Page 35 of Demon

Suzy stood up, sticking her bottom lip out in a mock pout, and I rolled my eyes as Magnet bent down and sucked it into his mouth.

“Alright. Alright. Go home. Have a good fuck and take all this out of my face.” I waved my hand in their general direction.

Magnet wrapped an arm around his wife and turned back to me, holding out his hand.

“Night mate,” he said, as I gripped his hand.

I gave him my best pouty face, mimicking his wife, then jumping back as he moved in like he might just kiss me.

“Fuck off, mate. Or I’ll rearrange that pretty face of yours. Again.”

He laughed, walking away, shaking hands and slapping backs as he guided the petite blonde out of the clubhouse.

I glanced down at Ciara, who was watching me intently, shaking her head.

“What?” I asked.

“I thought you two didn’t like each other?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you beat him up!”

“He punched me too!”

“So what? You’re both just cool about it?”

“I told you. It was a misunderstanding. We’re over it. Back to being family now.” I shrugged, partially amused by the confusion on her face. “Look. If we have a beef with each other, we just sort it out. Then it’s done. That’s just how it works.”

“And you just go straight back to being mates?”

“Aye. It’s just what families do.”

“Really? Someone should have told my family that then.”

And suddenly that hint of sadness that she seemed to always carry around was back. The light in her eyes dampening.

“Your family not so hot then?”

She sighed, chewing her bottom lip whilst she decided how to answer.

“I think it’s time I got going,” she said eventually. “Do you have a taxi number?”

I nodded, typing in a number into my mobile and handing it to her. She held it to her ear, and I waited. And waited. Ciara sighed loudly, shaking her head.

“It’s just ringing out,” she grumbled, suddenly looking tired.

“Look. I’m staying here tonight. Why don’t you just bunk in with me? Then, you can drive home in the morning. Means you don’t have to come back for your car,” I added when I saw the flicker of stubbornness cross her face.

*****

“Shit, Demon. I didn’t think we were bunking in with anyone else?”

Ciara’s eyes scanned the darkened room with the four single beds, making it look more like a youth hostel.

“It’s just Fury and the twins. And they’re asleep.”

“Well, where are we sleeping?”