Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
He takes a pull from his beer. “Tripp will never,” he begins but doesn’t finish the statement.
I shake my head, “No, he won’t, and BW might kill you before Tripp if he catches wind, you’re even thinkin’ of his baby sister like that.” I hate killing his desire, but it’s the damn truth.
“Don’t I fuckin’ know it. But I can’t resist her. And she’s not about to let this thing between us, whatever it is go.” He sighs in frustration. “I gotta get outta here. She’s killin’ me slowly.”
I sympathize with him, but I don’t have an answer. Seeing us, Dia grabs Maritza by the hand and half drags her over. Once my woman gets close, though, she picks up the pace coming directly into my space, wrapping her arms around my waist to settle in against me.
Home.
The instant warmth of that comfort fills me. “I love you,” I whisper kissing the top of her head.
Dia leans in and says something to Toon. Instantly, his face changes and I feel Maritza tense as she takes in the difference in them. Dia puts a hand on each of Toon’s cheeks pulling him to her before she kisses him. He doesn’t wrap his arms around her as their kiss intensifies. We aren’t tucked away where no one can see. This is a dangerous thing she’s doing. I know Dia cares for him and doesn’t understand why she can’t have him. But I don’t know that Tripp or BW will be okay with a brother dating her. It’s not what they want for her. Thank fuck, just for this moment, no one is actually watching them.
“Fuck,” I mutter as BW walks in at the exact moment, I think this will go unnoticed.
Toon pulls back wiping the back of his hand across his lips. Dia studies the move. Her hurt is visible at the rejection.
“I can’t fuckin’ do this shit. You know it.” Toon tells her what I’ve heard him say before.
Dia puts a hand on her hip, “what I know is you and I have something. The kind of something Roundman had and my parents have. Just take a chance so you can see what I know. No, I don’t have all the answers like you want. What I know is what I want, and deny it all you can, but you know you want it, too. Life is fuckin’ short, Justin.”
“It’ll cost me my cut. My fuckin’ family. They’re gonna love you no matter what. I got no one but you and this club. In order to have you, what do you think Tripp is gonna want from me?”
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” she argues.
“Yeah, the fuck it is that way. I can’t do this shit. Might as well, tell you now, I’m transferring to Catawba. Rex and Shooter already approved me and got me a place set up. I leave tomorrow when the Catawba club rides back out.”
Dia reaches up grabbing the sides of his cut yanking them, unsuccessfully trying to shake him. “Fuck you! Why would you do this to me? Fuck you and fuck the Hellions,” she half whisper yells and takes off.
Maritza rushes off to follow her to the back bathrooms. This is not how I expected things to go today at all. Fuck.
“Brother, you laid that shit out all wrong.” I tell him the truth.
He shrugs as I see the war behind his eyes. “She won’t stop pushing things and I keep fucking up and giving in. I’m not strong enough to stay here and resist her. She needs to be happy. For her to be happy I can’t be here. She has to move on. If that means I have to leave so, be it. I’m setting her free which is how it should have stayed from the beginning.”
I take a pull from my beer knowing he’s twisted up inside. “I don’t know if this is what is best, Toon.”
“Neither do I,” he stammers setting his beer on the bar before walking away.
Other charters begin arriving as does Ruby, Vida, and Mariella who brings Hollis in with her for us. They approach and give the usual greetings. Luckily, Maritza comes out with Dia behind her looking composed once again like nothing happened. She is certainly resilient Dia Crews, that is. Maritza moves to stand beside me wrapping her arms around my waist and I am instantly at ease again having her with me.
“Hija, can you help me at the mini storage office really quick?” Vida asks Maritza.
She pulls away from me, but not before rolling up on her tip toes and placing a soft kiss to my lips. “Sure thing. Mariella, you want to come with us?” Maritza invites.
“No place I’d rather be,” her sister replies which luckily comes off sarcastic, so Maritza is none the wiser. “Everyone loves going to work on their day off,” she adds.