Read Online The Devil She Knows by Kira Sinclair - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kira Sinclair
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years ago it was the only kind of passion he’d let himself have from her. Except that one night...
What bothered him most about the conversation was the obvious role Willow had cast Rose in—the victim. The little vixen had been far from innocent.
“Rose left town because she wanted to, Willow.”
Willow shook her head. “Rose left because she didn’t have a choice.”
Dev swore, long and low. Luckily, he was smart enough to keep the worst of his response inside his own head. “She had plenty of choices. She did exactly what she wanted. She always did.”
Even he could hear the bitter edge to his words, but apparently Willow was too caught up in her indignation to notice.
“Is that what you tell your guilty conscience? Rose is a showgirl in Vegas, Dev. She dances topless. Because she couldn’t do anything else to earn money when her husband divorced her.”
How had Willow’s vision of her sister become so skewed?
“And she loves every minute of it. She’s the center of attention. Men fawn over her. They desire her. No doubt she has a string of them that she’s taking for everything they’re worth. Don’t kid yourself. We both know your sister can take care of herself just fine. She’s manipulative and ruthlessly beautiful...and she knows it.”
Willow’s eyes flashed a warning, but he had no intention of heeding it. Rose had cost him plenty and he wasn’t going to pull any punches, not even for her sister.
The legs of her chair scraped loudly against the floor. Willow stood. She glared down at him, her body tight with contemptuous disdain. It should bother him. On anyone else it probably would have. But with Willow...the haughty expression just made him want to ruffle her pristine feathers again. To drag her down into the muck with him and show her just how much fun it could be to get dirty.
To make her remember—and admit—how satisfying last night had been. And that she wanted desperately to do it again. Just as badly as he did.
“I refuse to listen to you malign my sister.” When she left the diner, her palms slapped the front door with a resounding smack. A whirling gust of wind blasted in, fluttering the papers tacked to the bulletin board by the door.
Throwing a twenty down onto the table, Dev followed her.
This conversation wasn’t over.
6
W ILLOW SEETHED. H OW dare he talk about Rose that way? He was the reason she’d gotten into trouble in the first place. If he’d kept his tempting smile and those challengingly sensual eyes to himself then her sister never would have made the mistakes that she had.
And Willow wouldn’t have been left feeling betrayed by them both. Although she really didn’t want to think about that. Ten years was a long time and she’d moved on. Let it go. Everyone had their heart broken as a teenager...it was a rite of passage. Dev had been hers.
There was no reason to compound the stupidity by letting him get to her again. She was older and smarter now. And she saw beneath the crap he was pedaling.
But maybe that was the problem. He’d said exactly what she’d expected him to—poked and prodded at her just as he’d always done—but unlike before, something told her there was more to his barbed comments.
Was he just giving her what she expected?
Rose had been wild long before Dev had come into her life. Her sister had delighted in ignoring the rules. If her parents set a curfew, Rose broke it. If they told her not to wear something, she hid the clothes and changed the moment she was out of their sight. If they told her not to date someone, she spent hours outside in the driveway necking with him.
About the only thing she’d done that her parents had approved of was marrying Marcus. He was older, and comfortable enough to take care of her. Rose wasn’t a good student and college had definitely not been in her future.
And Rose had enjoyed being treated like a princess. Her husband had showered her with jewelry and trips and a brand-new car.
What bothered him most about the conversation was the obvious role Willow had cast Rose in—the victim. The little vixen had been far from innocent.
“Rose left town because she wanted to, Willow.”
Willow shook her head. “Rose left because she didn’t have a choice.”
Dev swore, long and low. Luckily, he was smart enough to keep the worst of his response inside his own head. “She had plenty of choices. She did exactly what she wanted. She always did.”
Even he could hear the bitter edge to his words, but apparently Willow was too caught up in her indignation to notice.
“Is that what you tell your guilty conscience? Rose is a showgirl in Vegas, Dev. She dances topless. Because she couldn’t do anything else to earn money when her husband divorced her.”
How had Willow’s vision of her sister become so skewed?
“And she loves every minute of it. She’s the center of attention. Men fawn over her. They desire her. No doubt she has a string of them that she’s taking for everything they’re worth. Don’t kid yourself. We both know your sister can take care of herself just fine. She’s manipulative and ruthlessly beautiful...and she knows it.”
Willow’s eyes flashed a warning, but he had no intention of heeding it. Rose had cost him plenty and he wasn’t going to pull any punches, not even for her sister.
The legs of her chair scraped loudly against the floor. Willow stood. She glared down at him, her body tight with contemptuous disdain. It should bother him. On anyone else it probably would have. But with Willow...the haughty expression just made him want to ruffle her pristine feathers again. To drag her down into the muck with him and show her just how much fun it could be to get dirty.
To make her remember—and admit—how satisfying last night had been. And that she wanted desperately to do it again. Just as badly as he did.
“I refuse to listen to you malign my sister.” When she left the diner, her palms slapped the front door with a resounding smack. A whirling gust of wind blasted in, fluttering the papers tacked to the bulletin board by the door.
Throwing a twenty down onto the table, Dev followed her.
This conversation wasn’t over.
6
W ILLOW SEETHED. H OW dare he talk about Rose that way? He was the reason she’d gotten into trouble in the first place. If he’d kept his tempting smile and those challengingly sensual eyes to himself then her sister never would have made the mistakes that she had.
And Willow wouldn’t have been left feeling betrayed by them both. Although she really didn’t want to think about that. Ten years was a long time and she’d moved on. Let it go. Everyone had their heart broken as a teenager...it was a rite of passage. Dev had been hers.
There was no reason to compound the stupidity by letting him get to her again. She was older and smarter now. And she saw beneath the crap he was pedaling.
But maybe that was the problem. He’d said exactly what she’d expected him to—poked and prodded at her just as he’d always done—but unlike before, something told her there was more to his barbed comments.
Was he just giving her what she expected?
Rose had been wild long before Dev had come into her life. Her sister had delighted in ignoring the rules. If her parents set a curfew, Rose broke it. If they told her not to wear something, she hid the clothes and changed the moment she was out of their sight. If they told her not to date someone, she spent hours outside in the driveway necking with him.
About the only thing she’d done that her parents had approved of was marrying Marcus. He was older, and comfortable enough to take care of her. Rose wasn’t a good student and college had definitely not been in her future.
And Rose had enjoyed being treated like a princess. Her husband had showered her with jewelry and trips and a brand-new car.
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