8. SHANE
8
SHANE
W alking into the back room of the Black Crow, the familiar smell of ale mixed with furniture polish catches in my nose. The dimly lit room is a den of raised voices over the punk rock band playing through the speaker.
I continue walking through the room to the side door that leads to a smoking area out back. I don’t miss Lilly by the pool table, talking to one of the regular bikers. He’s harmless enough, but if she thinks she’s going home with him, she has another thing coming.
When she was with Kane, I never had to worry about her. But with her nocturnal activities, I can’t get her off my mind—and it’s not just worry that’s keeping me up all night.
Before I follow Kane outside, I’ve already placed a cigarette between my lips and pulled my zippo from my pocket. The cool air hits my skin, and I zip my leather jacket up to keep out the chill. I light Kane’s cigarette before my own. His cherry flares in the dark corner of the beer garden.
Leaning against the brick with one foot propped against it, I rest my head back, closing my eyes as I inhale my poison. The rush of nicotine softens the sharp edges in my mind, relaxing my shoulders a little.
Kane takes another pull on his cigarette, eyeing me. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.” I let the smoke curl from my mouth.
He raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to elaborate. We’re like brothers. Inseparable since school, we joined the army together. He knows when something’s up. But I can’t tell him I’m lusting after his ex. My fucking sister-in-law. And I certainly can’t tell him what I’ve been doing with her this week.
I have to give him something, or I’ll never hear the last of it. “Just worried about Lil, that’s all.”
“Why? What’s going on with her?” He flicks ash onto the concrete, standing tall.
“She’s been working a lot lately. Did she ever say anything to you about struggling for money?” Maybe he knows something I don’t.
“No. She’s doing all right, as far as I know. I don’t have much, but if she needs anything, she should come to me. Just because we’re not seeing each other doesn’t mean I stopped caring for her.”
“Nah, you know I've got her. I’ve told her I can help her out if she needs it, but she said she’s fine. She works too hard.”
He shrugs a shoulder. “She looked all right a minute ago.”
That’s what I’m worried about. She looked too fucking good. And her bouncing tits is something I can’t unsee. But worse than that, I don’t want to unsee them. If anything, I wish I’d recorded them to watch whenever I want.
I make a mental note to record her next time because I’m a twisted fuck with an addiction to her. “What about you, anyway? What’s going on with you and Violet?”
He drops the cigarette to the floor and snuffs it out with his boot. “I figured I should help her get on her feet. She’s just a lost girl who needs someone to look out for her.”
I place my hand on his shoulder. “You know she’s not your responsibility, right? If she’s dragging up too much of the past for you, I can find a place for her to stay.”
“I’m not letting her go to some women’s shelter. She’s been in foster homes her entire life. I can give her a proper home.”
He won’t admit it, but Violet’s probably what Kane needs as well. Hopefully, together they can heal each other. I think of the siren in the other room and wonder if she could be the one to heal me.
Twelve years in the army, but the one thing to break me was a woman. I gave it all up for Fern. She wanted to start a family and wanted me to be home. Trouble was, when she finally had me at home permanently, we realised neither of us were the same people we had been in high school. We tried for a baby, hoping it would bring us closer, but it was no use. The baby never came, and Fern checked out.
Truth is, I don’t think I ever checked in. My head was still in the Middle East. Everyone hailed me as a hero, but nobody knows the things I’ve done. The things I’ve seen never leave me. But this week, talking to Lilly, my mind’s been occupied with her.
The back door creaks open. An electrical surge down my back awakens every nerve. My body senses her before my mind registers the clicking of her heels against the concrete. Straightening my spine, my eyes rake over those long legs covered in faux leather. A red baggy jumper falls off one shoulder, showing me a lace bra strap. The same lace bra strap she wore last night.
Fuck.
My spine isn’t the only thing to stiffen as I take in her red glossy lips just begging for a kiss. My kiss. But kissing isn't the right word for what I want to do. I want to consume them, devour them before I make her mine.
