Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Michael asked, rubbing at Isabella’s back.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Are you sticking to that diet like I told you?” Joan asked Isabella.
“Mom, I’m pregnant. Sickness comes and goes.”
“As do her cravings,” Michael said. “I don’t have a problem going out late at night for potato chips and ice cream.”
Grant chuckled.
Joan gasped. “Honey, you do not want to give in to those … cravings. Trust me. Fight them. Follow my plan and you’ll rid yourself of your baby weight.”
“It’s fine, Mom.”
“So, Grant, what do you do?” Michael asked.
“He’s part of the Chaos and Carnage MC,” Joan said. “That’s what he does.”
“Mom,” Aria said.
“Actually, I’ve currently been suspended from the club. At this point, I’m neither in nor out of the club. Let’s see, what do I do? Depending on the day, I’m a mechanic, personal trainer, waiter, or currently working at an animal shelter.”
“Multiple jobs?”
“It pays the bills,” Grant said.
He used to do the necessary work for the club as well. Whatever recon his brother needed, Grant was more than happy to do. In fact, there wasn’t a job he’d not been great at. Even during his prospect years, he’d done every single little dirty job Bull could think of. Cleaning shit out of toilets, babysitting brats, standing for long hours holding beers for the guys, being a personal errand boy for the members.
He’d taken everything. Grant had known Bull wanted him to quit, but being part of Chaos and Carnage MC was in his blood. Nothing their father or Bull could say or do would take that thirst away from him.
“How did you two meet?” Michael asked.
He seemed to be the one taking the lead. Grant also noticed he was trying to distract Joan from talking to his wife. Every time the older woman went to speak, and it appeared to be directed at Isabella, he’d ask questions.
Grant smiled at Aria. “At the veterinary practice where she works. I had to go in with a few dogs. She was right there.”
“Dogs are filthy animals. They should all be put down,” Joan said.
“That’s strange, I have the same viewpoint on people,” Grant said, staring at Joan. He then laughed. “Dogs are just misunderstood is all. They’re amazing companions. Loving. Loyal. They don’t want anything from us but love and affection. Sometimes, even people can’t give you that. Aria has just adopted two dogs.”
Isabella gasped. “You have?”
“Yes, I have. Bruno and Ernie.” Aria pulled out her cell phone and held it out for Isabella to take.
“They are so cute.” Isabella held the cell phone out to her husband.
“They are cute,” Michael agreed, kissing her head.
Isabella tried to show their mother but Joan waved her hand. Her husband, however, had a look at the picture.
“Are they not a handful?” he asked.
“No, they’re not. They’re wonderful and loving. They were rescued from a dogfighting ring. They needed homes and I just fell in love with them, Dad.”
Her father looked happy but Joan, oh, she wasn’t happy at all.
“Will you excuse me?” Isabella said, getting up from the table.
“Do you need me to come with you?” Joan asked.
“No, Mom, I just need to use the bathroom.”
Grant got to his feet seconds later. “All that coffee, I have to use the men’s room.” He kissed Aria’s cheek and headed in the direction of the bathroom.
He spotted the women’s bathroom and waited outside. Isabella only took a few minutes but he’d also noticed no one else had gone in or come out of the men’s room. He grabbed Isabella’s arm and shoved her into the men’s room.
“What are you doing?”
“What happened nine months ago, you never speak a fucking word of it. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t know you, you don’t know me, got it?”
“I would never … I promise,” Isabella said. “It was a moment of weakness.”
“It wasn’t weakness on my part. I was looking for a quick fuck, and you were there. You meant nothing to me. But Aria, she’s the real deal. You say anything to hurt her, and I will end you, got it?”
Isabella nodded. “Michael, he can’t know.”
Grant knew she’d been wearing an engagement ring. She had told him it was over between her and her boyfriend and the wedding wasn’t going to happen.
He’d tuned out. Getting his dick wet at the time had been more important. Now, he was fucking sick of himself. This was before he’d even met Aria.
He didn’t want this mistake to ruin what he had with Aria. “Not a fucking word.”
Letting go of Isabella’s arm, he headed back out and made his way over to the table, taking a seat beside his woman. The waitress had already been over with the menus.
Running his hands along Aria’s back, he cupped her shoulder. Seeing the woman he’d screwed one night around the back of the bar in town, hadn’t been ideal. He couldn’t believe that woman was Aria’s sister. It explained why he recognized her from her picture but it hadn’t been quite clear to him who she was.