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.

two are related? You two are the polar opposites.” Pyke tries to hide his

“I don’t think being nosy is part of the job descriptions of a boss,” I answer.

were cousins,” Kyland

Pyke nods subtly.

two get into a fight?” Kyland asks curiously, looking at

after they banged against that office’s door. Remember when I used the bathroom? Before I

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

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

looks shocked, then blinks. “I didn’t make her cry. She lied

Tiffany, but her name is Brittany,” I cut him off.

“No, her name is

I bark into a laugh. “And do you really believe that her name is Gisele?”

she lie?”

“Hasn’t she?”

Pyke Hughes, and you can’t lie your name to women, but they can,” my

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

out of nowhere, asking me why

of you, and you suggested we could have an awesome-threesome,” I say, mimicking

Pyke sighs in

cousin shrugs then say,

My eyes widen. “Why would I? This is bull! It was his fault why he has a bruise right now.”

would I apologize to him in the first place? He was being disrespectful. This idiot expects that I will apologize. No way!

I can see the amusement on his face.

gonna happen, Hughes-dick!”

“You mean huge dick?”

crap! My mistake. Now I just inflate his already huge ego.

“Douché.”

“Cam,” Kyland warns.

I’ll do it

will let me

My head snaps

the longest sermon of

“Nothing,” I deadpan.

insists. This man is

or not? You’ve been

“You’re nosy, you shouldn’t have listened.”

wasn’t my intention.”

“But you still

go home, Cam. We have a long serious talk,” Kyland groans, clearly not

he reacts, he’s saying one thing—he

Pyke Hughes. This is

and I want to chide him for doing that, but I am sure, he’s afraid that what’s happening right

just simply nods and smirks, mocking me.

am a little bit childish, but I just can’t

mature,” he murmurs.

“Dick!” I retort.

said, enough!” Kyland grabs my

my cousin is around, and I can’t let him lose the job that he loves. I stop when I hear Pyke says.

“Sure, man, take care

stop when I hear Pyke says and mouth, “Dick.”

love it,” he

I forgot to fill the tank of

could you ever miss to check if it’s empty or not?” He looks more annoyed.

Can’t this day get

Hughes, maybe he has a full tank,” he adds.