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“And today?”
Bear shrugs. “From the looks of it, they’re part of the club now. Or at least, they will be if Kain can’t talk some sense into John…”
“Who’s John?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound too interested. I’ve been dying to know more about Kain’s life, and if I have to go through his best friend to get it, that’s what I’ll have to do.
“Our leader.” Bear shoots me a look of warning. “And the only person who uses his birth name is Kain. If you ever meet him, you’ll want to address him as Onyx.”
“Onyx… got it…” I gaze out at the muddled faces of the crowd. Some are laughing, sporting carefree faces, while others are locked in terse conversations, their heads bowed low. None of the men with flames so much as acknowledge their green-sleeved counterparts, and it becomes clear to me there’s some serious bad blood between the clubs. I sneak a glance at Bear’s face, and I know I’ll have to switch the subject if I want to learn anything more.
“How long have you known Kain?” A huff of air passes Bear’s lips, and though he tries to look pissed off, he can’t quite hide that little twinkle in his eye at the mention of his best friend.
“It’ll be twenty years this fall.” His boulder-shaped shoulders shake with a silent chuckle. “I can’t seem to get rid of his ass.” It’s clear there’s a deep, brotherly affection between the two, and it makes me smile.
“Did you know him before…?” I don’t need to finish the sentence, and the way Bear’s hot-chocolate eyes freeze over tells me all I need to know.
“Yes, I did,” he says. But it’s not enough—not nearly enough.
“When? Why?” I demand, my heart pinching at the knowledge of the pain he had to endure to get those scars of his.
He shakes his head. “He was sixteen. As for the why… Kain disobeyed the ex-leader of the Hellfyre Club. That’s all I can say.”
“But—”
“Please don’t push me. I’ve already said more than I should have.” He sighs, rubbing a hand across his face. “I know you’re curious, but Kain should be talking to you about this. It’s his story, after all.”
I almost pout but then think better of it and resign to stare out at the club in silence. My eyes trail toward the stage in the far corner of the room. I’m about to ask what it’s for before I notice the twin chrome poles. I’ve never actually been inside a strip club, but I’ve seen enough movies to know what they’re for.
“You wanna try it?”
I nearly jump out of my skin at the high-pitched voice that rings out next to my ear. Turning my head, I come face-to-face with one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on. She’s tall and lean, with gorgeous cherry-red hair falling over her shoulders in waves, clashing brilliantly with the blues of her eyes.
I’m so mesmerized by her aura that I almost forget she asked me a question. “I’m sorry. Try what?”
“The pole, silly. I saw the way you were staring at it.” She wiggles her manicured brows with an innuendo I can’t seem to grasp. “I can show you a few positions if you’re nervous…”
“Leave her alone, Carlotta.” Bear rolls his eyes. “She’s already spoken for.”
“Aw. That shouldn’t stop her from having a little fun.” Her lids lower seductively. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
“Lillith,” I murmur, and a strange warmth builds in my core at the way she’s looking at me.
“Lillith.” It’s only my name, but the way it rolls off her tongue makes it seem like she’s whispering something erotic. “Have you ever been with a woman, Lillith?”
“Okay! That’s enough!” Bear interjects, shooting Carlotta a warning glance. “Did I mention that she belongs to Kain?” Carlotta rolls her eyes but otherwise pays no attention to Bear.
“Would you like to?” she whispers, her painted lips quirked with a small, knowing smile. “Wait, don’t tell me. I’ll let it be a surprise.”
My mouth drops, but before I get the chance to respond, she saunters off toward the stage. “Catch you later, beautiful!” she calls, sending me a wink over her shoulder.
“Don’t even think about it,” Bear warns, crossing his arms over his burly chest. “That one’s trouble.”
“I wasn’t—”
“You were,” Bear deadpans. “As hot as she is, she’s twice as fucking crazy.” His voice lowers to a whisper. “Although, she’s nothing compared to you. Why the fuck you’re with Kain, I’ll never know…”
I can tell from the expression on his face I wasn’t meant to hear that last part, so I pretend I didn’t. Even if he’s Kain’s best friend, I doubt that would stop him from hurting Bear if he found out he was thinking those things. And though I have no romantic feelings for him, I would hate for something bad to happen to the one other person in my life who’s shown me kindness.
I glance toward the stage, unable to pull my eyes away as Carlotta strips away her T-shirt dress. Straps of leather encase her toned body, leaving very little to the imagination. She steps toward the pole, making direct eye contact with me as she wraps her leg around it and grinds.
