Page 9 of The Devils Melody
“Good for you,” I nod slowly, my voice as dry as thefucking desert. “But maybe next time, you should do a better job of keeping your little stalker at bay. Seems like he didn’t get the message the first time.”
Wren’s lips press into a thin line, and for a second, I see something flicker in her eyes. Annoyance? Maybe. But something deeper too. Something she shoves down just as quickly as it appears.
She shifts, crossing her arms even tighter. “Well, maybeyoushould mind your own fucking business.”
I smirk. “Now, where’s the fun in that?”
Her jaw clenches and I swear she’s gonna break her fucking teeth. “God, you’reinsufferable.”
Kage full on laughs at that. She just made his fucking night. I just tilt my head, giving her the same look I’ve given a thousand times before. The one that saysI don’t give a shit what you think about me.
“Yeah, I get that a lot.”
She groans again, turning on her heel. “Just leave. Both of you. You’ve done enough.”
She doesn’t sayor else, but it’s in her tone. In the way she levels us with that glare, you can tell she’s ready to drag us off the property herself. She turns and walks back inside, and I force myself to watch her go as if she’s just another obstacle in our mission. But something about her makes my jaw clench. Makes me want to?—
No.Nope.
Not happening.Pull yourself together, Nox.
I exhale sharply and run a hand through my blonde hair before turning to Kage. There’s a long pause before I finally mutter, “We’re not leaving, are we?”
Kage just smirks. “Not a chance.”
Of course not.
We make our way to our bikes, settling in for the wait.The neon sign above the bar flickers, taunting us with its glowingOPEN ‘TIL TWO AMdeclaration. I check my watch, it’s only eleven p.m.
We’ve got hours.
At first, we sit in silence, the distant sounds of the city filling the space between us. I keep my head down, eyes locked on the pavement, trying to shake the image of her from my mind. I should be focusing on what’s next. On what we actually came here to do. Not this. Not her. But I can feel Kage still watching that damn door. Still…waiting.
This wouldn’t be the first time Kage and I have been drawn to the same woman. It’s happened before. Hell, it’s happened more than once. Some women love the thrill of taking on both of us. They make it seem like they’ve won some kind of fucking prize. Especially when they find out that we’re brothers. For us, it’s always just been a way to burn off some steam. No attachments, strings, or anyone getting too…comfortable.
But Wren? I don’t know what it is about her. I don’t know if it’s those big brown eyes and how they never faltered when she was staring up at me, or if it’s her attitude and how she refuses to take shit from anyone. She’s not just some nameless, faceless plaything we’ll forget about by morning. And that’s the fucking problem.
Kage has already marked her as his. He didn’t have to use his words, even though he did in front of everyone in that damn bar, but I can see it in the way he looks at her. It’s the same way he looks at me, and that right there should be enough to shut this shit down in my head.
But it’s not.
Because right now, we’re just fucking sitting here, waiting for her to walk back outside. And for what? I don’t even know what we’re doing here.
“So is this where you’ve been running off to by yourself the last two weeks? Is she the reason you brought me here?” I ask, but he doesn’t say anything. He just stares at the doors of the bar and waits.
“Kage!” I bellow, the anger behind my voice finally catching his attention.
“WHAT? What do you want me to say?”
“The fucking truth would be nice.”
He sits up straight on his bike, his shoulders squared up as if he’s about to explode. “The truth? You want the fucking truth? Alright Nox, I’ll give you the truth. I’ve been posted up outside of this bar like a lovesick puppy almost every night for two goddamn weeks. Creeping in the shadows, no better than a goddamn wraith, just waiting to get a glimpse of her. I finally felt like I could show her to you, and maybe you would see what I see and feel what I feel. See that she's more than just someone to fuck like all the others have been, but then this piece of shit comes in and ruins the fucking night! There’s your fucking truth.”
Well shit.
Kage pulls out his pack of cigarettes and lights one up, taking in a long, deep drag before letting it out and letting his shoulders relax. He’s been working on controlling his anger issues for the past few months, which led him to smoking, so I don’t pester him about it. I’m all for whatever will calm this angry motherfucker down.
I don’t push him any further. Another hour passes, and I know he’s getting restless. Then, just like I knew he would, Kage shifts, cracks his knuckles, and mutters, “Fuck this. I’m going back inside.”
