Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
“Gettin’ you in clean clothes. The blood will draw attention we don’t need.”
“Like the mess of scars all over my face won’t?” I shoved at him, trying to get space between us. “Move out of my way. I can dress myself.”
He grunted and turned to face away from me. Not completely. He could still keep an eye on me, but it gave me at least a modicum of privacy. I stepped out of my jeans, draping them over the door of the open truck, then stepped into my yoga pants. I’d never admit it to him, but I was glad he’d had me change. I dreaded putting on a T-shirt because mine were close-fitting, and I already knew it would aggravate the wound.
Brick turned to me before I’d gotten a T-shirt out of my backpack. “Wait here. I’ll get you a loose shirt.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You’re not wearing a shirt that would rub against the wound. Even with that thick dressing, it could get it to bleedin’ again.”
I gritted my teeth but said nothing. His tone was gruff and no nonsense. Like he couldn’t give a fuck. I could only imagine how put out with me he was. But really, I hadn’t asked him to come all this way after me. I was glad he had, given the situation I’d found myself in, but that was a fluke. If there had been any indication I was being watched, there was no doubt the club would have been all over it. They might not have appreciated that me and Winter had brought a psycho right to their door, but the mere fact that Winter was ol’ lady to the Iron Tzars enforcer meant they’d eliminate the threat.
Brick came back with a huge shirt. He slipped it over my head and helped me thread my arms through the armholes and into the truck. The fucking shirt smelled like him! Was he trying to kill me? It was bad enough I had to ride in the close confines of a truck with him, but surrounded by his scent? No. Not happening.
I dug into my backpack until I found a larger shirt of my own. It was still tighter than I’d like, but it was a better alternative than wearing one of Brick’s.
“You take my shirt off and, once you’ve healed, I’ll be spankin’ your pretty little ass, girl.”
Well… shit.
Chapter Two
Brick
I was so relieved I finally had Serelda back in my care I was weak in the knees. My heart seemed to stutter in my chest, and my breath came in quick pants. I felt like I’d run a marathon. I was also so angry with her I really would be spanking her ass.
As I stalked around the back of the truck, I used the time to try to get myself under control. When I’d realized Serelda was gone, I nearly lost my mind. She was so fragile I couldn’t imagine her out in the world by herself. Then when I found her with another man next to her, I’d seen red. Thank God I’d used my head and assessed the situation before I acted, or I wouldn’t have had any kind of defense against killing a man in front of everyone. At least now, there was a bus full of people who’d seen him shoot first. I should have waited, but my gut was screaming at me to get the fuck out. That feeling had stood me well over the years, and I’d learned in prison to never doubt it.
After several deep breaths and a few seconds studying my surroundings, listening to see if there was a vehicle following us, I opened the driver’s door and climbed in. Clasping the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip, I sat there, needing to get going, but also needing to set things straight with Serelda. Without looking at her, I asked the one question beating into my brain. “Why’d you run, Serelda?”
I heard her gasp, but she didn’t speak. Her body shook in the seat next to me. I could feel the slight tremble of the truck even though she weighed next to nothing.
“Doesn’t matter.” Her voice was a mere thread of sound. “You found me. Kept me from running any farther.”
“I did.”
Again, we sat in silence. I needed to get started so we could get our asses back to Evansville. But I couldn’t. Not yet.
“Were you headed back to Lake Worth? Black Reign?”
“It’s the only place I feel safe.” She sounded lost. Like her whole life was gone. Maybe it was. At least, I could see how she’d see it that way. Her sister had found a man who adored her. Another person she needed other than Serelda. While that wasn’t the way things were, and I knew Serelda was happy for Winter, I could see how Serelda would be uncomfortable.