Page 32 of Heart Sick Hate

“I want you to take my virginity.”

She had the nerve to stand there like it didn’t mean anything. She’s lying, she just doesn’t want me to know why.

Doesn’t matter, she’ll tell me. One way or another I’ll get it out of her. Because I need to know what’s held her back all these years.

She smokes and drinks. She parties, and she’s hinted before that she has a dark past. But in all that time, she’s somehow stayed a virgin. It doesn’t make sense.

Which led to another night of restless sleep, watching her too peaceful in my bed. My dick too hard to jack offbecause it would just piss me off more. And when I finally did close my eyes and drift to sleep, she disappeared.

Another morning alone, but for the first time, I didn’t welcome it.

I walk into the office and drop down onto the couch, covering my eyes. The moment I walked into the shop, I already knew Echo was here. She’s overwhelming my senses.

All the bleach in the world couldn’t disguise her lavender scent. It hangs in the air, haunts the walls. I swear it bleeds from her bones because her shampoo is some kind of berry, her lotion is cocoa butter, and her pussy is paradise. But all I smell is lavender.

Fucking Echo.

“What’s got you pissed off this early?” Sage walks into the office and drops into the chair at the desk, kicking his feet up.

“Nothing.” I sit up, flinging my legs over the side of the couch, trying to distract myself from my thoughts. “But I could really go for caving someone’s face in. You fighting tonight?”

“Dude.” Sage tips his chin at me. “You’ve still got a broken nose.”

“So I won’t get hit in the face then.” I shrug. “Wasn’t a problem last night.”

Sage shakes his head, doubting me. But if there’s one thing I do—and do well—it’s fight. Not even the biggest, most fucked up guy gets to me if I don’t want him to.

Perks of no moral code and a high pain tolerance.

Easy to set the rules when there are none.

“Can’t. I’m meeting up with Kane tonight,” Sage says, dropping his feet, his expression falling the slightest.

He probably thinks I don’t notice because it’s rare we talk about anything deep. Partying, tattooing, chilling, and drinking are the extent of our bonding most days. We might work together, but it’s rare we let each other into the real shit going on in our lives.

But I don’t miss that Sage’s usually cocky grin drops at the mention of Kane. Or the dark haze that clouds his eyes.

“When’d you start doing shit with Kane again?”

It’s no secret Sage still has ties to the Twisted Kings motorcycle club since his dad was Kane’s Vice President before he died. But he’s careful how he affiliates with them now, never actually patching in after whatever happened to his father. The fact that he’s meeting with their president means more than he’s letting on.

“I’m not.” Sage stands up. “We just need to talk about some old shit. Nothing to worry about.”

It’s suspicious as fuck. No one at the shop knows anything about Sage’s past, except that it must be dark because bringing it up takes him to a bad place. I’m not sure what he and Kane need to discuss, but it’s not a good sign, even if he tries to play it off.

“Sage I—” Echo pauses in the doorway when she spots me sitting on the couch.

Lavender.

A cloud wafts from her and melts my resistance.

Her eyes widen and color drains from her porcelain cheeks. Fire wells up inside knowing exactly what she’sthinking—feeling—picturing. I’m tempted to spread her out on this couch and do it all over again.

Sage’s eyes dart from her to me because she’s standing there staring, but I stand up before he can read too much into it. Tempted or not, no one needs to know what happened last night between Echo and me.

I don’t do complicated.

Except, that’s what this became the moment I tasted her. A sick desire for more. And more. And more.

---