Page 26 of Demon

“Hey darlin’,” I said cautiously, “what you say we get your car fixed?”

“On a Sunday? No where will be open.”

“We’ll take it to Indie’s garage. He’ll be open.”

“Why? Cos you told him to be?” She turned onto her side, propping her head onto her elbow, her tits spilling onto the mattress, beautiful and full, and distracting.

“No. Because I asked him to. He’s my brother, Ciara.”

“Like fellow member of the bike club, brother?”

“No. Real brother. Like family.”

“Really? He doesn’t look anything like you. And he’s a lot older.”

“Different mams, babe. Half-brothers really.”

She smiled. This was becoming a habit, but I wasn’t going to point it out to her. That was like poking a bear and right now I needed this bear to cooperate. Yet the smile faded quickly, sadness filling its space in her eyes.

“Thanks. But I can’t afford to get it fixed yet.”

“He wasn’t charging you. Or me.”

“I don’t take gifts, Demon. Because then someone expects something in return.”

I studied her, something inside me dulling and a question forming that I didn’t know whether I needed the answer to. And I was sure it was to do with that scar.

“Look, I continued. It’s the least I can do since I was the one who broke it.” I reached forward, pushing a lock of rich brown hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Ciara pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth.

“I need to study. I have to get at least one assignment finished today.”

“Fine. Bring it with you. We’re only going to theDog on the Tyne. I’ll find you a quiet corner to sit in.”

Ciara nodded, slowly.

“Dog on the Tyne?” she asked.

“It’s a pub on the banks of the River Tyne. On the Gateshead side. And it’s the Kings’ clubhouse too.”

“Thought your patch was Newcastle?”

“Yeah, mostly. When we absorbed another club a load of years ago, we took part of Gateshead too, but not enough to call it ours.”

“So, it’s true you have patches, then?” Ciara pushed herself upright till she was leaning just slightly sideways onto her arm, her tits almost right in front of my face. I could just taste them again. “Demon?”

“Sorry. Yeah, patches. Well, we call them occupied areas. We occupy Newcastle and a little bit of Gateshead.”

“So, who occupies the other half?”

“Angels and Demons MC.”

Ciara’s brow furrowed.

“They were inTrouble on the Tynea few weeks back. The big fella who knocked the kid out?” I prompted.

“Yeah. I remember. What was that all about?”

“Kid touched his back patch.” I shrugged.