Gatsby snorted. “Man’s sitting here like a goddamn guard dog. Watching her like you’re scared she’ll fly off.”
I turned just enough to give him a look. “Why don’t you take your slick-haired ass back to 1950? You and them shiny shoes don’t belong in this century.”
“Trust me, if I could leave this shit decade, I would,” he said, already walkin’ away to pour a drink.
I shook my head and turned back to Devil. Horse sat on his other side, quiet for once, stare fixed on nothin’, jaw tight like he was wrestlin’ somethin’ he didn’t wanna name.
“Figured this was the only way to talk to you,” he said. “You been busy lately.”
I smirked. “Miss me that bad?”
“Not a fuckin’ chance.” Devil’s mouth twitched, but it never quite made a smile. His gaze slid back to Lark as she crossed the room. “So. How serious is it?”
Lark passed the bar a moment later, didn’t slow, didn’t make a show of it. Just set a fresh beer down in front of me without askin’. Her fingers brushed my wrist as she did, brief but deliberate.
Her eyes flicked up, caught mine for half a second.
That was all it took.
Then she was gone again, back to work like she hadn’t just wrapped me tighter around her finger.
Somethin’ in my gut finally eased.
I dragged a hand over my jaw, watchin’ her weave through the tables. “I don’t know how to put it into words,” I said. “All I know is she’s different. She’s got this light in her, Devil. And I don’t ever wanna stop feelin’ it.”
A man at one of the tables leaned in too close, his hand driftin’ where it didn’t belong.
I realized I was already on my feet.
Didn’t remember standin’. Didn’t remember decidin’. Just knew my body had moved before my brain caught up.
She handled it herself, same as always. Calm smile. Polite deflection. Untouchable. The guy backed off, none the wiser.
Didn’t stop the heat from burnin’ through me anyway.
Devil watched me for a second, then nodded slow. He understood. Raina was his light.
“You just be careful, brother,” he said quietly. “Light like that… sometimes it burns too bright for the likes of us.”
I huffed under my breath, eyes still on her. Burn scars didn’t scare men like us. Hell, they were about the only thing we trusted.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “Guess I’ll take the burn.”
The noise of the bar swelled again, laughter rising, bottles clinkin’, the jukebox hummin’ in the background. But underneath it all, the only thing I heard was her voice in my head. Soft. Certain. The way it always cut straight through everything else.
“Shit,” Devil muttered.
I followed his gaze to the door and swore under my breath.
Brenda stood just inside, arm looped with a man who looked like he belonged behind a desk instead of in a biker bar. Neat hair. Glasses. Tan slacks. Smilin’ like he had no idea where he’d wandered into.
Horse went rigid.
Hands clenched. Jaw locked. His whole body pulled tight like it was bracin’ for impact.
“Why’s she testin’ me?” he growled.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Devil warned as the pair moved closer. “Jail’s not where you wanna spend your night.”
