Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
“What’s the matter, Wizard? Seems to me you’re the one who can’t accept a woman isn’t interested in you. I think we should both chalk up Arden and Natalia as losses and move the fuck on.”
“Brother, remind me, have I ever asked your advice on whether or not it was worth to chase after a woman? It might be your forte to play the nice guy, but, brother, that ain’t me.” Wizard’s voice had turned withering. “Now, are we going to be stepping on your balls if we ask Arden or not?”
He was trying to come up with a plausible reason, other than jealousy, after Wizard had ground his nuts into dust, when a knock sound at the door.
“Come in,” Wizard barked at the interruption.
Burn poked his head in the door. “Wanted to give you a heads-up that Arden came in about five minutes ago.”
Wizard perked up. “Get her for me. Tell her I want to talk to her.”
Doom was a second away from planting his fist in Wizard’s gloating face when Burn opened the door wider.
“I will, as soon as she comes out of Buck’s room. It might be a while.”
CHAPTER 30
THE VOTES
Would they even let her in? Arden questioned herself as she walked toward the club door. It took every ounce of her determination to approach, expecting Jesus to deny her entry. Relief nearly had her knees buckling when he opened the door for her.
She went inside and waited to be greeted like she had the first time she came by, being told to leave. Instead, the members sitting around gave her welcoming smiles, which eased the anxiety that had almost kept her away.
Pretending a blasé attitude, she confidently strode toward the side of the bar where the bedrooms were. Coming to a stop at the door she remembered Buck had opened when Doom carried her to the office, Arden knocked.
“Yeah?”
Taking that as an invitation to come in, Arden opened the door.
Buck was lying on his bed, propped on a pillow, watching television. Surprise filled his face when he saw it was her.
She maneuvered herself in the tight space as she closed the door, asking, “Can I talk to you and Puck privately?”
Buck scooted off the side of his bed, took two steps, and banged on the wall before sitting back down to mute the television.
When she heard the doorknob turning, Arden had to sidle to the side of the bed to make room for Puck to enter.
Puck was just as surprised to see her as his brother had been, raising a questioning brow at Buck, who just shrugged. Puck shut the door and leaned back against it, waiting for Buck to tell him why he had been summoned.
The room was so small it was making her feel claustrophobic. It was nothing more than the size of a large closet, and the large bed Buck was reclining on took up most of the space.
Getting to the point before she lost her nerve, she glanced at both men. “I want your vote.”
Puck leaned away from the door to take off his T-shirt, while Buck patted the space next to him.
Arden quickly shook her head as she reached into her purse to take out an envelope, handing it to Buck.
He took it, opened it, then pulled out what was inside. He lifted his head, staring at her, dumbfounded. “These are Super Bowl tickets.”
“Yes. There’s only one condition. You have to let Luc go with you.”
Puck nearly knocked her onto the bed to take the tickets away from his brother. “Where did you get these?”
“My dad is a big football fan.” Her eyes went to the tickets Puck was holding. “When the tickets went on sale, he bought them when Arizona was picked as host. He’s originally from Arizona. He bought them for Luc, me, and himself.”
“You’re giving us your dad’s and your tickets for our vote?” Puck started shaking his head. “We can’t…” He tried to hand the tickets back to her.
Arden didn’t take them and said, “Dad’s too sick to go.” She had to clear her husky voice before continuing. “We both know Luc would prefer going with you two than me. Besides, I can’t leave my parents right now. So, you see, this works out for all three of us. That is… If you want to go. If you’d rather, I could ask Wizard and—”
“You have my vote.” Puck tucked the tickets into his back pocket.
“Mine too.”
“There is just one other small catch.”
The two brothers stared at her dubiously.
“Who we gotta kill?” Buck asked matter-of-factly.
Arden couldn’t help but laugh. “Nothing that extreme. I want you both to say I earned your votes by us having sex, like the rest of the women did. I want this to be our little secret.” Her cheeks felt like they were on fire at the way they were looking at her.