The Lies Between Us (The Devil's Dust #4)

“Yeah, I know what you mean. We didn’t struggle for food growing up, but my father was a piece of shit who took what he wanted. He made sure me and my brother learned that trait early on.” My head jerks up, surprised he shared something personal, too. He brings his gaze from the ceiling to me and pulls me close. The music from the party blares with such intensity the walls shake.

I rest my chin on his chest and look at the door. This man who lies next to me, a man full of many dark secrets and an edge as sharp as a serrated knife, makes me feel oddly safe. Maybe it’s because we’re both tainted with the horrendous upbringing our parents bestowed upon us. We have both seen hell at its finest, felt the warmth of its flames from a young age. Maybe if we stick together, we can find Heaven on Earth.

My eyes droop as the song “Kiss From A Rose” by Seal plays loudly from inside the main area. As if Lip notices the song too, his eyes slowly trail to mine. We lie here in silence, our lips mouthing the lyrics to the song every so often.

“Show me your horns.” Lip smirks.

“My what?”

“Your horns. I bet you look sexy as fuck rocking out.” He breathes heavily. I narrow my eyes, unsure what he means. I twist my lips. It’s a little childish he’s asking me to show him devil horns, but I do it anyways. I point my index fingers toward my head and he throws his head back laughing. My heart jumps in my chest and my cheeks flush.

“Not those horns. They’re more than visible,” he teases, lowering my hands. He pulls one of my hands up, tucking my middle finger and ring finger in with my thumb, making my index finger and pinky point straight up. “See, devil horns. The rockers do it.” He smiles.

“Oh, Devil horns,” I whisper. My brother does this all the time when he’s listening to AC/DC. I raise both my hands up with Devil horns, and stick my tongue out.

“Shit, you look hot.” He growls. “A girl rocking out, there’s nothing sexier. You just need a little bit of leather and you’d be a wet dream.” He winks.

I laugh, my cheeks warming. Noticing my embarrassment, he pulls me closer, easing my humiliation. Lying here, the song “Don’t Cry” by Guns N’ Roses blares. Listening to the song, I don’t fight back my yawn, exhaustion weighing heavy.

“Lip, I think it’s time you take me back,” I state sleepily.

“I’ve been drinking,” he mutters. “Just stay here with me.”

I lift off the bed, my heart pitter-pattering off rhythm. “Lip, that’s not a good idea,” I object. I can’t stay here with him; I don’t trust myself not to do something stupid. He’s stupidly good-looking, and I’m having a hard time not seeking more than comfort from him as it is. As much as I want to open my cold heart to him, to just be free, I’m afraid Eric has ruined me to let that flag fly any longer. I don’t trust anyone, and I surely shouldn’t trust a biker who has women flocking to him.

He stands and pulls his shirt above his head and my mouth snaps shut, my thoughts of … what was I thinking about? He drops his jeans to the floor and my eyes immediately dart to his boxers. I can see his length pressing against the material, and my body throbs at the thought of how big he might be. I look away. The lights turn off, and I feel hands grabbing at my shorts.

“Lip, I-I…” I stammer frantically, my body tensing. He shuffles my shorts down, ignoring the warning in my voice, his fingers tickling the skin along my legs as he pulls them off. “I cant, I’m—“

“Relax.” He laughs, climbing into the bed beside me. I don’t relax, though; my body is stiff from fear beyond belief. He brings the blanket up and wraps his arm around me, tucking me into his frame. He’s not trying to fuck me; instead, he’s tucking me into bed. My chest eases, and I exhale a ragged breath. I am shocked that he’s in here with me, not having sex, when he could be with one of those girls having lots of sex. He’s not what I expected at all. He’s sweet, sexy, and the right amount of rough around the edges.

I feel the head of his dick pressing at the small of my back, and realize it’s getting harder. He shifts and it pokes at my butt cheeks, and my body comes alive with desire, desperately wanting to just give in to temptation.

My breathing shallows, and my sex throbs with a dangerous craving of whatever Lip is offering. His cock presses into my back again, hard.

Is he poking me on purpose? I look over my side at him and he sits up, snatching the pillow at the foot of the bed, and wedges it between us. I turn, getting comfy on my side of the bed.

“Night, Cherry,” he whispers into the back of my head.

“Night, Lip,” I reply into the dark.

I try to keep my eyes open, attempting to defy the sleep stinging my eyes, but I can feel them getting heavier. No! I can wait till Lip falls asleep, wait till the party stops and find my way back to the freeway. Though we did ride a ways away from my car. I shift and blink a few times, trying to wake myself up, but my body soon takes comfort in the warm, solid muscle pressed against my back and the soft mattress beneath me. I easily fall asleep.