that you don’t embarrass me. Something like this happens again, I’ll be buying you a one-way ticket to Michigan.”

She opens her mouth and wisely closes it, then gives an exaggerated sigh as she senses I’m in no mood to hear the retort she wishes to utter. “I’m going to bed.” Without saying anything more, she gets up and leaves.

My eyes watch her until she disappears up the stairs.

“That your sister?” A woman comes over and sits herself in Cyn’s vacated chair. She jerks her head back toward the pole. “She’s got some good moves.” Winking, she adds, “It must run in the family.”

“Susie,” I growl in warning.

Ignoring me, she continues, “You look like you could do with some stress relief. Why don’t you and I hit the sheets?”

I’m in no mood to be diplomatic. All the good vibes I brought back from the ride out earlier today have disappeared. Leaning forward, I make myself clear. “Once was a fuckin’ mistake, Susie. Been there, done that, not going there again. You feel me?”

“No need to be like that, Niran.” She pouts, and fuck me, she inches herself forward so our heads are all but touching. “You sure you want to rob me of that big Black dick of yours?”

“Fuckin’ certain.”

Seeing there’ll be no reasoning with her, I get to my feet and stomp across the clubroom, heading toward the stairs. I could have done with another drink, but my mood has soured, and I want to be alone and away from the company of fucking women.

Closing my bedroom door, I stand with my back against it. Perhaps it’s for the best Saffie doesn’t want to see me. I’ve too much going on. Susie, for starters, who seems to think her vagina has some hold over me, and Cyn, who’s becoming a pain in my ass. Why did my sister have to come find me? It’s not like we’ve ever been close. If she wasn’t related, I wouldn’t even like her. Similar to Susie, she’s the kind of woman who turns me right off.

Cyn’s a complication and a responsibility I never asked for. Problem is, Mom doesn’t seem to want her back either. The whole thing’s a mess.

A mess I’d have been wrong to bring Saffie into.

If she saw me treating Susie as badly as I had, but little more than she deserved, I reckon I’d become the epitome of a biker in her head.

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