“And since when do you give a fuck about doing the right thing?”
I stepped up to him, looking him straight in the eye. “Ever since you no longer do.”
Seconds ticked by, and I refused to back off. Granite stared at me like he was searching for answers, but he wouldn’t find any. I didn’t have anything to hide. Whatever was between Alyx and me was nothing but a man caring for a woman who needed it. I backed off the second Granite had the balls to do right by her, and I hadn’t given it a second’s thought after that.
Granite lit a cigarette, puffing out some smoke. “Think about it. We’ll discuss it some more in the morning.”
“There’s nothing to discuss.”
Granite stomped past me, and I turned, watching him walk away. Love sure had changed him. Ever since Alyx came into his life, he was no longer the man who had nothing but hate and vengeance in his heart. But I still did. I still wanted revenge for our father’s murder, not to mention what they’d done to Neon. And nothing would change that. Sure as fuck not love—or any woman.
I hated what it was doing to Ink, this infatuation he had with Neon. The bloodlust was starting to control him, and it would end up clouding his judgement, letting him make stupid mistakes.
The same went for Granite. This newfound love he claimed to have with Alyx was fucking with his mind, hence the reason he came up with the stupidest fucking idea ever.
I was vice president, and my role was to take his place when we either buried him or he was no longer able to perform the president’s duties. None of that was applicable to this situation, so I refused to let things change around here simply because he gave his word to an immoral motherfucker.
2
Onyx
There wasnothing like the smell of onion rings, burned steak, and spilled alcohol to make some tension roll off your shoulders. The last few days had been insane, and while emotions were running high back at the club, I needed to get the fuck out of there.
I glanced around, all the unfamiliar faces going about their own business. This wasn’t exactly a top-notch bar and grill, but it was the next best thing whenever I needed to get away from everything and everyone back at our place. Some days, I would rather sit here and pay for my beer than drink it alongside a few of those assholes. Especially with Ink acting like a fucking vampire lately, only wanting blood.
“Can I get you anything else?”
I looked up at the pretty waitress smiling down at me with her please-fuck-me eyes. If it was any other day, I probably would. But my thoughts were crowding my dick, hence the reason I’d be keeping it in my pants tonight. “Just a refill.”
“You got it.” She took my empty beer bottle, winked at me, and turned on her heel. Her short skirt bobbed up, flashing the bottom of her ass cheeks, and her long legs accentuated by the black heels she wore looked really enticing.Maybe tomorrow night.
I popped a fry into my mouth, more than happy to keep to myself here in the corner booth. People were buzzing, glasses were clinking, and the bell above the door kept chiming as people walked in and out. It was almost ten p.m., and the music started to become louder.
One more beer, and I would leave this joint before the party really started. Intoxicated women seduced by tequila, and drunk men strengthened with copious amounts of beer was not the kind of crowd I was looking to hang with tonight.
The pretty waitress placed a new ice-cold beer in front of me then continued to hover.
I glanced up at her just as I was about to take a bite from my burger. “What?”
She smiled, blowing a bubble with her gum before rolling it back into her mouth with her tongue. “You gonna ask me out?”
I stuffed my mouth with a big chunk of cheeseburger, thinking that would momentarily leave me occupied and unable to answer her very direct and very presumptuous question.
“So?” She batted her eyelashes, conveying her inner thoughts of sex and sin. See, I liked my women confident and in touch with their sexuality, but I didn’t like tramps thinking they owned the unicorn of all pussies.
Taking a gulp of beer to wash down the burger, I wiped my mouth. “I, uh—”
“Move along, sweetheart.”
I looked to the side at curvy hips filling out a pair of leather pants perfectly. I dragged my attention up her body, a poison ivy tattoo stretching along her side and disappearing under the cropped white shirt.
“This one is already taken.” She looked down at me with big blue eyes before turning back to the waitress. “So, take your little skirt and go find another guy’s cock to ride. ’Kay?”
I snorted, unable to suppress an entertained smile. The waitress scowled at both of us before she turned on her heel and stomped off.
I leaned back in my seat, peering up at my heroine in leather pants. “Thanks for the help, but I actually had it handled.”
“Yeah, and that’s why you merely sat there with a mouth full of cheeseburger.” She slid into the seat across from me, and I narrowed my eyes while taking in the fine, delicate features of her face. High cheekbones, dainty nose, and enticing as fuck, thick, tempting lips.