Warped (Dueling Devils Book 4) (9 page)

Symone
gasped. “How old were you?”

“Thirteen,”
he whispered.

“Then
you have to know none of that was your fault.”

Her
eyes blazed with an emotion he couldn’t get a handle on. She cupped his face
between her hands and he soaked up her gentleness. “Did you start the fire?”

“No.”

“Then
why are you placing the blame on your shoulders?”

“Because
I should’ve been faster and stronger, dammit. It was drilled in my head for as
long as I can remember to protect my mother and keep my brother safe. I
failed.” His voice shook. He closed his mouth and shook his head, unwilling to
speak any more on the touchy subject.

“I
think we’re both a little warped and worn, but that doesn’t mean we can’t
change, right?”

It
was an olive branch he grabbed with both hands. “Right.”

An
understanding passed between them. They were kindred. Despite the fear and
tendency to be gun-shy, what they’d discovered was rare.

She
opened her mouth to speak and paused, shaking her head.

For
now, it was enough that she remained here with him at this moment. The rest
they would figure out as they went.

“Speak
now or forever hold your peace, Symone. ‘Cause from here on out, I’m placing
you under my protection.”

“With
conditions.” Her voice fell so low, he had to strain to hear it.

“I’ll
bend as much as I can, but if it comes down to keeping you safe and we
disagree, I’m not going to back down.”

She
frowned.

Don’t
backpedal now, babe.

“We’ll
see how it goes.”

The
words were all the green light he needed.

CHAPTER FIVE

T
he
jingle of the telephone drew her attention to the end table beside the couch.
The name Monster flashed in bold black and she snickered. Leave it to him to
program something into my phone. She answered, “Hello.”

“What
are you doing, babe?”

His
laid-back approach made her smile. The man was persistent. She had to give him
that. “Watching television. What are you doing?”

A
knock sounded on her door.

“Answer
the door and find out.”

“What?”
She stood from the couch and walked over to the door. She peered out the
peephole.

Monster
stood outside in a black t-shirt, his cut, and a tattered pair of jeans that
hugged his legs.

She
licked her lips.

“You
debating whether or not you’re going to let me in?”

“Maybe,”
she leveled.

He
chuckled. “How about you make it easy on both of us and let me inside?”

Symone
unlocked the chain and pulled open the door.

Monster
hung up his cell and shoved it into the pocket of his vest. “You ready to come
away with me?”

“Where
to?”

“Wherever
you want.”

The
words stunned her into silence. No one had ever taken her feelings into
consideration. “I-I don’t know.”

“How
about we figure it out together?”

She
narrowed her eyes and studied his expression. Underneath the scarring and
hooded eyes lay a sincerity that stole her breath. He was a man of action. It
scared her witless and drew her to him like a moth to a flame. Every statement
he made had been instantly backed up by action.
Maybe you can trust him.

He
leaned against the doorframe.

His
massive size filled her vision.

“You
can trust me. I’d never let anything hurt you. That includes me.”

“Why?”
she asked once more.

“I
see something in you I’ve needed for a long time. I didn’t realize it until you
came and it struck me like white-hot lighting. In the blink of an eye,
everything shifted for me. You’re not an average woman and we both know I’m
nowhere near normal. So, let’s not get hung up on how we think things should be
and deal with things as they are.” He cupped her face in his callused palm.

She
leaned into his touch, desperate for the unexpected gentleness he offered
freely. The exterior people presented meant nearly nothing. It could be
manipulated and prettied. The soul that lay at the core of person’s being was a
different matter. This man, with his mangled flesh, stern face, and cold eyes
exhibited more heart than anyone she’d ever known.

He
held out a hand to her, ready to save her from drowning in her own confusion,
doubt and fucked up past.

All
I have to do is take what he offers.
She stood on the edge of
a cliff with more of the same behind her and a vast space of unfamiliar
territory ahead.

“No
man will ever want you now. You’re used up goods with a hideous face and no
other skills besides lying on your back,”
Mylandra’s cruel
voice taunted her.

