Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Are you sure you want to take me to your club?”
Why is she asking me that now?
“Uh, yeah.” I wave one hand toward the windshield. “We’re literally halfway there. Why would you even ask? I thought you were excited?”
“I mean, now that you know what I am…about my side hobby.” She draws out the words for emphasis, as if I can’t figure out her meaning.
If only she could understand how well she’ll fit in. “What you are is a deeply compassionate person with a strong stomach and even stronger sense of justice. You’ll be right at home.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Anyone else posing that question would clang my danger alarm. Not Margot. “Anything.”
She hesitates for a few beats as if she’s rethinking her question. “The night your club came to—borrow the facilities—who went into the retort? Were they random club enemies or was it more…personal?”
We’re already in that crime together, so I don’t hesitate. “Both. But what sealed their fate that night was that they kidnapped Charlotte’s brother and chopped off his toe.”
“Holy hell. Really?”
“Yup. Sent it to Charlotte in a fucking box.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’s a tough little dude. But I’ve overheard Charlotte say it was bothering him for a while, he just didn’t want anyone to know.”
“That’s awful.” She’s silent again. Probably debating if the loss of a pinky toe was worth killing over.
“They were also holding a girl, June, hostage and did some pretty heinous stuff to her.” I glance down and frown, brushing my hand over my side. “They stabbed Rooster…”
“Wow.” She blows out a breath. “I read about motorcycle clubs and how a lot of disputes stem from petty beefs over territory or perceived insults. But that’s a lot more than riding through town wearing your colors and not calling ahead.”
Pleased she remembered that bit of protocol, I nod. “That’s an interesting way to put it. You’re right. Some clubs aren’t very level-headed and beef over dumb shit.” I consider my words more carefully. I want Margot to feel comfortable in my world, not live in fear that we try to murder each other. But I also want to be honest with her. “My first charter could be that way sometimes. It’s gotten them into trouble more than once over the years.”
“Is that the reason you and Rooster left?” she asks. “Bad decision making?”
I nod once, then let out a dark laugh. “That, and the old president wanted to pump him full of lead for dating his daughter.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Rooster’s big, white ass wishes I was joking.”
“I’ll never tell anyone you shared that with me,” she says in a solemn tone, understanding my club might not approve.
Even so, I need her to understand the stakes. “We try not to drag the women into club specifics.” Sometimes that’s easier said than done.
“Kinda hard to do that when someone sends your wife her brother’s toe,” she points out.
“Uh, yeah,” I agree. “Each brother decides for himself how much he shares with his ol’ lady.” I swallow hard, wary of even the potential sting of betrayal. “If she ever betrays the MC, he’s the one who suffers the punishment from the club.”
“What form of punishment?”
“Depends on the depth of the betrayal.” Am I really sharing this much detail with her already? Worse, am I doing it right before I take her to hang out with the club for her first visit as my girlfriend? Truth is, if an ol’ lady snitches to the cops, they’d probably both end up six feet under. “Most punishments come in the form of cash or blood.”
“So, a fine or a beating?” Her voice is full of curiosity, like she’s trying to swallow our brand of family justice. “No permanent disfigurement?”
Good God, her mind is fascinating and sharp as a blade. I want to crawl inside her brain and live there. “Like cutting off a finger or something? No. If we strip someone’s patch, and they don’t end up in the ground, they have to get rid of any and all Lost Kings MC ink. Method is up to them.” I gesture to my arms and shoulders. “But you’ve seen how covered a lot of us are.”
“Covering all that ink could be disfiguring in its own way.”
“Right, and if they don’t do it in a specific time frame…” I let the idea hang for a few beats. “Then we do it for them—”
“And not in a neat, artistic fashion, I assume,” she says with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
I tilt my head to the side in answer.
When she doesn’t say anything, I glance over.
She lifts her eyebrows, silently demanding more detail.
“I’ve only seen that happen once,” I say. “When I was a prospect in Washington.”
“Let me guess, the president wanted you and Rooster to watch, so you’d fully grasp the price of betrayal?”
My brothers have no idea how much Margot’s going to deserve that property patch I’m giving her one day. “I’m sure that had a lot to do with it. It doesn’t happen often, though,” I hurry to add. “Club here spends a lot of time vetting brothers before we vote them in, and they get their full patch. Especially now.”