Page 22 of Pink Poison

A gravelly rumble sounds from his chest as he slides a warm finger over my bare shoulder. “Don’t be sorry, angel. I think any man would kill to have you stumble into them.”

“Oh, he’s a charmer.” I giggle while twirling a strand of my hair around my hot pink-painted nail. “Are you here with someone?”

“I have a date.” He hums thoughtfully, dragging his panty-melting stare down my body. “But now I wish it were with you instead.”

Smiling, I place my free hand against his hard chest. “Who are you waiting for?”

“A woman who goes by Stevie.”

A faux gasp works its way from my lips as I push my breasts forward, grazing myself against the man. “What a coincidence! That’s my name.”

His finger freezes at my announcement before his eyes meet mine. “You’re not wearing what I sent for you.”

“I couldn’t be caughtdeadwearing blue.” I giggle again. “Pink is my color, don’t you think?”

He slips his finger underneath the thin strap of my dress. “I suppose this dressismore enticing.”

I pull away slowly, fluttering my lashes like he’s given me the best compliment in the world. “Well, Mr. Hill. Where do you plan to show me off tonight?”

“Memento, have you ever been?” He pushes forward from the wall before offering me his arm.

“I haven’t,” I confirm, sliding my arm through his. “It sounds mysterious.”

“Wonderful. I’ll be taking great pleasure in knowing I’m offering you afirstexperience.”

Biting my bottom lip, I contain the words I want to return to him. If I push too hard, too fast—it’ll give away my real personality, and we can’t have that. Instead, I allow him to lead me away from Le Papillon with a smile on my face.

Chapter eight

Mack

“Welcome back, boys,” the burgundy-haired bartender quips as we walk through the doors of Memento.

“Badass Del!” Kash shouts, jogging up to the bar counter.

I quirk my brow at my brothers to see if someone will fill me in on what I missed last night. “Since when has Kash been friends with the bartender?”

Stone shakes his head as he walks to our usual booth, leaving Graves behind.

“Kash made nice with her last night while he was handling our problem,” he grunts, following Stone towards the booth. “I guess she’s cool, as long as you follow the rules.”

Slowly, I trail behind Graves while taking in the familiar faces around the bar. “Makes sense.”

Sliding onto the pew-like bench, I sit across from Graves next to Stone. When Kash decides he’s done talking the bartender’s ear off, he’ll eventually find his place next to our President. The ambiance settles into smooth conversation amongst the bar, lulling Stone and Graves into casual conversation. Something in my gut tells me I can’t relax like the others, not with this meeting hanging over us like a dark fucking cloud.

Atticus Lennon.

Honestly, if we didn’t think he was a player in taking down the original members of our club, we’d leave him on the back burner. But how could we say no when the opportunity fell in our laps?

A hushed silence falls over the bar as the door swings open, letting in the sound of a familiar giggle—the giggle that has haunted my dreams since she forced it between her perfectly white teeth when she met me and my father.

“You’re a funny man, Creed Hill,” she tinkles from behind me.

Graves and Stone snap their heads towards the sound, leaving me frozen in time as the bane of my existence infiltrates my life once again. “Ho-ly fuck, is that…” Graves breathes.

“Pretty doll,” Stone grunts.

Turning, time moves slowly as she crosses through my peripherals. Liquid heat rushes through my veins, burning me from the inside out the longer I stare at the obnoxiously tight, pink dress that practically constricts her natural curves.Fuck.I hate to admit it, and I mean, Ireallyfucking hate to—but I’ll be damned if she doesn’t look mouthwatering.Maybeit’s because I’m partial to blondes.Maybeit’s the fact that her tits are spilling out from the sides of the dress, making it look two sizes too small. Or,maybeit’s the never-ending voice in my head that’s inexplicably obsessed withStephanie Waters.The one I’ve been trying to silence long before I caught her taking money on Mo’s stage. Before I knew that my bestfuckingfriend was screwing her behind my back.

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