I hum. “Chantelle is the exception.” I let the truth roll off my tongue and chuckle when Trina huffs. “Need I remind you again tonight that you are replaceable, and you are walking on thin ice?”
She shakes her head.
“Good. If I hear any more gossip about what youthinkis happening in my home life and what youthinkis happening behind closed doors you have no business trying to listen in on, I will cut out your tongue.” Trina’s body goes stiff, and I smile. “My patience is running low with you. I do not think I need to tell you what I will do should you retaliate against Chantelle?”
“N-no,” she stutters.
I dip my chin and wave her off, gathering my things and exiting the club.
When Chantelle brought up Tawny I knew who had put that bug in her ear. Trina cornering me with questions when I walked into the club tonight made that abundantly clear. I will not be the topic of gossip amongst the women here, filling my Little Bird with nonsense.
I might have let her walk out of that door tonight, but I have no desire to let her go.
Twenty Two
Liam
SINCEMYSUSPENSIONI’VEbeen going crazy trying to stay busy. With the bomb that The Omen dropped on me at the ball shit I’ve been grasping for straws trying to make sense of everything. I want to believe him, but I’m not sure if that comes from the part of me that still wants Malia.
Trying not to let my feelings for who I thought she was cloud my judgment is fucking exhausting. Not being able to throw myself into work to ignore everything doesn’t help matters.
“That stuff will kill ya,” Xana says as she walks into the kitchen.
I hum and turn away from her to fill up my glass and throw back some bourbon I found in the house that I hadn’t ingested yet. She sighs and walks over to me, plucking my glass out of my hand and pouring the contents down the drain.
“Xan,” I grind out.
She turns and shoves her finger into my chest. “I thought you were fine, Li. This isn’t fine!” She punctuates each word with a jab to my chest. I narrow my eyes on my little sister who’s probably a foot shorter than me and ready to put me on my ass.
“I’m dandy.” I smile but it doesn’t reach my eyes.
Her hand drops to her side and her gaze falls along with it. I can see the disappointment hiding in the eyes we share. Not only did I not want her to come home because it’s not safe, but I don’t want her to see me like this. It’s not like I can tell her the truth of what’s bothering me, then I would have to tell her everything.
I can’t feed her bullshit like that and open old wounds. She never knew our parents. Xana was only a newborn when they were murdered, so she doesn’t feel the revenge and loss that I do. Sure, there’s still loss, but it’s different.
Xana starts picking at her nails and blows out a breath. “They’re releasing Bass from the hospital tomorrow.”
I scoff. “He milked his pussy pretty hard, didn’t he?” Xana’s hand slaps the side of my head and I try to duck away, but I’m cornered by her and the counters. “Damn, easy killer.”
She places her hands on her hips and purses her lips in disapproval. “He said you two were fighting over a girl.”
The doorbell sounds before I tell my sister what her precious Bastian really said. She gives me a stern look and turns to walk into the living room, opening the door.
“Baby Xan!” I hear Oren’s voice boom through the house, and I push off the counter and head in that direction.
Oren steps into the house and shuts the door behind him and I don’t miss the way he’s looking my sister up and down like she’s his next meal. I clear my throat and narrow my gaze on him when his head snaps up in my direction.
The fucker just smirks and shrugs it off not even trying to deny he was eye-fucking her.
“What do you want, O?” His eyes slide to my sister then back at me, so I point my finger at him. “No.”
“He’s been pissy today,” Xana says giving me a dirty look then turns to smile at Oren. He smiles back down at her the way I’ve seen him do a million times to get a girl to drop her panties.
“Xan says Bass gets out of the hospital tomorrow, so there’s a free bed.” I smile when he throws his hands up in surrender.
Oren Ramos is a good man and I know he’d never go behind my back to fuck my sister. He just likes the attention. Doesn’t mean I want to watch it whether he’s harmless or not.
“We’re going to Insatiable, get ready,” he says, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. His way of saying “no” is not an option. “Figure we both need some easy pussy, yeah?”