“There’s a band on at the Black Crow tonight,” I say, tossing our dishes into the sink. “I’ve got a club meeting there, but you’ll be safe. Come with me?”
She looks up in surprise. “You want me to go to the club bar?”
“I want you where I can see you. And it’ll be good for you to get out, see some faces that aren’t trying to tear you down.”
She hesitates, then nods. “Okay. Yeah. I’d like that. What do I wear?”
“Wear whatever’s comfortable,” I say. “Doesn’t matter what it is. It’s only the Black Crow.”
She nods, eyes wide, almost vulnerable. “I don’t really have much.”
“Then keep my t-shirt on,” I say without thinking, then smile. “You already make my clothes look better than I ever did.”
She glances down at herself, tugging at the hem of my t-shirt, a flush rising to her cheeks. “You sure?”
“Positive.” I take a step closer. “You wear it like it was made for you.”
Her breath catches. “Then I’ll keep it on.”
And fuck me if that doesn’t make me want to tear it right back off her.
She’s dangerous in ways I never expected. Little Sunshine is now a woman and her rays are gonna get me burned because I just want to bask in her warmth all damn day.
7
FAITH
“You can wait here, Heather will look after you.” Hayden nods to a woman behind the bar.
“I’ll be ok. You go to your meeting.”
“Hey Heather, this is Sunshine, get her a glass of pop and put it on my tab, would you, love?”
“Hayden, I’m eighteen, not eight.” I blow air upwards in a huff that lifts my fringe. My fists dig into my hips as I glare at him for ordering me a fizzy pop like he would when I was a child.
He glares right back and growls. “Fine. You can have whatever drink you want, but just the one. I’m not having you get wasted on my watch. Your brother would kill me.”
“I’ll have a bottle of WKD Blue, please Heather.” I point to the bottled alcopops in the fridge.
Hayden’s lips curve into a satisfied smirk. “I’ll be back soon. If you need me for anything, come and tell Heather.”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” I thank Heather for the drink, lift it from the counter and wave across the bar to a girl I knew from school and make my way towards her. “Hey Yaz, how are you?”
Yaz flicks her long dark fringe out of her eyes, surrounded by winged eyeliner and smokey eyeshadow. “Same old. How are you? Haven’t seen you since you left school.”
“Yeah, I moved out of town. Went to a closer school. I’ve just finished my A-levels. Get my results tomorrow.” I smile. “What about you?”
“Yeah, same. I got a job at the supermarket while I decide what to do next.”
“I’m looking for a job. Any chance you can get me a job at the supermarket?”
She scrunches her nose. “I don’t think there're any jobs right now. They just set on Letty.”
“Letty?”
Yaz points to a girl about my age with purple hair. “This is Letty, she’s staying at the old farmhouse with Kane. Do you remember him?” She leans in to whisper, “You know the guy who chops up bodies in his workshop with his bandsaw.”
My spine bristles. “I remember. He didn’t like us trespassing on his land.”
