Warped (Dueling Devils Book 4) (12 page)

He
parked and moved from the bike taking in the tombstones. Some were small
squares in the ground while others were more ornate. The one thing everyone had
in common was that they were all dead. No amount of money could prevent that
eventual conclusion to the story of their lives. Losing everything so young,
he’d learned the time you had was precious and he tried to find his own
happiness.

He
paused in front of his mother’s gravestone.

Mary
Anne Louise Sumner
,
Loving Mother, Wife, and Friend.

Nothing
they put could explain the vibrant, brilliant, big-hearted woman who’d been
taken away far too soon. His brother’s word gave him an explanation to
questions he’d always had in the back of his mind. Why hadn’t his mother gotten
up? Had his father intentionally start the fire and allowed himself to succumb
to smoke inhalation? They always said truth was stranger than fiction and in
this case, there was no deviation from the phrase.

“Hey,
Mom, I know it’s been awhile since I came last, but I could sure use your
wisdom. I found out how the fire started and why Hartley refuses to accept my
forgiveness or the way my life had become. He thinks he stole it from me.” He
shook his head. “I’m not sure he’s wrong, but I don’t have any ill will toward
him. We played the cards we were dealt the best we could. Our home was a
glycerin sweating stick of old dynamite waiting to blow. Maybe he saved us all
from a much worse fate. We’ll never really know.” He shrugged. “What bothers me
most is how long he kept this from me. It makes me see him in a different light
and that—that damn near kills me.” He shifted his weight. “I know I need to
give myself time, but I see him every day at work and in the clubhouse. It’s
hard to get over something when you have the person right there in your face
day in and day out.”

Monster
paused to look around at the cemetery as he gathered his thoughts.

“This
shouldn’t have been the way I found out. I think half my anger is from the way
he treated, Symone. God, she’s perfect for me. I mean, not many women can look
past the mess the fire left and more than that, she understands what it’s like
to live like this. Less than perfect and constantly reminded of that fact. I
think you’d like her. She has a sweetness to her, despite what happened, or
maybe because of it. She appreciates kindness, honesty, and loyalty more.” He
took a deep breath. “I can’t let anything ruin this. I know it’s my one shot.
She’s the one. I want to put a ring on her finger and fill her belly with my
babies. I’m pushing thirty-five and time is not slowing down.” He rose on the
balls of his feet. “I’m trying to keep a steady pace she can accept, but shit
like this makes me want to go caveman and cloister her up somewhere…where
nothing can touch her.” He sighed and shook his head. “Emotions make things
difficult.”

He
thought of the platinum two-karat, kite diamond that rested in the inner pocket
of his vest. Life was a whirlwind. Why should this part of it be any different?
His pocket vibrated. He removed his phone and smiled at her text. Yet another
reinforcement of why he was choosing wisely. He removed the phone. “
At a
safe place. Thinking the shit through, don’t worry.’
He replaced the phone,
feeling lighter. This was nothing more than a bump in the road he would
overcome eventually. Maybe with things out in the open, Pan could begin to
actually heal.

Pan’s
predisposition toward managing his life had always seemed strange. Now, he knew
he’d been trying to assuage his own guilt. It was easy to see where Pan had
been coming from, but it didn’t make things magically okay. He took a deep
breath and then spoke. “We’ll work it out Mom. You always told us to look out
for one another and I’ll continue that tradition. He’s my twin and my brother
in arms. I’d never turn my back on that. But things need to change. Maybe
that’s why this came out. To break the chain that’s bound us together in
misery. I’m going to go now Mom. I’ll bring Symone by soon. I think it’s about
time for that.”

He
left the graveyard feeling lighter than when he arrived. His phone vibrated
once more and he saw it was Chase.

“
Where
you at bro? Want to meet up and talk? I heard there was a blow out between you
and Pan? No details were shared.”

Symone’s
thoughtfulness made him smile again. He texted her back. “
Yes, but not to
talk about Pan. I want to talk about Symone. I need your help with something.”

His
phone vibrated again. “
I’m game. When and where?”

 
He
grinned. “
My condo, in fifteen.”

A
bike ride later, he opened the door and revealed a curious-looking Chase.

“You
look shockingly well given the worry in Symone’s eyes.”

“I
bounce back fast.” He shrugged and stepped back.

“Alright,
so why am I here?”

“I
know jack shit about romance, Chase.”

“And
you think I do?” Chase snickered.

“More
than me. I want to set up a special night for Symone, here at the condo.”

“Like
a dinner?” Chase frowned. Her smooth brow furrowed and her eyes darkened as she
focused.

“Yes?”

“Oh,
you are hopeless. Okay…romantic evening. Champagne on ice, flowers and a decent
meal. Can you even cook?”

“Enough
to not starve.”

“That’s
a no. We’ll order in. Do you know her favorite flower or color?”

“Pink
roses if peonies aren’t in season and any light shade of pink to dark, then
park it before you hit the Pepto range.”

She
arched an eyebrow at him.

“We
talk, Chase. This isn’t some temporary shit. She’s not a biker bunny, or a
convenient lay.”

Chase
held up her hands. “Bro, don’t kill the messenger. Most men are clueless. I’m
impressed.”

“Good,
let’s hope she will be too.”

“Oh,
trust me, she will be. Do you want to do this tonight?”

“I
figured the least I can do is balance some of the bad with the good.”

“Good
for you. I’ll be your errand girl, since I’m driving a cage right now, and you
can straighten the place up a bit, change the sheets, the little things you men
don’t think to do.”

“I’m
on it.”