Her
stomach tangled into knots. She placed a hand on her belly.

Monster
studied her from beneath lowered lids.

Don’t
let her win.

She
struggled with the ghost of her past, thrashing in the proverbial deep waters
of her mind. Wriggling back and forth, she kicked her way to the surface. The
only way to break free was to do the very thing that scared her most, trust
someone. “Show me.”

Monster
grinned and she could imagine him as he would’ve been. Free of blemish and so
gorgeous he’d make your heart ache. Like a young James Dean, he gave a sense
that he lived fast. Everything she’d seen and heard told her bikers rode a
dangerous path. Being with one wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Still, she
couldn’t bring herself to feel true fear. He wanted her to be his. She clutched
at the yearning to belong that he offered.
A part of making your own
decisions is making mistakes and he’s someone I’m willing to take a chance on.
The
affirmation kept her demons at bay.

“Get
your shit, baby. I’ll show you around town.”

Symone
turned on her heels, then ran for her purse and keys she kept on a table. She
snatched up the small black clutch and key ring, then walked out of the
apartment feeling in charge of her life.

“You
ever been on the back of a bike, babe?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Well,
that stops now. Only bike I want you on the back of now is mine.” His eyes
darkened with possession.

To
some, it might be insulting, but for her it was the ultimate compliment. The
common liberties and freedoms most took for granted, she’d coveted and dreamed
about. She locked the door behind her and he took her hand, lacing their
fingers. Her jaw dropped.

“What?”
he asked.

“I
didn’t think you’d be one for showing affection in public,” she admitted
bashfully.

“There’s
plenty you have yet to learn about me. Let’s start off with this. You’re mine
and I’ll touch you anytime and anywhere, regardless of who’s watching.” His
eyes darkened with desire.

It
was a look she knew well. Coming from him, it felt good. With no guilt or
fakeness. Just a raw connection she craved more of.

“You
like the thought of that?” He pressed the down button to the elevator. The left
side of his lip quirked upward, rearranging the scarring.

Without
thinking, she reached out to brush the area with her thumb.

He
froze. His jaw twitched and his body tensed.

The
ding of the doors broke the tension building like a storm between them. She
dropped her arm and they stepped inside.

“Tell
me what you like to do,” Monster urged.

“I—I
don’t know. Leaving the compound wasn’t something that happened.” She stared at
the carpeted floor of the elevator, humiliated by the by the lack of living
she’d done.

The
cart came to a stop and the door opened with a ding.

“That’s
going to change.” His nostrils flared.

She
stepped back, feeling slightly wary.

“When
I think about how much you’ve missed, it makes me want to kill someone. Those
are your basic fucking rights. People think we’re the devil and we wouldn’t
dream of doing any shit like that. It’s all about living free. I want to you
experience that. To see what life should be. It’s the whole reason the brothers
and I ride.”

They
walked out of the complex and stopped in front of his massive black and chrome
steed. Her modern day black knight with his brutal honesty, coarse language,
and distorted visage. He mounted the motorcycle, handed her a helmet, and put
on his own. “I’ll show you how to get on. Grab my shoulders, put one foot on
this kick stand, and swing your leg over.”

She
clutched his shoulder, awkwardly launching her body up behind him.

“Now,
wrap your arms around me and hold on tight.”

Symone
looped her arms around his middle.

He
ran his fingertips over the back of her hand. “You can do better than that.”

She
held him closer.

“Now,
you’re getting it.” He brought the bike to life.

The
growling beast shook her from the inside out. The vibrations shifted something
in her lower belly that made her want to squirm.

“I’m
going to make you love this life as much as I do. Wait and see.” He pulled away.

Symone
gasped as they propelled forward. Her stomach bottomed out and she pressed her
chest against his back. The wind whipped at her, greedily pulling her close and
caressing her face. The world passed by in a blur.

Monster
expertly maneuvered the bike down the streets between cars.

As
time passed, her anxiety faded and she began to enjoy the ride.

The
signs above changed from English to scrawling symbols she couldn’t make out.
They pulled in front of a large glass window with gold lettering and a slanted
green roof.
The Jade Duck?

