“Were you close?” he asked.
“No. Our mom liked her a lot more than me because she was blonde, beautiful, and perfect. At least, by our mother’s standards, she was perfect.” Lexie pushed the hair out of her face, staring at him. “She used to thieve off everyone. No one would suspect the crying blonde girl of taking shit. Mom thought it was funny, and so Kayla stole until boys became her thing.”
“What did you do?” he asked.
“I stayed out of the way. There’s only so many times you get slapped around the face before you realize you’re better out in the dark than at home.”
She saw him visibly tense.
“By the time Kayla was a teenager she had more men than you could count on both hands. She loved the attention, and with her looks and figure, she had all the men eating out of her hand. That time was the only time that Mom hated her.”
“Why?”
“Kayla didn’t charge. I was useless. I earned money waitressing or cleaning some of the houses up for rich people.”
Neither of them moved. Lexie wondered what the hell was happening between them. “Where did you meet her?” Lexie asked, struck by jealousy.
“On the road. She was in a bar one night looking for some action. I needed some relief. She was there and didn’t cause a fuss.”
“How did she get to steal over ten thousand dollars?” she asked.
He started walking toward her. Only when he was a few steps away did she try to swim away. He caught her around the waist, drawing her back against him. His hands were on her stomach, her back to his chest. Devil buried his face against her neck, inhaling her in.
Her body was covered in bruises from his rough possession. The marks didn’t make her terrified. The marks made her want him so much more. She craved his rough possession. Her body was aflame for his touch.
“I’m not a good man, Lex. I break the law to make money. The ten thousand dollars was from a drug run for a friend. The money was going into our liquid cash fund that Vincent takes care of. No one looks at cash hidden within a safe.” He kissed her neck, breathing her in.
“How come I’ve never seen you here before?” she asked.
“It has been a long time since I’ve been here, and I didn’t make a lot of fuss. Vincent fell in love with Phoebe, and I wasn’t going to screw that up for him when I knew I wasn’t sticking around.” One of his hands moved up to cup her breast. “Have you been here your whole life?”
“Yes. I’ve never heard of you.”
“I doubt Kayla even knew who I was. Crazy bitch is going to learn not to steal money from me and get away with it.” He kissed her neck. “Your sister is as good as dead.”
The words shocked her. Turning in his arms she looked him in the eye. “What are you talking about?” she asked.
“No one steals from me. I’m not a f**king charity. She took without even asking. Bitch stole my money and my kid. She will pay.”
Her heart was thumping against her chest. “What about me? I took Simon and the money. What are you going to do with me?”
Devil tilted her head back, letting her go. “I’m not going to kill you. What Kayla did was f**king stupid, but she knew I was going to go looking for her. I bet she’s hoping you’ll take her place, easily.”
Lexie wished she could deny it. “You think she wants you to kill me?”
“Kayla’s no f**king saint, Lex. She’s hoping I’ll be so f**king angry I’ll take it out on your ass.” Devil smiled. “Just goes to show the bitch doesn’t know me at all.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t take debts out on family members who are not involved. My problem with Kayla will be settled with her.”
She looked down into the water. Lexie wasn’t scared or even upset by his words. She and Kayla had never been close at all. Taking in Simon had been the closest thing to sisterly love that Lexie had ever done. Not that she had much choice. Kayla had simply dumped her kid on her doorstep. Devil’s reasoning explained the ten thousand dollars.
“Are you scared of me?” he asked, taking a step closer.
Lexie shook her head. She didn’t trust her voice in that instant. How horrible was she that she still desired the man who threatened her sister?
“Good.” His arms surrounded her, and he moved her close to the edge of the pool. “Hold on here.” He put her hands on the edge.
Gripping the ledge, she wondered what he was going to do. He moved the hair off one shoulder, leaving it to trail down the side. The tender way he touched her surprised her. She had started to believe he didn’t know how to be gentle or tender with her.
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t.” The air between them changed. She didn’t know what had happened to make it so.
Devil laid his lips against her temple, kissing her. Closing her eyes, she tried not to be drawn into the web of seduction he was creating. The man behind her was dangerous.
Licking her lips, she tried to think past her own arousal. For once she felt selfish as she didn’t wish to think about anything else but herself.
“This thing between us,” he said. “It’s going to last a long time. You better understand what is happening.”
“Why don’t you tell me? You’re not speaking words of love.”
“I don’t love anyone, baby.”
The words didn’t hurt, but she knew what he meant by them. There would never be any words of love between them. This was the reality of everything they were doing. What happened when the chemistry fizzled out?
Don’t think. Feel.
His lips grazed her neck, nipping at her flesh. Tilting her head to the side she gave him better access. His hands caressed her body, cupping her tits and tweaking the ni**les. Still, she held onto the ledge keeping her eyes closed. Everything else faded away. There was only the two of them hidden away in the darkness. The warm air washed over her shoulders, and she shivered as his touch moved down to her pu**y. One hand slid down, caressing her slit, stroking her, heightening her arousal for what was about to come.
“I’ve got you, Lex.”
She felt protected. Devil wouldn’t let anything happen to her providing she didn’t betray him. The club would be like a family to her. The answers she’d been missing for a long time came to her as he touched her body. She knew he was holding himself back. Devil was many men, and this time he showed her another part of himself.