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He rolls over the top of me, pinning my hands above my head. “Like I said, life’s too short to fuck around. I want you. I want to be with you, be your ol’ man. Think about it.”

He peppers kisses down my neck, over my breasts, suckling on each nipple, then proceeds south, down my torso, stopping at the apex of my thighs. He nuzzles against my pussy as my legs fall open

“Daddy’s home,” he mutters, then dives in like there’s no tomorrow.

CHAPTER 8

SIN

Two days later

Days after Sapphire is gone, I still feel her presence. It has nothing to do with the sweet scent of her perfume still evident on my pillows, or the fact she was tangled in my sheets for one entire night. If I could’ve kept her in my bed for the rest of the weekend, I would have, but Reaper would’ve been looking for her.

I haven’t said anything to him, and nobody ratted me out after carrying her upstairs, so for now our secret’s safe. I don’t like lying to my best friend, but if Sapphire doesn’t want me back, there is no point adding fuel to the fire where Reaper is concerned.

Right now, me and Mika are finishing up lunch because we do that every Sunday. I try to catch up with her as much as I can, and it saves her from coming to the clubhouse. I love my club, but I don’t need my little sister hanging around. She’ll only get ideas, and then the guys will be all over her. I really don’t want to be knocking out every brother in the clubhouse, so it’s easier this way.

There are a couple of nice places to eat in Blackstone. One of them is Mika’s favorite and owned by the club: Blackstone Burgers. Yeah, the name is average, but it’s simple, and the grub is good.

“You seem different,” she says, scrutinizing my face across the booth. “Something’s up.”

She’s got a sixth sense like you wouldn’t believe.

“Nope,” I say. “Eat your food.”

“Don’t be bossy. First, you came to the table whistling. Then you let me order the lobster roll—the most expensive thing on the menu. And now you’re changing the subject. What are you hiding? Ooh, is it a girrrrl?”

I give her an exasperated look. “How old are we, like twelve?”

“Ha! It’s a girl, isn’t it?”

“Fuck off.”

“Aww, what happened? Did she shoot you down?” She laughs, shaking her head like this is the best news ever. While Sapphire didn’t shoot me down, so to speak, she also didn’t give me an answer, and I don’t know when I’ll see her next. That irritates me, but I don’t want to crowd her. She’s like a cornered animal when given an ultimatum, and I don’t want her to feel pressured. But she didn’t deny the way she felt. If Sapphire really wanted to leave, she would have. There ain’t nobody on the planet who can keep that woman from doing something she wants to do, including high-tailing it.

“What’s gotten into you today?” I throw back. “Maybe you’re the one with somethin’ to hide?”

She pokes her tongue out childishly. “Right, like anything exciting ever happens in my life.”

“Let’s keep it that way, less chance of getting into trouble⁠—”

“Mom?”

I blink, then follow her gaze over my shoulder.

Fuck no.

Our mother is at the counter, picking up a takeout bag. She hasn’t seen us, but Mika is already out of her seat.

I snag her wrist. “Mika, don’t.”

She looks at me sharply. “Wait, you knew she was in town?”

I sigh. “Yeah, okay, I knew. She’s here for a few days, hoping for a family reunion.”

My sister gapes at me. “And when were you gonna tell me?”

“Meek, I was gettin’ to it.”