Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
I get it. The appeal to be his…fuck. I just met him and I’m already enthralled, but it’s tacky to go around warning other women away.
“Well, I’m glad we got that settled.” Turning to signal that I’m done with the conversation, I push the button to release the exit door. The drunken haze is almost gone. Callan burned it off. All that’s left is exhaustion and frustration.
“Hey, Princess,” she calls out to me. I don’t turn around. “Watch your fucking back.”
An unamused laugh trickles up my throat. “Now, who needs to grow up?”
Pushing out the door, a shiver racks over me. I pull my phone from my purse and see five missed calls from Tyler and one from Bear, plus a barrage of angry texts. Reading the last one Tyler sent, I roll my eyes.
Tyler: Don’t you think you’ve been a brat long enough?
Me: NOPE.
“What are you smiling about?” Tim asks, leaning against the Jeep smoking what looks to be a vape.
A cloud carries the scent on the wind, assaulting my nostrils. “You look like a badass but smell like a Sugar’ Donut,” I inform him. I hadn’t realized I was smiling. I put my phone away and gesture to the gate. “Are they going to let me leave?”
Following my gaze, he kicks off the car and opens the door, “I’ll take you where you need to go.”
Frowning, I look back to the club where the rowdy noise of the party still going strong hums around us. “Are you sure?”
“It’s why I’m here. Come on. Get in.”
Climbing inside, I buckle myself in and blow out a breath. Tonight was intense.
Once outside the compound, I ask, “How long have you been a prospect?”
“Nine months.” He shifts in his seat, hands grasping and ungrasping the steering wheel. I make him nervous.
“I’m sorry about getting you in trouble earlier with Kitty,” I say, rubbing my arms, the heat now cooling and leaving me chilly.
Tim fiddles with the thermostat until warm air begins billowing into the car.
“Kit was right. It’s not something I should have spoken on.”
“Is it a secret?”
Snapping his head in my direction, he says, “No, but it’s just personal. The pres is Kitty’s dad, so it hit her twice as hard.”
“Right. Well, I’m sorry for your loss.” It’s hard to feel sympathy for them. I’ve been taught to hate the Kings my whole life. After Harley, all I wanted for them before tonight was death and carnage. But Kitty is such a force of nature, boundless and bright. And Callan? I can’t even admit to how he makes me feel.
“He was old school, reminded me of my dad.” He seems to drift away into memories, and the ache of my own dad resurfaces, throbbing under my ribcage.
“I lost my dad too.”
I offer his shoulder a squeeze, and he shakes his head. “Oh, my dad’s not dead. I just haven’t seen him in a while. I came here to be closer to my brother. His road name is Green. You may have seen him inside.” I’m pretty sure it’s his tooth in my jean pocket.
“Maybe. Aren’t you worried about what happened, like, a killer being out there somewhere?” I shudder, giving him my best damsel act.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe with me. And if that cunt does come out from whatever rock they crawled behind, the club will deal with it.” Unlike Callan, all of Tim’s emotions play out on his face.
“Are there any suspects?”
A layer of tense silence blankets the car. Tim taps his finger on the wheel, keeping his eyes trained on the road. “I shouldn’t be talking about this stuff with an outsider.”
“Ouch.” I place a hand on my chest.
“Seriously, though, don’t tell Kitty we spoke, yeah?” He anxiously rubs a hand across his forehead.
“Yeah, ’course.” I play with the strap of my purse. “I hardly know Kitty anyway.”
Flitting his gaze between myself and the road, he raises a brow. “Well, she must like you. It’s rare for outsiders to get an invite to the clubhouse. Especially right now.”
I think back to Callan saying he invited me, the memory of his bite still burning on my hip. My stomach rumbles, steering the conversation to a lighter subject.
“Didn’t they feed you?” He looks to my stomach, then my face, and I cringe.
“I heard about Diamond’s famous chili dogs, but I didn’t get one.” The streetlights make it hard to hide my mortification.
“There’s a place down the road. I’ll get you a burger.” He chuckles.
“I have money,” I find myself saying in defense.
“It’s fine. It’s on me.”
I don’t know what I expected from the Kings of Sin, but this isn’t it. It’s playing havoc with my emotions.
“Can I get fries too?” I smile over at him.
Grinning with his teeth, he says, “You keep what we spoke about tonight to yourself, and I’ll get you an entire meal. How’s that?”