Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
"Okay, well, maybe don't do that? It'd just piss me off. And Gemma will kick my ass if I have to call the police on you guys so let's try to keep the theft to a minimum. Deal?"
"We're not going to rob you." Heidi shoots a dirty look at Charlie. "Ignore her. She likes to cause trouble."
Charlie just grins at me.
I shake my head. If the stories are true, maybe she's the one they should be worried about. She's always causing some sort of chaos in town. It seems to come naturally for her.
"Just behave when you go up. If you upset her, that's going to piss me off too," I say, heading for my bike.
"Bronx, wait," Adalynn calls, the first thing she's said since I stepped outside.
I pause, turning to look at her.
"How is she?"
"She had a rough night."
"I mean lately. Is she okay?"
"She's good. Happy." I grimace. "At least she was." I twirl my finger around indicating the four of them. "This is breaking her heart. You might not realize it, but she believes she's alive today because of what you guys did for her when she was a baby. And she feels immense guilt that you guys were separated. She'd do anything for you, even sacrifice her own happiness. But she's been going through the motions for a long time. That ended the day she walked into the club."
"I didn't know that," Adalynn says, stricken.
"Now you do." I sigh. "Do with it what you will. Just…don't break her heart. Out of everyone I've ever met, she's the most deserving of happiness. Let her have that."
"You love her," Heidi whispers.
I meet her gaze, letting her see the truth. I don't deny it. Why would I? There will never come a day when I deny how I feel about the woman sleeping in my bed right now. "She's my world. It's as simple as that."
When I pull up in Garrett's driveway, Razor, Xavier, and Colter are already there. I guess the whole damn family is on red alert this morning. I'm not mad about it. I'm glad Gemma is surrounded by people who love her this much. She deserves that.
I'm less worried about how things here will go than I am about how things will go with her sisters. I know they love her and want the best for her. But I get the feeling her sisters are just as stubborn as she is. I also know just how often people in the kink community end up ostracized from their families. People fear what they don't understand.
It's part of the reason clubs like the Sterling Rope exist.
"You son of a bitch!" Garrett roars, storming out of his front door before I'm even off my bike. His brothers-in-law hurry out behind him.
Razor is smirking like he's going to enjoy every minute of this. Colter and Xavier look less thrilled to be here.
I climb off my bike, striding up the driveway to meet Garrett.
"You took her to a fucking sex club?" he growls.
"Lower your voice before the whole goddamn neighborhood hears you."
"Don't tell me to lower my fucking voice." He gets up in my face, his red with rage. "You took her to a fucking sex club."
"She's your sister," I snap. "If you want to be pissed, fine. Be pissed. But at least have enough respect for her not to invite the whole goddamn town into her business."
"Her business or yours?" Razor taunts.
"I work at the fucking club. Do you really think I give a shit if people associate me with the club?" I ask, cutting my eyes in his direction. "My name has been associated with it since day one. But hers isn't. Unless you want everyone in town to know she's been there, lower your goddamn voice."
"Why do you care if everyone knows? You're the one who took her there." Razor growls.
"Because she gets to decide who she tells and when," I snap. "Not you. Not me. Not Garrett, Xavier, Colter, or any other motherfucker. Gemma decides."
"You took my sister to a sex club," Garrett seethes. His voice doesn't carry this time, though. At least he's listening.
I could tell him that she brought herself. But it wouldn't be the truth. She may have shown up at the doors by herself, but she didn't step foot into the club until I decided to let her. I walked her in and showed her everything Garrett's currently pissed about. I'm the one who had my hands on her inside the club. I'm the one who brought her back. And I'm the one who intends to do it again.
"I did," I say.
"You motherfucker."
I don't try to dodge when he takes a swing at me. I let his fist land against the side of my jaw. Pain ricochets through my head in a starburst. I grit my teeth, cursing.