Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 126(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 84(@300wpm)
“It wasn’t just a car accident,” I corrected, shaking my head as I rubbed my palms up and down my arms. “I saw something that I shouldn’t have and was followed from the bar on my way to get to you.”
“Shit.” Gideon raked his fingers through his hair. “I was so rattled by you getting hurt that I didn’t even stop to think about why you weren’t pulling your shift at Midnight Rebel. What the fuck happened?”
“Since you had already left for the clubhouse, I decided to head to the bar early for my shift.”
“Why the fuck is your sister working in one of our bars instead of celebrating the holiday with the club?” Blade growled, glaring at my brother. “None of this would’ve happened if she’d been here with us, where she belongs.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Gideon hissed. “I’m already kicking my own ass for not putting my foot down about that damn job. I don’t need you to do it, too. Not when you have zero say in my sister’s life.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger. “Are you guys going to keep bickering over something neither of you get to decide? Or are we going to focus on the actual problem so you can find the guy who tried to kill me?”
“Tried to kill you?” they echoed together at the top of their lungs.
“That’s what I’m trying to explain.” I dropped my hand to my side. “I wasn’t paying as much attention to my surroundings as I should have while I listened to Christmas music before going inside. So I didn’t realize what was happening a couple of parking spots over until I got out of my car.”
“I’ve told you over and over again how important situational awareness is, Elise. You’re a nineteen-year-old girl, and most guys have a good fifty pounds and half a foot on you. You’ve gotta pay attention to your surroundings so you can stay safe. No matter how many self-defense lessons you’ve taken, your best bet is to avoid the fight in the first place.”
“Yeah, well, that’s hard to do when there’s a drug deal going down in a parking lot where I thought I’d be safe because it’s owned by the Iron Rogues.” I hopped off the exam table to pace—gingerly, since my ankle was still a little sore—back and forth in front of the two men who were finally focused on me. “You told me that I didn’t have to worry about stuff like that while I was working there, but the second I climbed out of my car, I saw a guy handing over a bag of what I’m guessing was cocaine to another guy who looked as though he was strung out.”
“What’d they look like?” Blade demanded.
I gave them all the details I could remember about the drug dealer and his customer, as well as the car that had chased me.
Gideon clenched his fists at his sides. “That motherfucker forced you off the road?”
I nodded. “Yeah, and then he tried to force his way into my car. I’m not sure what he had planned from there, except that it wasn’t going to be good for me. He was pissed that I stumbled across his drug deal and was yelling about how he wasn’t going to let me…um…mess things up for him. If Whiskey hadn’t shown up when he did, I don’t think I would’ve gotten away from him.”
“Everyone knows we don’t allow drugs in our territory.” My brother looked at Blade. “The punishment he faced for getting caught dealing at one of our bars would’ve been severe.”
“And he made it a whole hell of a lot worse for going after her,” Blade growled.
Butterflies swirled in my belly over how angry the sexy doctor seemed to be on my behalf. “He had no way of knowing who I was, though. He probably figured I was just some server who the club would be pissed at for missing her shift.”
“Then he’s even dumber than we already thought.” At my look of confusion, Gideon explained, “The guy already proved to be a fucking idiot for blatantly breaking one of our rules out in the open where he was practically begging to be caught. But he should’ve known that the people who work for us are under our protection.”
Blade nodded in agreement, a determined gleam in his gray eyes. “He’s gonna pay. The statement will be made—nobody hurts you. Ever.”
4
BLADE
After I’d stitched and bandaged up Elise, Storm held out his hand and helped his sister off the exam table. I wanted to snatch her hand away and tuck her into my side. Since I knew staking my claim on her right then would lead to a fight—probably a very violent one—with Storm, and I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s Christmas, I stepped back and let him lead his sister back to the clubhouse and into the kitchen.