He
parked his bike and they removed their helmets. “This is my ace in the hole.
We’ve been coming here since I was a kid. Best Chinese food you can come by in
this city. Have you ever had Dim Sum?”

“No.”
She shook her head.

“No
better place to be introduced.” He took her helmet and stored their gear in a saddlebag.
He held his hand out to her and helped her from the bike. He wrapped an arm
around her shoulders and pulled her beneath it.

She
couldn’t help but smile at his openness. He fed the starved space inside her.
They walked inside and the smells made her stomach rumble. The scent of cooked
meats, savory vegetables and mouthwatering spice wafted up into her nostrils.
Roundtables were covered with crisp white linens and napkins folded into the
shape of fans. Waitresses walked around pushing carts with round bamboo baskets.
She looked on with interest, taking in the beautiful jade accent pieces that
decorated black shelves placed along the warm beige walls.

“Hayes!”
a heavily accented voice cried out. “It’s been too long since I saw you. Oh, I
see you brought a special friend.” A petite woman with strands of silver mixed
into the black hair she had pulled back into a bun, rushed up and patted
Monster’s arm.

Hayes?

“I
know, Ms. Fong, it’s been too long. This is my girlfriend, Symone.”

“Ooh,
girlfriend!” She beamed. Her almond-shaped brown eyes sparkled.

Symone
smiled.

“He’s
never brought a woman here. You must be very special. Please, let me take you
to your usual seat. How’s your brother?”

Symone
enjoyed their banter.

“Hartley’s
good. Staying out of trouble for the most part.”

Mrs.
Fong clucked her tongue. “Drama is attracted to that one.”

“You’re
not wrong,” Monster replied.

They
paused at a table in the corner that was removed from the hustle and bustle.

“Do
you want your regular?”

“No,
we’re going to pick and choose off the carts today. This is her first time at
Dim Sum and I want to give her the total experience.”

“Aaah.
You came to the right place. Can I start you off with something to drink?”

“Cola
for me, Ms. Fong. Babe?”

“A
water, please.”

“I’ll
be right back,” Ms. Fong said.

Symone
leaned over the table. “Wow. You’re like royalty here.”

“As
much money as we’ve given her, we might as well be.” He flashed a boyish grin.

She
stared at his smile. It showed her the boy still buried inside the man.

“It
was a family tradition to come here just about every weekend growing up.
Something my mom used to do with her family once upon a time.”

“That
sounds lovely,” she whispered, envisioning the domestic scene his words painted
with a pang of envy.

“It
was…until it wasn’t,” he mumbled. Shadows crept up into his eyes and chased
away the joy. His face smoothed back into its usual stern expression. “Let me
explain Dim Sum. It’s like a buffet on wheels. They bring the trays around and you
pick and choose what you’d like to eat. Most of the dishes are steamed items
like sticky buns and dumplings. Is there any spice or vegetable you hate?”

“No,
I’m pretty open when it comes to food and coming from Jamaica, spices are my
best friend.” She smiled. There were things she loved about her country of
origin. Those were the memories she wanted to keep close. The rest could fade
into oblivion.
If only it was easy to forget the things that haunt us most.

“Every
time you open your mouth, I think I like you a little more.”

Heat
filled her cheeks. She toyed with the edges of her t-shirt. Normally,
compliments came before a request. People like to try to butter you up before
they asked for their pound of flesh. She wanted to believe this man, but
history had a way of beating the hope out of a person. She waited for the other
shoe to drop.

“We
should make a list.”

The
change in direction startled her.

“What?”

“Of
things we need to figure out about you.”

“I’m
not following.”

“You
said you never had the opportunity to learn. I’ll be the only teacher you need.
I promise you that. So, let’s get the lesson plan mapped out.” He reached
across the table and held out his hand.

She
placed her shaking hand in his.”

“How
about we start with what I want to show you. Like how good it’s going to be
between us. How you’ll sound when my face is between your legs and my tongue is
deep inside your pussy.” He licked his lips.