Page 6 of Slayin Villain
I lit a smoke and watched the crowd from my post against the bar.Friday night.Packed.One of the new girls was dancing on a pool table.Completely nude.Nashville Bastards didn’t do shit halfway like my brother and his crew in Knoxville.Another was riding Thorn’s thigh like it owed her money.Someone had already bled out in the bathroom tonight.Kingpin didn’t care, as long as the patch-over went smooth and the cash flowed clean.
“Villain.”
I didn’t have to look to know the voice.Ember Dill.All Tennessee whiskey and heat.The kind of trouble that came with a tight little body.
Still, I turned.Slowly.
She stood there in leather pants so tight they might’ve been painted on, a cropped band tee, her band, the Lower Broads, and a smug little smirk that didn’t belong to a girl pretending to be innocent.
“What do you want, Ember?”I took a drag from my cigarette, eyes dragging down her delicate curves.Couldn’t help it.I was no saint.
She shrugged, lips glossy and dangerous.“I need a date.”
I barked a laugh.“I don’t do prom, sweetheart.”
“It’s not a real date.”She stepped closer, brushing past a drunk hangaround.I inhaled her scent.She’d been drinking, lots.But her eyes were crystal clear.“It’s a game.I need to make someone jealous.You in?”
“Who?”
She tilted her head, letting her dark hair fall over one shoulder.“Rome.”
That name hit like bad blood.“You’re still fucking with that asshole?”There was something about our prospect, the guitarist and her bandmate that bothered me.Something was off.He didn’t smell right.
“Not anymore,” she said, licking her bottom lip slow.“But I want him to think I am.”
I looked her over, not bothering to hide the heat in my gaze.“You’re using me.”
“Don’t act like that’s not what you’re into.Fucking with people.One way or another.”
She wasn’t wrong.
I leaned in.“You know Rachel’s not gonna like this.”
Ember's smile turned cruel.“She’ll get over it.Or maybe she won’t.Do you actually care?”
Not owing her shit, I shrugged.
I should’ve walked away.I had a woman.But Rachel knew the score.She knew the club came first and our deal was open.But Rachel still looked at me like I hung the goddamn stars, the moon and the whole damn universe.I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d already lit ‘em on fire many times.
Ember hooked a finger in my cut and tugged me a little closer.“You scared of what this’ll do to her?”
“No,” I said, my voice like gravel.“I’m scared of what it’ll do to you.”
She laughed, deep and full.“Try me.”
I stubbed out my smoke on the edge of the bar.“Let’s play.”
Two hours later, Ember was still on my arm.We’d made our rounds through the bar, through the back rooms, the garage.She clung to me like she was claimed, like she belonged to me.And the looks we got.Fuck, they fed me like a shot to the veins.
Rachel hadn’t shown after work.Maybe she’d heard.Maybe she didn’t care.
Liar.
She always cared.
I was just waiting for her to get here and catch me.
Ember had other plans.
