Page 5 of Don't Lie To Me

“I can be whatever you want me to be,” I say, knowing right now I am Myriah. I have heard her use that exact line before. And I’m so fucking grateful no one is around to hear me since she is currently clearing tables.

His touch, light as a feather yet intense as a flame, sends thrills through my body as he reaches out and traces the side of my face. “I bet you could.” The way he says it, I know that’s exactly what he’s imagining. Me being wild just for him. I know it’s where my mind is at.

Out of my periphery I spot Asher, one of my older brothers, striding through my club like he owns the place. He spots Myriah chatting to a table of patrons in Iron Strykers’ jackets and kisses her cheek onhis way toward me. Shit! Of course, one of my brothers is here to ruin my flirting. It’s like they have a fucking Sloane-fun radar, and as soon as I’m talking to a dude I’m actually interested in, they appear to spoil it. I glance over my shoulder at my bodyguard, Onyx, and know he’s behind this. They team up on me. He would have texted Asher for sure. I take a step back from the bar as he gets up in my space, kissing my cheek. “Hey, little sis, what you doing behind that bar? Where’s Sally?”

“She’s sick. Don’t you have another sibling to bother tonight? I’m busy covering her shift.”

His grin widens, showcasing his cheeky-as-fuck dimples. “It’s your lucky day. I’m free as a bird, might stick around and give you a hand.”

I glare at him to make it obvious he’s cramping my style. “Fuck off, Ash,” I snap when he doesn’t take the hint. “You know I don’t need your help. All you’re going to do is chat up Myriah and make her all flustered. I need her focused tonight.”

He looks at my new friend at the bar, his brow raised in his direction. “You see how mean my little sister is? Here I am trying to be her hero, and she talks to me like the shit she just scraped off the bottom of her shoes. What would you do if that was your sister?” he asks him, and I fucking know what he’s doing. Making sure this very attractive dude knows who I belong to—the Strykers. And that means he can’t touch me. Or he can, but he might just lose his hands for trying.

I sigh heavily, so over this protective macho bullshit. “You don’t have to answer him. He’s just being a dick.”

“Looks like he wants to help you. I wouldn’t know what that was like, I’m an only child.”

“Oh my God, you’re so lucky.” As I say it, I hear myself and cringe. What the hell is wrong with me tonight? Why do I sound like a highschool cheerleader trying to chat up the football captain? Even Asher gives me a funny look.

“Sloane here has four big brothers.” He turns around so the guy can see his jacket. “Iron Strykers,” he says, just in case it wasn’t already fucking obvious.

The dude tilts his head toward me. “You’re a lucky girl.” He polishes off his drink and hands me the bottle. “How about that second drink.” His lips curl up at the side, and I smirk back. He knows what my brother is doing as well, and he doesn’t give a fuck.

I like this guy. He’s either brave or stupid. I hope it’s the first option; he won’t survive around here otherwise. He stands and holds his hand out for my brother to shake. “Reef Wilder,” he introduces himself. But I’m stuck on how tall he is. He must be six four at least, just a smidge taller than Asher. He’s also built, the muscles in his arms bulging as he shakes my brother’s hand. I almost have to wipe the drool from the side of my lips. This guy keeps getting better and better.

“Asher Stryker,” my brother says with a warning in his tone. “You must be new in town.”

“Just moved here to take care of his gran, how sweet is that, Asher.”

Asher’s eyes run over him. “Real sweet. You might want to get home to her and leave my little sister to do her job, she’s very busy.”

I roll my eyes. We have now lost the ability to be subtle and he’s just plain being an asshole. Fucking awesome. I hand Reef his second beer. Fuck, even his name is hot. Then I take my brother by his bicep, making sure to dig my long-manicured nails right into his flesh as I drag him with me to the other end of the bar. “You need to fuck off. I know what you’re doing, and I’m fucking sick of it.”

“What am I doing, Sloane, offering to help you? That’s all I see here. A big brother who loves his little sister so much, he can’t stand to see her drop her panties for some surfer boy.”

My death glare intensifies, and I slap him across his arm as hard as I can.

His face scrunches up into a scowl. “That fucking hurt. Why are you being such a bitch tonight?”

I stomp my foot, so fucking frustrated. “Because you won’t let me be a normal person. Striding in here and introducing yourself as my brother, a fucking Stryker.” I roll my eyes. “I’m so sick of you and your double standards. You come in here and hook up with my staff and customers on the regular, but God help me if I’m chatting to one nice guy. Nope, that’s not possible. You get Onyx to message you so you can come on in and make a scene, hoping to scare him off.”

His expression turns more serious, and I see how much he really cares. “No one is good enough for you,” he growls.

“I’m going to be single forever.” I’m going to die a fucking virgin. It’s actually going to happen.

From the other end of the bar, I see Reef stand and polish off his drink. He offers me a wave, and my heart sinks. He might be new in town, but even he knows I’m not worth the hassle when I have four big brothers and a bodyguard ready to chop him up just for chatting to me. I offer a wave back, knowing that will be the last time I ever see him in here.

Asher waves as well while he watches him leave and has a little chuckle to himself because he knows he’s won.

“I hate you,” I bark at him, taking a bottle of top shelf whiskey down and pouring myself a drink.

“You love me.” He kisses my forehead. “What needs doing around here? Onyx says you’re stressed and have too much on your plate. I wasn’t kidding, I’m yours for the night, put me to work.”

I glance over at Onyx, knowing deep down he messages my brothers because he cares, but man, it would be nice to have a little freedom.His eyes, dark and intense, lock with mine, and I quickly look away, feeling a blush creep up my neck. Him watching every move I make is wearing, especially now when I can’t get him out of my mind as well.

He has been my bodyguard since I turned eighteen and took over this place, but he has been in my life forever. I wish I knew what had changed between us lately, but maybe it’s always been this way and I just hadn’t noticed he was looking back when I gazed at him with puppy-dog eyes. What started out as a little crush a few years ago has now turned into more of an obsession. I think about him all the time. When he’s close to me, I’m desperate for him to touch me in any way. When I’m alone late at night, I get off to the thought of him. I know he’s off limits, for so many reasons, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting him so badly it hurts. Maybe that’s why I was so excited to have a hot distraction tonight. For the whole time I was talking to Reef, I wasn’t thinking about Onyx.

I close my eyes and massage my temple, trying to stop the spinny feeling that’s happening again. I have been feeling so off this week, lightheaded and just plain weird. I know it’s just stress, and the truth is I really can’t afford to turn Asher’s offer of help away, no matter how much he just pissed me off.