“Alright,
we’ll meet back up in say an hour. I’ll place the order at my favorite Italian
place and you can pick it up tonight at…say, five-thirty?”

“Perfect,
you’re a lifesaver, Chase.”

“I
like Symone a lot. If you weren’t going for her, hell, I might have.”

“Seriously?”

She
winked and headed for the door, leaving him amused and intrigued. Chase was
good at that.

*  *  *  *

A
few hours later, Monster did his best not to stare out the window and look for
Symone’s car.

I
can’t believe this. I’m this fucking nervous.

Candles
were placed around the house strategically thanks to Chase; a bouquet of pink
peonies waited on a table by the front door. A pan of warm lasagna and bread
rested in the oven and a crisp salad rested in the fridge. He’d never run the
dating gamut, so this was completely new and incredibly frightening. He didn’t
dress up because it wasn’t him. He kept with his white t-shirt, vest, and jeans.
The best part of Symone was she accepted him as is.

A
knock came at the door.

Do
or die time.
He opened the door.

“Are
you okay?” she asked.

Her
worried tone made him smile. “Yes, babe. I’m pissed, but I’ll work through it
eventually. Right now, though, is about you.”

“What?”

“Come
on in.” He guided her in and locked the door behind them.

“This
should be about you, Monster.”

“No.”

“Hayes.”

The
sound of his given name on her lips froze him into place.

“I
need to know you’re okay.”

“You’re
here with me, how could anything be wrong? I want to think about the good shit
in my life right now. That means you.” He bent down and nipped her bottom lip.

Her
eyes went soft and she leaned against him.

“There’s
my girl.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her to his body. “I
have something for you.” He turned her toward the table and picked up the
bundle of flowers.

“Oh
my God.” She covered her mouth with her hand. “No one has ever done this for
me.”

“Their
loss.”

She
took the flowers and inhaled. “You remembered my favorite.”

“I
commit everything you say to memory, babe.” He led her through the house and
into the kitchen.

Symone
walked into the dimly lit room and gasped. Candles rested in the center of the
table on top of fancy placemats. “Hayes,” she whispered.

He
smirked. “I can’t take credit. Chase helped me with the set up.”

“But
you asked her to and that
is
everything. You’re making my fucking life
right now.” She placed her head against his chest.

He
held her close. “How about you put those into a vase and I’ll serve up food…before
you become the main course.”

Grinning,
she raised her eyebrows. “Maybe I’d like that.”

“Tonight,
babe.”

“Yes.”
She nodded her agreement and turned to head to the sink.

He
dished the food onto plates and took them to the table.

“I’m
not sure what I did to warrant this, but thank you.”

“You’re
you.” He shrugged.

“What
did you do when you left?”

“I
went to the graveyard and talked it out with my mom. It’s a habit I fell into
after the fire. She was always that listening ear who gave good advice. Even
before he started hitting the bottle hard, the old man lived by the old school
theory of making us as tough as possible. You didn’t come to him with
complaints.” He shuddered.

“And
it helped?”

“As
fucked up as it may sound. Hearing his admission gave me the closure I never
had before. There were so many unanswered questions. I shoved them to the back
of my mind, but they were never gone completely. I think this was the step
needed to break the unhealthy bond that existed between us. It’s time we move
on in our own directions. We’ll always be twins and have the club, but we don’t
need to be in each other’s back pockets. Did he bother you again today?”

“No,
the rest of the day was a piece of cake.”

“Good.”
He nodded his head, pleased that Pan recognized how serious he was about
Symone. They continued the small talk while finishing their meal and his
anxiety ramped up. “I’ll clear away the plates.” He stood, took the plates to
the sink and took a deep breath. He returned to her side and knelt beside her
chair. “Babe, you know you make shit right for me. I want to lock this shit
down permanently and give you my last name. I’m not getting any younger and we
both know how swiftly things can change. I don’t want to wait.”

“Hayes,”
she whispered.

He
pulled a black velvet box out of his vest and opened the case. “Will you be my
old lady and marry me?”

“Oh
my God.”

His
heart pounded in his chest, slamming against his ribs. Blood rushed in his
ears. Time slowed to a crawl. He swallowed hard. “Symone?”

“I
never even thought this would be a reality for me.”

“I
told you, I want everything, babies, rings, you in my house and my bed every
day and night. Is that what you want?”

“Yes.”
She nodded her head and laughed. Tears rolled down her face. “It’s absolutely
what I want.”

“Then
give me that hand, babe.”

She
held out her left hand and he slipped the ring on her finger.

“It’s
beautiful.”

“Just
like you.”

“I
don’t deserve you.”

“I
think the same thing daily.” He kissed the ring on her finger. “You’re stuck
now. I’m not letting you go.”

“That
goes both ways, Hayes.”

“Fuck,
I like the sound of my name on your lips.” He parted her legs and caressed her
thigh-high covered legs. “I can’t wait to hear you scream while I’m buried deep
inside you. Hold your skirt up.”

She
did as he asked.

“Such
a good girl.” He ran his thumb down her center and she bucked. Hungry for her taste,
he slid her panties to the side and licked a path up her heated slit. The sweet
taste of her coated his tongue and he groaned. “Best dessert I’ve ever had. Put
those legs over my shoulder babe. I need to go deep.” She swung her legs over
his shoulders and he buried his face between her legs. He lapped at her puffy
lips and nuzzled her clit with his nose. She cried out and lifted her hips
against him. He moaned and stuck his tongue inside her, caressing every inch of
her walls he could reach. She rewarded him with a fresh gush of cream and he
began to thrust inside her tight sheath.