Our eyes meet. Her mouth parts as she looks between me and Kane. “Hello, boys.”
The biker follows behind her, lighting up a cigarette as he steps through the door. I glare at him, giving him a warning.
He nods at the two of us. “Evening.” He takes a long pull on his cigarette before saying to Lilly, “I’ll catch up with you later.” Then he walks through the gap in the fence, towards his bike.
The only person who’ll be catching up with her later is me.
She waves a hand at the biker, then closes the gap between us, taking the last of the cigarette from between my lips and stubs it out on the bin at the side of her. “How many times do I have to tell you this stuff will kill you?”
Kane huffs out a laugh as if he’s had the same lecture more than once. He steps close to her, holding of her arm, he says. “Are you all right?”
Lilly nods. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Her brow creases, then she laughs. “If you think I’m pining for you, think again.”
Kane looks back at me. “She still has that sassy mouth, mate. I think she’s all right.” He opens the door and heads back inside, leaving me alone with her.
Lilly taps on her phone, then looks up to find me gazing at her with no doubt a dopey fucking smile on my face as I relive last night. “What?” she says, bringing me back to the present.
“What were you talking to the biker about?” I shove my hands in my pockets before I have the urge to push her up against the wall.
“None of your business.” Her lips curl at the corner. “If you must know, he was asking about his aunt. She’s on the ward with a broken hip.”
My shoulders relax. “It’s good to see you out. You look…” My eyes roam over all her curves. The word I’m looking for is mouthwateringly fuckable, but I opt for something simple. “Good.”
“Thanks. I was meant to be meeting Hazel, but her kid got sick. I was just about to go home.” She rests against the brick, biting into her glossy bottom lip.
“Stay and have a drink with me.” I take a step closer to her, my legs moving of their own accord. “With us, I mean. Dom’s brought his girl again.”
“Yeah, I saw Poppy in the other room. Did you know she was on Crimewatch TV?” She taps her cheek with her manicured nail.
I huff. “Yeah. She’s practically a celebrity.” I don’t need to ask Dom what he’s doing with her to know he’s protecting the lass. But it seems he has his own motives.
Lilly’s stunning silvery blue eyes widen as if having a lightbulb moment. “Then you know she was that dancer in the London casino?”
I close the distance, lean in and whisper, “Don’t say anything. I think she’s here under Dom’s protection.” Lingering against her neck for a beat too long, I inhale the sweet scent of honey and almond in her hair. My lips hover over her skin, wondering if she would taste as good as she smells.
The pulse in her neck throbs. Heat radiates between us. “Shane.”
I move my face inches from hers. My palm rests against the brick wall I’m holding her hostage against. “Yes?”
In my mind, my hand’s already underneath her jumper, fondling her heavy breasts. All I need is a hint that she wants me, and I’ll swoop in and claim her right here. Normally, I’m more restrained, but tonight, after a few beers, or maybe it’s the fact that her naked body is still fresh in my mind. Either way, my dick is charged like a taser from the electricity between us.
Her eyes sparkle reflecting the moon in the night’s sky.
“What is it, trouble?” I move the black strands of hair from her face and tuck them behind her ear, then my palm slides to her throat. Her pulse throbs wildly beneath my fingertips.
Her glossy lips part, those teeth bite down into the plump flesh. “My sister.” The words are barely a whisper, but nothing can deter me.
“She can join us if you like.” Under my fingertips, her pulse quickens. I’m minutes away from pinning her against the wall and taking what I need from her.
“That’s gross,” she croaks out the words, zapping away all the built up energy. “How much have you drank tonight?”
I stand back, deflating. My dick recoils. I’ve had a few beers, but not nearly enough as I need after her rejection. I let out a chuckle at my own fucking embarrassment. “I meant she can join us for a drink. What did you think I meant?”
