Page 47 of Devil's Work: Dark

“Right. Then I’ll be right there.”

And just as promised, Winky rides up on his Harley. He looks between me and Dusty, who decided to wait with me. “Need an escort, Dust?” he asks her. “Know none of you women are supposed to go off alone with that psychopath out there.”

“I’m good. Reap is sending someone. You just get Rae home safe.”

“Will do.”

I climb inside the truck and take off for home with Winky following. In ten minutes we’re parked outside my little trailer. He helps me load the kids inside, carrying a passed-out Ty while I carry a passed-out Lacy.

After Winky settles with the TV, a glass of Pepsi, and a bag of chips, I excuse myself to my room. He knows to come get me if my sister arrives before he leaves. I dress in my sleep shorts and tank. Dark’s side of the bed smells like him. I hate that it smells like him. Despite changing the sheets earlier today, the pillowcases or the comforter remain the same ones we covered our naked bodies...Right. Enough of that, Rae.Those get stripped off the bed and shoved into the laundry hamper. I’ll deal with the washing tomorrow. Then I cry.

What did I expect to happen? He’s a biker who has never done commitment or fidelity a day in his life. I give him the gun, then I’m surprised when he pulls the trigger? Dark’s not Jim. Dark will never be Jim. Jim was a stupid asshole who fell asleep while driving, but he was a stupid asshole who loved us, lovedme, with everything in him. I’ll never have that again. So what do I do now?

As I toss and turn in my bed, my bed now sullied by the memories of all the things I let him do to me in this bed, I know with everything in me that I can’t let Dark back in here. I can’t. The kids are becoming attached. Hell,I’mbecoming attached. Becoming? What a joke. I’m attached. How in the hell did this happen?

I hate myself. He’s going to come back here and I can’t let that happen. To not let that happen, I have to call in innocent bystanders. How did my life get so messed up? Big girl panties and all that, I press a hand to my eyes and hit Reaper’s number. I’ve never called it. Never. It’s in my phone because Dark programmed all the brothers’ numbers in my phone. But I know those two are best friends. He has to keep Dark away from my house.

On the third ring, someone picks up. “Hello?” he asks. He wouldn’t know my number.

“Reaper?”

“Who wants to know?”

“This is Rae.”

“Rae, sweetheart, is everything okay? Let me find Dark. He’s got to be around here—”

“No,” I bark into the line.

“No?” he asks.

“That’s why I’m calling. Can you please keep him from coming to my house tonight?”

“What the hell?”

“I’ll stay at Miss Mable’s while he collects his stuff tomorrow.”

“Rae, I asked what the hell?”Angrydoesn’t begin to cover his attitude toward me but that’s his issue, not mine. I’ve done nothing wrong in this scenario—well, aside from falling for a biker. That’s all on me.

Swallowing back my tears, I square my shoulders and give it to him. “He told me we were together.”

“Yeah… I’m aware, sweetheart.”

“Exclusive,” I go on.

“Rae.” He starts to lose his patience.

“I called his phone to tell him my sister called.”

“Okay.”

“A woman answered his phone.”

“Shit,” he whispers under his breath.

“She told me that he was in the shower because they’d just had sex. I can’t have him back here, Reaper. I can’t. It hurts too much. I get it, he’s a biker. He lives wild and free. Bikers fuck bitches…” I break down in tears on my last word, “right?” I throw my hand over my mouth to try to stifle my sobs.

“Who’s with you now?”

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