Dodging the comatose bodies, I make my way to the exit as quietly as I can, but a head pops out from behind the bar just as I am about to make my retreat. “Hey, you leaving?” Millie whispers.
Widening my eyes when I look at her, she seems vibrant as anything this morning. “What are you doing awake?” I whisper.
She shrugs, pulling out a jug of orange juice. “Got thirsty, and seeing as I wasn’t allowed to drink more than two alcoholic drinks last night, unlike everyone else, I’ll have a clear head today. So, I thought I would get up early and start getting breakfast ready. Help the girls out because even though they’re on food duty, they’re going to be feeling it this morning too.”
Slumping my shoulders, I smile at Millie.She is such a kind soul. “You’re so good to these guys.”
She shakes her head. “I literally owe them my life, Elizabeth. I’ll do anything to help them. A little breakfast prep is nothing.”
Guilt wraps its venomous claws around my throat again, making it hard for me to speak, so I simply nod and smile. “Just gonna head home to get cleaned up,” I somehow rasp out.
“’Kay, see you soon,” she chimes happily.
I give her a little wave before turning to leave. “Yep… soon,” I reply.
“Oh, and Elizabeth… it’s the first day of a brand-new year. You never know what exciting possibilities could happen for you. New love, new home, new friends… I mean, anything is possible, don’t you think?” she chimes not so subtly.
Weakly smiling, sadness washes over me. But I shrug to placate her. “Anything’s possible. Butnotwithout a decent shower.”
She bursts out laughing and shoos me off. “Oh yes, sorry, go, go. Come back when you’re ready. We’re not going anywhere.”
“Have a good January first, Millie,” I tell her.
“You too, Elizabeth.”
Exhaling, I turn and head for my car. Every inch of my body is hurting, and maybe that is what I deserve. The pit of my stomach has fallen so far it’s not even on the floor—it’s in the pits of hell, and the Devil’s hellhounds are playing with it as a chew toy.
Maybe I would have been better off if those coyotes had eaten me in the desert.
As I reach my car, I can’t stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. I reach up, yanking at my stupid face mask, and rip it off, taking small clumps of my hair with it. Opening my car door, I throw my mask across to the passenger side and slide in, slamming my car door, probably louder than I should. Sitting in the driver’s side, my fingers clench onto the wheel as I let myself sob, feeling all the guilt and anguish overwhelm me.
I came to this club to seek vengeance.
My brother’s death is one hundred percent tied to this club.
And I still don’t know what happened, but my bosses want hard evidence of illegal activities the club is involved in.
That’s the story they want.
I have it, and they want it—right now.
Before I could catch my breath, he grabbed me, flipping me onto my stomach across the bench. My gown rode up over my hips, my cheek landing against his leather cut, the scent of smoke and sweat filling my lungs, branding me in this world.
“Yeah,” he growled, pressing my face harder into it. “Breathe me in, wildcat. You’reminenow.”
My hands closed around jagged nuggets of gold, their weight biting into my palms. A perfect reminder of how dangerous this was.
“Look at you,” he snarled, lining himself up again. “Mask on, cheek on my cut, fists full of illegal gold. You’re so fucking dirty for me.”
And the problem is, when I am around Sin, he does something to me.
He makes me forget that there’s this line I’mnotsupposed to cross.
He makes it impossible for me to remember that he’s dangerous.
That his road name isSinisterfor a damn reason.
The memory of last night with Sin replaying over and over in my mind doesn’t make this any easier on me.
