What we both would prefer to believe. But neither of us does.
Our footsteps crunch over leaves and twigs. No matter how quiet we try to be. We don’t hear another sound. Not even a breath.
By the time we reach the edge of the woods, Aurora is shouting our names and Damien is gesturing us over.
Whatever it was, it’s gone now.
Knox claps a hand on my shoulder, and I jump. “We were probably just hearing shit. A bird or something. We’re just being paranoid. Nobody wants to get caught with their cock out in the middle of the woods.”
I manage a chuckle. Knox can always break the tension.
He jogs off to catch up with Aurora and Damien, the worry already washed off his shoulders.
At the edge of the woodline, something catches my attention.
A shoe print.
The outsole doesn’t match our trainers. Not the imprint of Aurora’s flats.
Knox was wrong. We weren’t looking for a deer or a bird.
Someone is watching us.
Chapter 19
Aurora
I’m stillsore two days after my night in the woods with the Devils. My whole body aches like I ran a marathon after getting pummeled in a Jiu Jitsu tournament.
Damien’s fingerprints are imprinted on my thighs from where he held me while he fucked me against the tree, Finn’s imprinted on my hips and Knox’s under my arms from where I dangled in their grips while they held me above the ground. I should’ve known that any night spent with three Devils would be unhinged and leave me aching, sore, and addicted.
Being chased and fucked by the Devils did absolutely nothing to sate my appetite for them. Now I’m ravenous.
Even Leah’s attitude isn’t enough to sour my mood today. She’s like Leah two-point-oh now that she’s been promoted to manager, but I’m too high up on cloud nine to give a shit.
I grab my table’s drinks from the kitchen, and when I push back out the door, I still can’t shake off the grin I’ve been wearing the past two days.
Until I spot the new guest seated at one of my tables.
Fuck.
I ditch the drinks in front of the regulars and intercept Leah as she’s about to take her order to the kitchen.
“What?” she hisses, shaking off my grip.
“Can you take my table?”
She scans the diner before scowling at me. “You only havetwo. If you seriously can’t handle that, you arenotcut out for this job?—”
“Just this once.” Even though Leah is one of the last people I ever want to ask for anything, I force out the word. “Please.”
Her expression doesn’t change. I’m dog shit on the bottom of her shoe. “Do I seriously need to remind you that you’re already on thin ice? Do your job or quit. Those are your options.”
With that, she flounces back into the kitchen. God, she’s the worst. I grit my teeth, forcing a fake perky smile as I head for my only other occupied table.
“Can I get you started with something to drink?”
“Oh, hey!” The girl with wavy brown hair blinks up at me through thick lashes.