Cruz (Dark and Dirty Sinners' MC #5) - Serena Akeroyd Page 0,68

happening any time soon. Maybe never. Storm wanted me back, after all. Plus, he had no need to be saddled down with another bitch. He was more than happy with the clubwhores who sucked him off without expecting him to do chores on the rare occasions he was home.

Unlike Giulia, Tiffany, and Lily, I wasn’t a part of the Sinners. I was just an add-on. Cyan was too. Yet even though I’d always been disparaging about them, they’d opened the gates for us, and put a roof over our head and food in our bellies. I wasn’t sure whether to be surprised or simply grateful.

“She’ll come around.”

I jolted in surprise, twisting so I could see Lodestar standing in the doorway. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Her smile was unnerving. “That was my intention.”

My nose crinkled. “Do you try to be creepy?”

The smile blossomed into a wry grin. “Nope, but I usually manage it without trying.” She winked at me. “I’ll have some popcorn.”

Taken aback because, thus far, Lodestar hadn’t really taken much notice of me, I murmured, “Oh! Well, I was going to watch something on TV. Do you want to join me?”

“Gladly.”

Pleased that this wouldn’t be another lonely night in front of the TV with no one but myself for company, I dumped the bag of cheesy popcorn into the microwave, then grunted when my cellphone rang. The ringtone was ‘West End Girls’ by the Pet Shop Boys. Why? Because I was a West End girl and Storm was an East End boy.

Not literally, of course, but life didn’t have to be literal all the damn time, did it?

Cyan, recognizing the song, practically skidded as she rushed out of her room and into the hall, her hands outstretched for my cell. I gave it to her, wondering what had happened these past couple of months to make her so broody and moody. I knew Storm leaving had upset her, but this change had been a gradual thing. His departure had been the opposite of that. One second, he’d been pleading with me to uproot Cyan and myself once more, the next he’d already been in goddamn Coshocton.

“Daddy!” she squealed, making my heart melt and harden at the same time which made it a frickin’ miracle I didn’t flop around on the floor with a coronary.

She was so excited to hear from him, and after her endless moods, it was a relief to behold. Then I felt guilty. But no one ever told you that you could love your kids, but you didn’t always have to like them. I’d go to frickin’ war for Cyan, but I’d pay a million dollars, I didn’t have, just for this dearth of grumpiness to dissipate.

With one step toward the bedroom we shared now, she muttered, “Huh?” then twisted back around to face me, a glare marring the beauty of the smile she’d just bestowed on a father who…

Ugh.

I couldn't say he didn’t deserve her love. He did. He was a good dad, just a shitty husband.

“Daddy wants to talk to you.”

The word Daddy came out like she was talking about Justin Bieber, and the ‘you’ was more like she was talking to a pile of dog turds.

Out of nowhere, her shoulders straightened though, and her eyes widened as she bit her lip. “Sorry, Daddy.” She blinked a few times, then, after swallowing, peered at me and whispered, “Sorry, Mom.” The phone was shoved at me, and she took off like a rabid dog was nipping at her heels.

Lifting the cell to my ear, I murmured, “Thank you for that.”

“There’s no need,” he said gruffly, and just the sound of his damn voice had me closing my eyes as I turned around to face the small kitchenette so Lodestar, who was watching on with interest, couldn't see my expression.

I didn’t need her to know the truth—that I was still head over heels in love with my jerk, manwhore of an ex.

It was a truth I wished I didn’t know, so sharing it with someone else was just too shameful for words.

“She shouldn’t be talking to you like that.”

I cleared my throat. “She’s just going through a phase.”

“Doesn’t mean she gets to be rude to you.” He released a sigh. “It’s good to hear your voice, Keira.”

My brow puckered at that, because he sounded genuine. As genuine as a liar like Storm ever could be. I’d say that he could sell bullshit to a rancher, but I was used to hearing those lies. Used to