She eyes me warily, chewing on her bottom lip. She knows as well as I do that’s not what I meant.
“Come and have a drink. Dom’s girl, Poppy, looks like she could use a friend.”
She gives me a small smile, as if choosing to believe my mishap. “Yeah, if he ever lets go of her.”
“If anyone can prise her away, it’s you.”
“I can stay for a little while, then I have to get home.”
“What for?” I dip my head to meet her gaze. I know exactly what she has to get home for, and I want to get home for that too, but she should be having fun at her age.
“I have studying to do, remember?” She bites into her lip as she avoids eye contact with me.
“Right. Maybe a night off will do you good.” I make a mental note to text her via the app, and tell her I can’t make our live tonight. Hopefully she can relax a little.
With my hand on her back, her long glossy hair beneath my palm, I guide her into the games room of the Black Crow. At least Lilly’s confirmed what I thought; there’ll never be anything between us other than this brother and sister relationship we have through my ex. It’s just as well as I don’t know if my heart could survive another Sinclair sister.
Kane’s already set up a game of pool as Dom and Poppy walk into the room. He holds her close to his side with a protective arm around her shoulder.
Lilly wastes no time in heading over to her. Reluctantly, Dom lets her go and the girls hijack the pool table Kane set up. A pint sits on the ledge against the wall, and I lift it to my lips, wishing it was something stronger after making a fool of myself.
I should have known better.
Dom leans on the ledge, his gaze never leaving the redhead.
“Heard your brother was back in town,” Kane says.
“He was, but he’s gone back to the city now. Dan’s working a job.” His tattooed hand scratches his short beard.
“Is that what this is?” Kane nods toward the redhead.
Dom bristles. “I took this job on because you vouched for the client. But I don’t know if I trust him.”
“He’s sound enough,” Kane says.
Kane doesn’t trust easily, so if he says he’s sound, then I have to believe they’re decent. Being a police officer and sergeant has taught me that not everything is black and white. Kane’s living proof of that.
“Do you ever trust anyone, though, Dom?” A grin tugs at my lips, remembering the photo of him tied up on his kitchen floor. “I heard you couldn’t trust your woman.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He straightens his spine, his eyes narrowing as he looks between the two of us.
Kane’s shoulders shake with a silent laugh, as if recalling what I’m talking about.
“Dan said she’s good with a rope.” I bring the cool liquid to my lips to bite back my laugh.
“That fucker. I’ll string him up with the rope myself for telling you about that.”
Kane throws his arm around Dom. “He did more than tell us, mate. I’m pretty sure there was a picture.”
Dom shoves him off. “I’ll kill him.”
“Don’t be too hard on him. He was praising your girl for getting one over on you.”
“Yeah, I won’t be falling for her tricks again.”
I lean back against the ledge at the two women chatting over a game of pool. Lily certainly has a few tricks up her sleeve, that’s for sure. And I’ve already fallen for every single one. I thought I could just talk with her and find out what’s going on, but it’s not enough.
I pull my phone from my pocket, remembering to send her a message through the app.
I can’t make our call tonight. We can catch up tomorrow.
It takes her a while to check her phone. She’s too busy chatting with the redhead. But when Poppy takes her shot, she sneaks a peek at her phone, pulling it from the pocket on her ass in her tight faux leather leggings that fit around her thick thighs like a second skin.
My mouth waters thinking of peeling them off. A vibration in my hand brings me back to the present.
Boo, I was looking forward to seeing you.
I dart my gaze in her direction, scanning her face for disappointment, but she spreads her lips into a smile at something Poppy tells her. Clearly, she’s not at all bothered about me cancelling. She must say that to all her clients.
Leaning over the pool table to take her shot, her round ass stretches the faux leather fabric.
I’m staring like a fucking perv, thinking of all the things I want to do to her. She’ll be begging me to join her lives before long.
I get an idea.
Do you have a PO Box? I want to send you a gift.