Page 33 of Where Sinners Repent

Maddy turns to straddle his legs, and his hands find her hips in an instant.

“Meeting dismissed,” he mutters, biting his lip. All of his attention zones in on her. “We’ll talk tomorrow when we know more.”

Exiting the room, I feel Kai behind me. Silently trailing me through the club and noise. Out the front door, where the neon red sign illuminates the gravel car park. Even over the rocky ground, his footsteps are silent.

So silent that I almost grunt when he shoves me into the side of our car, pressing his forearm against my throat.

There he is.

It’s been a long fucking time since I’ve seen Kai show any feeling. Now, he’s vibrating with the it.

Eyes cold and harsh on mine. The muscle in his jaw feathering. Forearm pressing against my neck.

“I don’t know what you’re playing at,” he mutters, his face inches from mine. “But leave the girl alone.”

My lips twitch. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His chest heaves, if only by the smallest amount. His teeth slide together, catching my attention.

“No?” His voice is barely a whisper. “Because she seemed to recall a moment between her and me that I wasn’t present for.”

That sentence alone is more words out of him than I’ve heard in forever.

Maybe I’ll have to go pay the girl another visit...

“Did she?” I taunt. “Hmmm. That’s very odd.”

His eyes flicker between mine.

“I won’t tell you again,” is all he mutters before shoving off me and rounding the car to the driver’s seat.

I rub at my throat. It all came and went so quickly, but my heart jolts at the thrill. Call it brotherly bonding.

Huffing, I hop into the car.

As soon as we arrive at the Northview Garage, Kai beelines for Shadow. Fingers skimming over the fresh exterior, free from bullet holes. Machinery whirs from inside the shed.

As much as this weathered garage is an eyesore, something about it feels like home.

Yellow lights stream into the rain-slicked parking lot, music blaring from inside the shop. Above it is a small balcony, leading into their shared living space. Fairy lights sparkle above overgrown potted plants, and chipped white paint.

All five of them under one roof.

It used to be six until Kade’s old lady got ill and passed away. But still, they are family.

Looking at this place, the one they call home, I let myself imagine for a split second how Kai and I might have turned out if we had a family like this.

Sure, they don’t have a lot. But they have enough.

Would we be as twisted as we are? Would we even be Devils?

Questions that will never have answers are a waste of my time.

“If it isn’t my favourite shining twins,” Jules grins from inside the shop.

Wiping his oil-stained hands on his jeans, he saunters out. His dirty blonde hair looks like it’s been pushed back with those oil-stained hands too many times.

“It’d be a hell of a lot easier to start with a new bike than to work on that thing,” he gestures to Shadow, earning a cold look from Kai. He reaches into his pocket to pull out a joint, lighting it as rain spatters over us. “That thing has been through hell and back.”