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“Devon,” she replies nervously, eyes bouncing around like a skittish alley cat. I put an arm around her, pulling her tightly to my side.
“And this is mysilver fox,Duke.” The men standing behind us all snicker at the joke.
Dev’s face turns redder than a beet as Duke pauses for a second not sure if he heard his woman right. He arches an eyebrow, puts his beer down and picks her up fireman style. She shrieks as he shouts out over his shoulder, “Nice to meet ya’ Devon. Sorry, but I need to prove to myold ladythat I still have stamina for an old guy.” He smacks her ass playfully, but hard enough the slap is clearly heard.
Shanna half-heartily pounds her fists against his broad back. I smirk, sipping my beer. She hates being called an “old lady.” He set her afire on purpose and now they’re going to go burn it out in the cabins behind the lake.
Lucky bastard.
Dev sags against me seeming relieved they’ve left. I frown, wanting her to fit in with them. Shanna’s practically my niece and Duke, well, Duke is more like a brother since he’s been with Shanna, the girl I spent my life loving and protecting like she’s my own blood.
I half expect Smith to shout out some smart-ass remark to them but he’s standing still as a statue, eyes lookin’ hard across the picnic tables and string lights at, Luce.
“Who’s your friend?” He asks Dev, eyes never leaving the pixie blond who’s staring back at him just as boldly.
“That’s my best friend, Lucille. She’s visiting from Chicago, she’s supposed to leave on Monday.”
“We’ll see if she makes that flight,” he smirks taking a swig of his beer heading straight for her. He doesn’t even stop but brushes against Luce with his shoulder, grabbing her hand like he already owns her. She doesn’t put up a fight. But goes with him without even knowing his name.
I look down at Dev, tucked against me, “Guess it’s just you and me,” I whisper kissing the top of her head.
I’m torn.
My tongue hurts from all the times I bit it today. The words were on the tip of it, on the brink of tumbling out a thousand times. I wanted to tell him I was Duke’s sister, that Dee was my birthmother, that I needed him to stand by me through the storm my truth would start. But then he’d touch me. Butterfly touches, pushing a lock of hair off my face, skimming his fingertips up and down my bare arm as we sat side-by-side listening to the band the club hired play or feeding me bites of food, fingers brushing the crumbs from my lips.
Rog is a master of seduction. Each touch is a secret caress, slowly breaking me down wanting him to do to me what Duke did to Shanna: Carry me off to one of the secluded cabins and fuck my brains out. Their cries echoed across the lake and through the trees. They obviously didn’t realize the windows were open in their little log cabin. No one seemed to care. Rog did signal to the band to hurry the hell up and get on the makeshift stage. As soon as they started playing they drowned out the shouts of ecstasy coming from all directions.
It was my turn to smirk when I recognized Luce’s shout of “Oh, god!” coming from somewhere beyond the trees.
I’ve been drinking vodka and club soda for hours. It occurred to me; today was not the time or place. I can’t tell Rog here with the men all around celebrating the club’s version of Christmas.
I almost died when I got here and overheard Duke talking about Dee. The way they toasted one another in solidarity was a slap in the face that as soon as they find out who I am—I’d be on the outside of this family who have taken me in.
But seeing Duke in the flesh was the biggest shock. I didn’t know he was going to be here. For some reason I thought it would be just the Springdale crew, but damn, there’s over a hundred men here—some from LA and others from Canada.
Duke is… huge. I’d be scared of him if I didn’t hear through Rog and Toad what a standup guy he is. He’s got eyes as dark as the devil, a full beard but it’s trimmed, and wild dark hair that has a hint of curl—just like me. I’ve been avoiding him since he came back to the party after his lovefest with Shanna. I’m terrified of standing too close to him, that someone might see how similar we are if they look close enough.
“Having fun?” Mac casually asks, walking over.
“I am.
“Really? Then why are you sitting here all by yourself looking like someone stole your lunch?”
I shrug, watching Rog play cornhole with Duke and Federico. “I like the view.”
“Uh-huh. I know it’s a lot. Hundreds of us gathered in one spot. But you’re one of us Dev. Don’t be shy. Come on, we’re playing the winner.”
I let him help me up and I down my drink only to go mix another. After five of them, I loosen up and become myself. As much myself as I can be since my life’s become a pressure cooker.
“Toad and I are playing the winner,” I boldly announce, placing an arm around Rog’s waist and placing a kiss on his cheek.
“You good?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I answer hugging his back and resting the side of my face against him.
Crazy thoughts spin through my head. Maybe I can just let it all go. I have my answers, I have my adopted family… I could have Rog, too and never wound him with the truth.
What’s the point?