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Tossing my towel onto my silk bed covers, I swipe up my phone and hit dial on Kyrin.
“Cartier, the next time you run, I’m chasing you.”
“Chill out,” I tease, heading down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I was gone for less than a day. Hey, so I’m coming on tour.” Silence. There’s shuffling around on his side before a door closes.
“We have already spoken about this, and what are you going to do?” My teeth clench as I fight with my answer. The one I want to give him just to throw it in his face, and the perfectly rehearsed answer that he will swallow easier.
“I’m not in the show, Kyrin, but I am coming.” I pause, testing to see if he’ll question my statement. “—I’ll be taking Delila’s RV.”
He scoffs. “You might need to ride on over here and tell Persephone that you’re taking it, because I’m pretty sure she has a few other girls in there.”
I flip open a bottle of OJ and kick the door closed with my foot. “I’ll be there in ten.”
“The grass is damper than usual, don—” I hang up on him and push my phone between my boobs. Swiping up my discarded leather jacket, I slip it over my shoulders and shove my feet into my maroon Jordans. Way too good a shoe to be riding in, but I know Kyrin will be timing me.
Grabbing the keys off the table, I make my way outside, rolling the waistband of my sweats down a little before swinging my leg over my bike. She’s been all sorts of colors, but the matte black and teal green have stayed for a couple of years now. Kicking out my leg, I start her up and squeeze the handle, revving the two-stroke engine loud enough for the birds in the trees to scatter.
Launching forward, I make my way to the main path. It’s the center of The Village where we throw backyard parties and where the tent is usually set up. Perse isn’t going to make this easy for me, I know that. She has been a difficult personality to warm to, but she’s with King, which means she’s family.
Burning embers float through the dark night, lighting my path ahead, and I drop it down a gear and shoot forward, smiling widely when the wind whips through my hair and the loud bike rumbles between my thighs. The music becomes louder the closer I get, and the closer I get, the more faces I see turning toward me.
I slow my speed and stop directly near the fire. I seek out Kyrin to ask him for my time, only my eyes collide with Keaton. He’s sitting on a log with a black hoodie pulled over his face and his legs spread wide. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his upper thighs. When he’s angry, it’s explosive. Like the warning earthquakes of a volcano that’s about to erupt.
A curvy body dressed in a tight white dress blocks my view of him. My stomach turns to knots, but my aggression just wants to cut the knots into itty-bitty pieces. “Nine minutes fifteen. Not bad.” Kyrin hooks his arm around my shoulder. I shuffle my jacket off, laying it over the handlebars of my bike.
“Yeah, well, what can I say?” I look away from Candi straddling Keaton’s lap. “I’m angry. Where’s my niece?”
“At home with Lil. Go see her. You don’t need to be around this shit.”
“Kyrin.” I rest my hand on his chest, forcing his eyes down to mine. “I am not a child. I’m twenty years old. And guess what? I’ve also had sex. Like, lots and lots of sex. From different guys too…and this one girl, and—”
His hand is on my mouth, but my smile presses against his palm.
“Enough. Shut up. Perse is over near the bar. I won’t fucking mention it again.” He lowers his hand, shaking his head as he makes his way near Keaton. Probably to bitch about me. They’re both so good at that. “Kill Me Slowly” from Sidekick plays loudly through the speakers, and I swoop up a half empty Solo cup, finding Perse sitting with Maya and Val. I don’t see Sass with them, but she’s probably with Lilith. Since Kill stamped his name over her forehead, she hardly does anything social.
“Hey! Can we talk?”
Perse stops her laughing with Maya. “Sure! You okay?”
Maya and Val shuffle to the other side of the fire, and I turn back around, lowering myself to the spot beside her.
“Yes, I’m coming on tour.” I watch for her reaction. The shock. The denial. But she nods simply. “I figured as much. It’s about time, truly.”
“Why aren’t you asking questions?” I ask, unable to hide my shock. Almost everyone would either warn me about Kyrin or ask questions. Like what would I be doing to contribute to Mayhem.
“Well, they’re not mine to ask.” She tucks her copper hair behind her ear.
“Well, shit. He sure trained you well, didn’t he…” There’s no surprise that King’s woman is complacent. He’s always liked the ones who don’t answer back. That’s probably my fault, since all I’ve done since I could talk was answer him back and ask questions.
“Well, no. I just choose my battles.” What the fuck did Delila see in her to think she was strong enough to handle this shit?
I pull away, my eyes finding Keaton before I can stop them. His tatted hands cover the curve of Candi’s ass, and I quickly snap back to Perse to get this conversation over with so I can go see Lilith. “I’m real sorry to do this to you at such short notice, but I need Delila’s RV.”
“Right.” Perse clicks her fingers together, bringing the rim of her cup to her lips. She takes a small sip, her lips rolling in to take the hit. “Because you’re the big CEO of Midnight Mayhem now, right? The Ice Queen…”
All thoughts of Keaton evaporate. “What?”
She rolls her eyes, taking another long sip. “Don’t bother trying to deny. I know everything.” She turns her head until we’re face-to-face. “Dove tells me everything, and by the way, I’m not telling anyone. King included.”
