“What you saying?”

Sia walked over to the fridge, took out a carton of two-percent milk, poured it into a saucepan, and set it to boil. “I’m saying even though I don’t know Lilah, I’m a woman. The last time I trusted a man like that, I was madly in love with him.”

“Yeah, sugar, and look how that ended,” I said shortly, hating any reminder of that sadistic cunt.

“But that guy’s not you. You won’t hurt her.”

I went to argue, but Sia was right. Lilah was the only bitch, bar Sia, that I even gave a shit about.

That shit spoke volumes.

Sia smiled at my lack of response and began pouring out the drinks. Handing me two mugs, she said, “And you brought her here to meet me. That’s how I know you love her, trust her implicitly. No one knows about me because of the men who still want me dead. But she was hurt and you didn’t hesitate to bring her here. That tells me everything about how you feel for her, even if you never confess it.”

Sia walked off into the family room and left me behind. I watched as Sia sat beside Lilah and start talking, all smiles. Lilah blushed in nerves, small grateful smiles ghosting her lips in return.

Feeling like I took a punch to the solar plexus, I lost my damn breath.

Damn, Sia… just damn…

*****

“You ready to hit the hay?” I asked Lilah as she yawned for the fourth time in the last five minutes. Sia had been shooting the shit with her all night. Lilah didn’t say much in return, but I knew she felt comfortable with my sister after the first few hours. They weren’t too dissimilar, both young and both with fucking awful pasts.

Both were blonde, beautiful and fucked up by men.

Lilah blinked up at me and nodded her head. Turning to my sister, she said, “Thank you for the hospitality, Elysia. It has been lovely to meet you.”

Sia jumped up and threw her arms around Lilah’s neck. Lilah stiffened, her panicked blue eyes seeking out mine, but after a second, she relaxed and awkwardly hugged Sia in return. “Great to meet you too, girl. We’ll hang out some more tomorrow.”

Lilah moved beside me and I leaned over to kiss Sia’s cheek. “Thank you,” I whispered into her ear, and she pulled back, giving me a meaningful look.

Taking Lilah’s hand, I led her up the stairs and into the second bedroom. I shut the door and watched Lilah drink in the room—wooden walls, a huge skylight in the ceiling, hardwood flooring, and a large bathroom to the side. And in the middle, a huge California king, every inch covered in Sia’s favorite red plaid.

“It is beautiful,” Lilah said and turned to me, smiling. “Where are you staying?”

I walked farther into the room, shedding my cut and throwing it on the red chair in the corner. “In here.”

“What?” Lilah gasped.

I swung around. “Only other room in the cabin, sweet cheeks.”

“It is immoral.”

“Well, I ain’t sleeping on the fuckin’ wooden floor, so it’s gonna happen.” Lilah’s mouth opened and closed, and I lifted my shirt over my head, adding it to the chair. Lilah’s eyes focused on my chest and torso as I went into the bathroom to clean up.

When I came out, Lilah was sitting on the edge of the bed, chewing on her lip. I dropped down to kneel in front of her, and her eyes widened as I took her hand.

“Lilah, I’ll take one side of the bed. You take the other. I won’t touch you if you don’t want to. Okay?”

She paused for a moment, then reluctantly nodded her head.

I put my hand on her cheek and said, “I can’t get what those sluts did outta my head. The image of you on that bed, their finger’s on your pussy. It’s fuckin’ making me as possessive as all hell for you, and to be honest, I don’t know how to deal with it.”

“Ky…” Lilah said in a hushed tone and stroked my hair. “You saved me again. You always seem to save me.” She took a deep breath and said, “If we have to share a bed, then that is what will have to happen.”

I couldn’t help the smirk that spread on my face. “You that excited by the thought of sleeping next to me, sweet cheeks? Most bitches would be jumping at the chance to get a piece of this cut body!”

A shy smile spread on her lips and she confessed, “It is not the most terrible thing, I suppose… if you keep your distance. It will make me feel safe knowing you are near.”

Laughing, I stood. “Go get ready for bed, Lilah.”

While she was in the bathroom, I debated whether to take off my leathers. Thought better of it with my cock hard as granite. She was already nervous about sleeping next to me and my ten-inch boner weren’t gonna make that shit better.

Lying on the bed, hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling, I heard the door of the bathroom open. I glanced over to Lilah, who was hovering by the door.

Fuck.

Me.

Her hair was down, like down to her ass. And she’d shed her fuckin’ ugly gray dress and was wearing some old-fashioned white nightgown with sleeves, but she may as well have been wearing a leather thong, stiletto heels and nipple tassels, she looked that good.

And it weren’t doing shit to deflate my boner.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she dipped back inside the bathroom, then came out holding a small bowl in her hands. She started walking to my side of the bed. I couldn’t breathe in surprise at how fucking stunning she looked.

Lilah put the basin on the floor and sat on her knees. I swung my legs off the bed, all confused at what the hell she was doing.

“Lilah?”

Her head lifted and she asked, “May I wash your feet?”

I frowned. “You wanna wash my feet?”

Her blue eyes grew wider as she nodded. “Yes.”

Not getting why, but seeing she really wanted to, I said, “Have at it, sweet cheeks.”

Lilah bowed her head like I’d just given her the world, lifted my left foot, and placed it in the warm water. Lilah’s long, platinum-blond hair touched the floor; it was that long. It was thick, and I was just dying to wrap my hands in it.

Dipping her hands in the water, Lilah began scooping the water over my feet, massaging the skin, which felt incredible. A low hum came from her mouth as she did it, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I realized after a couple of minutes that she was humming the melody of a song.

She was happy.