Pyke

Camila

Kyland allows me to drive his red 2007 Mustang Shelby GT500. I enjoy driving this beautiful beast—it purrs like a kitten. This doesn’t happen so often, so I take the chance to drive around until it runs out of fuel. For sure, I will receive another lecture from him.

I’m fascinated with cars, preferably the sports one, but I’m more of just a look and dream and draw on a piece of paper over them. I know the feeling and understand why men sometimes love cars more than their girlfriends.

I pull over at an empty space in the parking lot of the club. I take a deep breath—shaking off the thought of that overconfident jerk when I push the glass door open. The smell of fresh and clean with a mix of air freshener hit my nostrils.

I immediately hear my cousin laughing.

“Speaking of the devil,” Kyland guffaws.

“Well, hello, dear cousin!” Flipping my hair over my shoulder, I walk like a runway model toward him, but my walk is cut off quickly. I stop halfway when I notice the man that I dislike—the same man that I had just spoken my State of the Union Address this afternoon.

What is he doing in here?

He curses.

“Oh, are you stalking me now, Pyke? It seems that you’re around wherever I am.”

This devil of a man smirks. “Hmm.” He crosses his arms over his chest, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

“Wait, you two have already met?” I forgot my cousin is around and the reason why I’m here is to pick him up, not to bicker with this jerk.

“I should ask the same thing, babe. What are you doing here? My club is already closed. Have you not noticed the signage posted on the door? You can come back tomorrow.” Pyke seems amused.

“Your club?” I snort. “Are you kidding me? I’m not here for your club or whoever owns this place. I’m here to pick up Kill.” I cross my arms over my chest just like he does.

His mouth hangs open—he seems surprised to know that Kyland is my cousin.

“Wait, what?” he asks, facing Kyland. “This cantankerous is your cousin, the Camila? She’s Camila?” Pointing at me in disbelief.

“Well, well, cousin. How did you know this jerk?” I walk closer to the bar, standing beside the counter.

“Cam, watch your mouth.”

I pressed my lips tight when Kyland scolds me in front of this…jerk.

“I can’t believe this hot cantankerous is your cousin,” Pyke says with a laugh, shaking his head, more amused.

Kyland narrows his eyes at him. Anger flashes across his face. “Stop calling her hot cantankerous, Hughes! She hit your ass-face for some reason. She’s harmless and can’t even hurt a fly.”

That last part was a lie. I almost killed his baby Milo when we were kids. He named his hamster baby Milo because it was looked like an ape rather than a hamster.

“Oh, really?” Pyke cocks his brow. “Then you don’t know your cousin pretty well. You don’t have any idea what she’s capable of, Wright,” Pyke says, pointing his finger at me, then continues, “You’ve seen my face, and I still have evidence of what she did to me, see?” Then he shows off his left cheek to Kyland.

“You deserve it!” I retort, giving him a satisfying look.

“Cam, enough!” Kyland grunts. “He’s still my boss.”

I snort at the absurdity. Pyke rakes his eyes on me from head to toe, then smirks again. I see he’s happy to see me annoyed.

I frown, then it suddenly hit me. How did I miss the clue? He banged that woman inside the office. Could that possibly be his office? If what he’s saying is true then he is undoubtedly Kyland’s boss. Oh. My. God! He’s not gonna fire Kyland for my behavior, is he?

“I can’t believe you work with him. I never thought this manwhore is actually your boss,” I say in disgust.

“Camila, I need this job, so stop insulting him before he will fire me.”

I glare at my angry cousin and shut my mouth up.

are the polar opposites.” Pyke tries to hide

nosy is part of the job descriptions of a boss,” I answer.

mothers were cousins,” Kyland simply

nods

a fight?” Kyland asks curiously, looking at me

“He made that woman cry after they banged against that office’s door. Remember when I used the

on, hold on,” Pyke stops me, raising his hands. “You’ve been there listening for a long time?”

long enough.” Well, me the evil’s spawn, my

Pyke looks shocked, then blinks. “I didn’t make her cry. She lied to me, she said

but her name is

her name is Gisele.”

into a laugh. “And do you really believe that her name

would she lie?” His brows

“Hasn’t she?”

your name to women, but they can,” my cousin talks, then moves his eyes on me. “Why did you hit

at them who are waiting for my answer. Should I tell them the truth? Pyke

of nowhere, asking me why did I make that woman cry,” Pyke answers.

listening to the both of you, and you suggested we could have an awesome-threesome,” I say, mimicking his voice.

Pyke sighs in defeat.

say, “Cam, apologize to him,”

is bull! It was his fault why he has

in the first place? He was being disrespectful.

and I can see the amusement on his face.

happen, Hughes-dick!”

huge

crap! My mistake. Now I just inflate

“Douché.”

“Cam,” Kyland warns.

do it after him,”

speech you did this afternoon you will let

“What happened?” My head snaps to

of all the longest

“Nothing,” I deadpan.

wasn’t nothing,” Pyke insists. This man

apologize or not? You’ve been rude,”

nosy, you shouldn’t have listened.”

wasn’t my intention.”

still did.”

We have a long serious talk,” Kyland groans, clearly not impressed at my behavior in front of his

he reacts, he’s saying one thing—he won.

not the end, Pyke Hughes. This

sorry for that, Hughes,” Kyland apologizes, and I want to chide him for doing that, but I am sure, he’s afraid that

just simply nods and smirks, mocking me.

when Kyland is not looking. I am a little bit childish, but I just can’t do something and be disrespectful with my cousin.

mature,” he murmurs.

“Dick!” I

“I said, enough!” Kyland grabs my elbow.

because my cousin is around, and

care of

when I hear Pyke says and

love it,” he mouths back.

forgot to fill the tank of your car,” I say, grinning sheepishly.

How could you ever miss to check if it’s

this day get

Hughes, maybe he has a full tank,”