Page 45 of Lost Lyrebird

Out the back door, I light up a joint, which seems to be the only thing lately that will grant me any relief from the pain.Being in the dark helps too.

By the time I make it back inside, the party has kicked into high gear.Most of the customers have cleared out.Only the die-hards remain.Some of the dancers who’ve finished for the night have stayed to hang out with the guys.Usually, I wouldn’t mind an impromptu get-together, but tonight I’m done in.

I tell myself I’ll have one beer and call it a night.

I even drag it out, though it takes a lot out of me to do so.But I figure if I can prove I’m fine, maybe Bodie will get off my ass about the headaches and quit acting like my fucking babysitter.

Lily walking into the main bar area, wearing a tight red lace top, skinny jeans that look painted the fuck on, and snake-skin heels, has second-guessing that idea.

She and Raven talk for a bit.When they close the group at the table, Bodie reaches out to grab Raven’s hand.She’s too fast for him, though, and swats at him.Then she proceeds to back away while making the sign of the cross with her fingers.

“One day, Raven,” he says.“You’re gonna regret not gettin’ a piece of this.”

“Yes, that day is called when pigs fly with rainbow wings, and the world is ass up and backwards.Plus, we’d have to be the only two people on Earth, which means I’d be desperate as hell.Until then, my friend, I’ll happily keep a ten-foot pole between us.”

Bodie palms his crotch.“It’s not ten feet, but it’s big enough to make even you beg for mercy.”

She shakes her head.“It’s not the size of the dick, or haven’t you heard.You gotta know how to use it.”She shrugs one shoulder and smirks.

Bodie purses his lips in a pout.“Come on.Teach me.I’m all for lessons if you wanna show a brother how it’s done.”

She scrunches up her nose in disgust and turns to me.“Can we not house-train him before letting him out in public?Surely there’s gotta be a collar we can buy, a zapper or something we can use anytime he misbehaves.”

Taz takes the toothpick from between his lips and points it at Raven.“That’s not a bad fuckin’ idea.”

“Seconded,” Griz adds.

Bodie throws up the bird and flashes it around the room.“Fuck you all.I’m not wearin’ no damn collar.”He tilts his head, and something wicked flashes in his blue eyes.“Unless Raven’s holdin’ the end of my leash and ridin’ my cock, while callin’ me a good boy.I’m down for that.”

Raven laughs full out.“You’re incorrigible.”

The banter continues as more dancers join us.Raven drags a chair over to our table.Before Lily can grab one, Stone pipes up, “Got a seat right here for ya, babygirl,” patting his lap with a lecherous grin.

“That right?”She gifts him with a coy smile.

The interaction makes my blood boil.It’s been going on for weeks now—the flirting.Weeks.As in, she’s been all but ignoring me and acting weird as fuck, and yet anytime my brothers visit the club, there’s massive flirting going on.Stone’s her most recent conquest.Hell, he probably instigated tonight’s impromptu party so he could get another crack at trying to get under her skirt.

I don’t realize how tense I’ve become until Dozer glances at me.Stone catches on too, turning with a raised brow.

“What?”he asks, his tone has an edge.“You got a problem with this?”

Every eye at the table shifts toward me.I grunt, which is about all I can manage.I can’t voice shit, because I don’t know how to speak about what the fuck I’m feeling.Frustration.Anger.And the magnitude of jealousy shocks the shit out of me.

Being tongue-tied is new.

Lily answers that question.“I’m my own woman, thank you very much.”

“Whoa.Easy there, killer.Just checkin’ in with the boss man,” Stone says.

Bodie watches me.When I don’t say shit, he huffs.A moment later, he pulls one of the other dancers into his lap with a dramatic flourish and ravages her mouth without asking.She swats at him at first, but within seconds, she completely falls under his spell and melts into him.

“Jesus, man,” Taz scolds.

When the kiss finally breaks, the girl’s breathless.Bodie gives her a wicked smile, palming her tit, and wiggling his eyebrows at her.I roll my eyes at her giggle.

Griz laughs.“How the fuck he gets away with that shit, I’ll never know.”

“You and me both,” I mutter.