Tainted Bastard (Tainted Knights 4)

Hearing footsteps on the other side, I moved to the side and pulled Kin in front of it so whoever was looking through the peephole would only see her. Seconds later, the door opened, and a sleepy Roanna stood in front of us. She was in pajama pants and a long-sleeved sleep shirt that fell all the way to her knees. Her long blond hair was rumpled, her brown eyes slightly squinty, telling me she must have just woken up.

“Kin?” she asked around a yawn.

I pushed Kin aside and grabbed hold of Roanna, pulling her out into the hall. Surprised, she tried to pull away, but I only grasped her other hand, locking her in place. Hungrily, I scanned my eyes over her. I hadn’t seen her in two days, and all I wanted to do was look at her.

“Answer your goddamn phone, woman,” I growled. “I’ve been trying to get hold of you for days, and all I get is silence. I even came here yesterday, and no one would answer the fucking door.”

“Sin—”

Frustrated, I cut her off with a kiss. I kept it soft, not devouring her mouth the way I so desperately wanted to. I just needed to shut down whatever argument she might have had. Instantly, she melted against me, kissing me back, and I nearly howled with relief. Lifting my head, I touched my forehead to hers. Feeling her warmth under my fingertips, her heartbeat pounding against me, smelling the scent of her shampoo—I could finally draw a deep breath again.

“Well, this is awkward,” Kin grumbled.

Startled, Roanna jumped back from me, her eyes wide as she turned to face Kin. “Wh-What are you two doing here?”

“I’m here to discuss business, and Sin has his own nefarious reasons, obviously.” She nodded toward the open door. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure.” Pulling her hands out of my grasp, Roanna walked into the apartment. “You want coffee? Everyone else is at the gym, I think, but whatever you need to talk to me about, I can discuss with them later.”

“Actually, it’s you I wanted to speak to, in particular,” Kin said, following her into the kitchen.

The place was a lot smaller than the one the Blondes had when they began playing at First Bass. After kicking Peyton out when her antics put the club in hot water, they had to find another place quickly. This one was less than half the size of the other, two bedrooms instead of four, and with only a single bathroom for four chicks to share.

The kitchen was barely big enough for the three of us to stand in, with a tiny fridge that even Aubree was taller than, and a stove. The coffeepot and a cheap microwave were the only other appliances, with a single row of cabinets and counter space separating the stove and fridge, with the sink halfway between. There wasn’t even room for a table in there, forcing them to eat in the living room.

I felt suffocated in the space with the two of them and stayed near the doorless archway between the kitchen and living room.

“I have a new song I just finished tweaking and thought of you. It will be perfect for your voice, and I think it will be something you might want to add to your normal set.”

Roanna’s hands paused in midair, inches away from turning on the coffeepot. Nervously, she flipped it on and reached for mugs out of the cabinet above her head. “I-I guess I could take a look at it. But I can’t agree to sing it without the others’ vote. All songs have to pass everyone’s approval before we perform it.”

“I know what happened after you did the last song, Ro,” Kin told her softly, sensing the other chick’s discomfort. Roanna hadn’t sung the last song again that Kin had given her after what transpired that night. No one ever talked about it, but I could tell she was still freaked out over it and feared it happening again. “This song isn’t like that.”

“Okay, but I still have to put it to a vote.”

“Understandable.” Pulling the folded sheet music from her back pocket, Kin placed it on the counter. “Just look it over and discuss it with the others. Give me a call to let me know what you think later.” Giving her a warm smile, she backed away. “Anyway, I need to get going. Lucy is expecting me.”

Kin glared at me as she p

assed by. “Good luck, dickhead.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Huh. You actually know how to say that word. I honestly didn’t think it was part of your vocab.”

“Fuck off, Kin. Chill with being a bitch for like five seconds.”

“And there he is. Whoa, I was really scared there for a second.” Grinning, she walked away.

I waited until I heard the front door close before moving away from the doorway. Roanna was pretending to look over the song in her hands, but I could tell her eyes weren’t moving. She was waiting for me to make a move. Hating that she was so nervous around me now, and not understanding why, I snatched the music out of her hands and tossed it back on the counter. Cupping her ass in both hands, I pulled her into me.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” I murmured, touching my lips to the corner of her mouth.

“H-Have I?” she stammered.

“Why are you shaking?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice calm. Releasing her ass, I stroked a hand down her back, trying to catch her gaze but failing. “Ro, look at me.”

“I-I am.”