Page 17 of Malice and Surrender
“So funny. Eclipse, it’s down by the beach, you know, the one with the fancy lights on the patio area?”
“No, actually, I don’t,” I said.
“I don’t get it. Why can’t she be some geek that likes to be a hermit and stay in her room? And why does she always have to go out looking like she’s ready to fuck everything? If someone so much as touches her, I’ll cut off their hand.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I stared at the side of Roach’s face and his twitching jaw muscle.
“You like her,” I said, and his eyes snapped to mine.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“No, I fucking don’t. The last time I wasn’t making sure she stayed out of trouble, I found her at the clubhouse taking her shirt off.” Roach gave me his full attention, his eyes wide. “Do you know what Hollywood would’ve done to me if he found out that she fucked one of the guys at the club? I’d be a dead man. D.E.A.D, man.”
“Dramatic much? First, none of the guys were going to fuck the girls, at least I don’t think, but I’m sure she fucked a ton of guys before her big bro put the chastity belt in place.” Roach narrowed his eyes, and I couldn’t resist poking at him. “Look at her. She’s a smoke show and totally fuckable. We could’ve given her a good old roasted spit job that night if you hadn’t chased her off,” I said and waited for it.
“Don’t you dare fucking touch her. You lay one finger on her fucking head, and I’ll blow your dick off,” Roach growled, his eyes murderous, which made me snort and then laugh.
“Yup, you don’t like her at all,” I said.
“You’re a prick. I’m only fired up ‘cause Hollywood is my bro, and if roles were reversed, he would look out for my sister. I can’t let her get hurt or into trouble.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister,” I said.
“I don’t.”
I shook my head and tried to right the insanity train. “Okay, fine, so you basically want me along for babysitting duty. Check. I now understand what we are doing and why. Next question, how far away is this place?”
“Dude, it’s Eclipse. Fuck, do you pay attention to anything? We pass it almost every day. It’s like twenty from here,” Roach said as he wheeled into the coffee shop he knew I liked. I had no clue why he didn’t just come here in the first place if he planned to try to bribe me.
I’d heard of this bar, but it wasn’t my type of hangout. I preferred the quieter and a whole lot seedier spots or just stayed at the clubhouse. These popular bars were all the same. A million fucking people rubbing up against you, but with way too many clothes on. Jerks who thought they were tough when they had no idea what it was actually like to kill someone, and the booze was always way overpriced.
“Is this going to be a regular thing? The whole stalk her all over Florida?”
“If the girl would learn to stay put, then no. I really should invest in that cage. Do you think I could get away with putting her in a cage? Hollywood would be fine with it if it kept her safe, wouldn’t he? I could give her pillows and food, and she would need a toilet,” Roach mumbled as he tapped his chin. I didn’t know if he was actually asking me this ridiculous question, so I stayed quiet. “Hollywood gets out in six months. I could make it work. College kids go MIA all the time to party, and I could force her to keep her studies up.”
No, he didn’t like this chick at all. Totally normal fucking reaction. I rolled my eyes at Roach. Maybe he didn’t see it, but you would have to be blind not to see how he felt for this girl.
“I say no to the cage. Hollywood is not going to like his sister in a cell like he is,” I said.
“Hmm, you may have a point.”
I stared out the window as the sun set. There was only one girl I’d ever loved or wanted for more than getting my cock wet, and now I hated her.
Pushing the thought of Raine from my mind, I sighed and focused on the road, no longer paying attention as Roach talked. One of these days, I was going to miss something important, but that wasn’t tonight.
Roach pulled into the beach parking lot and immediately swore as we watched a group of girls wearing so little it could pass as beach wear walk by the truck. Roach ducked low as Lane looked over and waved.
“Smooth, man. Totally suave. She didn’t see you at all,” I mocked and pushed open my door.
“Shut up, man,” Roach snarled back and swore as Lane held up her finger to her friends and reversed course. She was heading straight for the truck, and I leaned against the hood, loving every fucking second of this.
Roach couldn’t have looked any guiltier if he had tried as he slipped from the driver’s seat and met the cute little blonde as she stepped up to the truck with her hands on her hips.
“Cole, are you following me?”
My brows lifted at the use of Roach’s real name. He didn’t tell many people what it was unless forced to, but I couldn’t picture her having to force him to do much of anything. He looked more like he was ready to dissolve into a little puddle at her feet for a taste. Pathetic.
