Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
We’re in the common room, in one of the sitting areas in the back, where the most comfortable chairs and couches are while a game’s on the massive projector TV. Blade and Ripper are on the couch, and I’m draped comfortably across Alpha’s massive lap, snuggled into his broad torso and feeling oddly happy. It’s a feeling I’m still getting used to after everything that’s happened.
“Why don’t you two fuckers get a room,” says Alpha.
Ripper makes kissy noises. “Do you want me to come sit in your lap?”
“Fuck off,” he says good-naturedly and pulls me in closer, nearly spilling my beer.
“Easy!”
“God, I can’t believe you’re living here,” gushes Nicky from her chair.
She’s up for a few days to visit. She was super disappointed to learn that the Cleanup Crew were already quite happily pledged to Alessa after their rescue operation, which apparently included some pretty impressive beat downs and other over the top macho things, which seems to be the order of business for any of the bikers around here.
She’s been keeping a close eye on the rest of the bikers and flirting a little like she’s hoping to be noticed, but the old naive teasing is gone. Her rose colored glasses have well and truly fallen off, but she’s not completely against the idea. I just think it might take her a while.
After all, if I ended up a biker chick, just about anybody could.
But life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Even with the three guys I’ve fallen head over heels for, I still miss my store. Carrying on a relationship with three guys at once takes up a lot of time, but I miss actually working.
Not to mention that it would be nice to get out more. I like getting to know Dad better again, but it’s as strange for him to see me with the Strike Team as it is for me to watch him and Miriam.
On the TV, the ref calls the game, and both Ripper and Alpha cheer. Every time their teams win, it’s like that. My favorite part is the part that comes after.
“Time to fucking celebrate, honey,” Alpha says so close to my ear I get goosebumps.
“Guys, Nicky’s still here” I’m only protesting a little, because we all decided we were going to wait for Blade getting better before our first true celebration, so to speak, so he didn’t miss out on it, and while I appreciate their camaraderie and brotherhood and all that stuff, I’m as freaking horny as the rest of them.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Nicky says with a wide grin. “Anyone want to play pool?”
A few guys drift over, cautiously checking her out. They all know who she is, and that she’s not off limits, but not quite free game, either.
I hop off Alpha’s lap, and I slide right over to sit on Blade.
“What the fuck?” he asks, but his hands go to my hips to pull my ass right into his lap, where there’s no doubt he’s more than ready to celebrate. I notice it even through his jeans.
“You guys go on ahead. We’ll be right there,” I say to Ripper and Alpha and wave them on their way.
They look at each other, then back at me. “Okay,” says Ripper, “but you’d better fucking hurry. We’re not starting without you.”
“So what’s the deal?” asks Blade. He eyes me curiously.
I wet my lips, trying to figure out how to explain this. In the end, I take the simplest route. “Do you remember what we talked about back when we were trying to escape?”
“We talked a lot, babe. What in particular?” He looks at me in confusion.
“You… you told me you loved me,” I say quietly. “But I didn’t say it back. I was—that day was a lot, and hearing about what you’ve done. Seeing it? I didn’t know what to think.”
His eyes widen when he understands what I mean, but then shakes his head gently. “Baby girl, the fact that you’ve seen and heard all that shit and are still right here? That’s all I ever need in this life. It’s more than I ever thought I could have, so if you don’t feel about me like you do someone like Alpha who is more—”“
I put a finger on his lips. “That’s not it. I understand. I’m not a priest or anything, to give you absolution, but I would if I could.”
His arms go tight around me. “Fuck, Faith. Why would I give a shit what some church person thinks? You and my brothers here? The only people who matter. I’ve learned to live with my darkness, babe. It’ll always be here.”
“And I don’t care. We all have darkness in us, more or less, but we’re more than that. And I wasn’t very good at seeing that. I want you to know that I love you, no matter what you did in the past, because I love all of who you are. The light parts, and the dark ones.”