What Doesn't Destroy Us (The Devil's Dust #1)(25)

“Uh, yeah. I’ll be down in a few minutes,” I respond, trying to look at anything in my room but his god-like perfection. The raven on his bicep, however, lures me into its trap like the ominous predator it is. I'm hypnotized at the way the bird dances on his arm.

“Okay.” He stands there as if he wants to say more but eventually turns on his heel and walks out. The spell broken, I just catch his feet before the door closes. Shadow barefoot is somehow very appealing and lovable.

I stop in the bathroom on my way to join the others to splash my face with cold water, my dream left me a sweaty mess.

I walk into the living room to find the guys huddled around a couple of open pizza boxes and some movies. They're cussing over which one they are going to watch. I bet none of them asked my mom if she wanted any pizza, but who can blame them. She hasn’t been the most approachable human. I walk over to my mom’s room and hear her talking. The door is slightly open so I stop right outside of her line of vision and listen. Being snoopy is the only way I can find out anything around here. I should have started this a long time ago.

“It’s not like I had much of a choice in coming here!” I hear her snap at whoever is on the other end. “Are you serious? You want me over there?... Fine... She will be fine here. I can come back and if she has seen anything... Yes, I’ll go now,” she says angrily.

Where is she going? What does she mean if I see anything? This is what eavesdropping gets me; more questions and no answers.

I don’t hear her voice anymore, so I knock on the door.

“What!” she yells. I open the door and see her phone in one hand and her chewing her nails on the other. I wonder who she was talking to. Maybe it was my father, but I would be crazy to ask.

“They bought pizza and movies; want to join us?” I ask lightly, not wanting to piss her off any more than she seems to be.

“What? No, I’m fine. I’m going to the club. Will you be okay here by yourself?” she asks, putting her shoes on.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I have my cell phone if anything goes wrong,” I remark, trying to ease her mind from leaving me behind. But why was she going to the club?

“Great. If you see anything you’re uncomfortable with, give me a call, okay?” She walks past me into the living room.

“Can one of you take me to the club?” She worded it like a question, but her voice made it sound like a demand.

“Shit,” Bobby says, taking a slice of pizza. “Yeah, I can if you let me eat first. I’m starving.”

“That’s alright, I got it, boys,” Charlie says, finishing a slice of pizza.

“Great! Let’s go,” she says, walking out the door.

My mother hates my father, I wish I could say I was optimistic and my parents will get back together, but I know hell would have to freeze over for that to happen.

I grab a slice of pizza and flop onto the couch opposite of Shadow and Bobby. I dig my phone out of my pocket to stalk the social networks; anything to keep from having to look at Shadow and his gorgeous body. I can feel him looking at me; eye-f*cking me. I need to keep him at arm's length. I have been burned enough.

“Ping”. My phone lights up alerting me to a text message from an unknown.

“Seems someone has been playing on my phone. – S”

Shit, that picture I put in there this morning, before everything really went to shit. What was I thinking?

“Just delete it, it was a mistake, don’t read into it. - D”

“So, you moaning my name in your sleep, was that a mistake? - S”

My nostrils flare, and my face turns red with embarrassment. Before I can reply my phone pings with another text.

“Oh, and I’m not deleting it! I want to remember you like that, thoroughly f*cked by me. - S”

Reminded that I am nothing but a sex toy to him, my body vibrates with rage. At one point, a point when I was over stimulated and high on Shadow, I didn’t care what the terms were I just wanted him. After realization slammed into me this morning, I cannot allow myself to be that weak again. I have to maintain my self-control. I turn my phone off and shove it in my pocket. I focus my eyes on the movie; it appears to be a comedy of some sort. I can feel Shadow staring at me, making me uneasy. I glare back and he gives that wolfish grin that makes my panties wet.

“Well, that movie sucked,” Bobby proclaims, after the ending credits come up. He reaches forward and grabs his beer off the coffee table, his TCB tattoo again catches my attention.

“What does TCB stand for, anyway?” I ask, genuinely curious.

Bobby eyes his hand. “Taking Care of Business. You like it?” He flexes his fingers making the tattoo move slightly on top of his hand.

“Like the song, 'Taking Care of Business“? They both start laughing; full-blown belly laughs. What's so funny? My ears and cheeks go warm, the blood rushing to them in embarrassment.

“No, it’s just something we say a lot around the club. Taking care of business,” Bobby informs me, after he gets his laughing under control. I look over at Shadow, his eyes hooded with desire. It seems like every time I make a fool of myself he gets turned on.

“Oh, do you have any other tattoos?” I ask Bobby, knowing he’ll show me. He rises from the couch and pulls his worn black shirt over his head of blond curls. His body is as toned and tanned as Shadow's but covered in tattoos. I stand up and with my finger trace a skull tattoo he has along one pectoral muscle. Without breaking contact, I glide my fingertip across his golden chest to follow the outline of 'Live To Ride, Ride To Live' inked just above his other nipple. I can feel his body stiffen under the caressing trail my fingers leave behind. He is definitely ravishing, but I don't feel anything when I touch him; not like the flames I feel with Shadow. I look over and see Shadow’s jaw clenched, he is staring straight ahead and taking a swig from his beer intently.