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)
He checked on Wizard and saw he was still trying to strangle the yeti with the thick chain, while another Italian was punching him in the face to force him to let it go. Deciding Wizard was faring better than Jesus, Doom fought his way through the frenzied throng to reach the man who was taking hit after hit from several aimed bats.
Pulling one bat away when it was jerked backward to hit Jesus again, he used it to drill anyone stupid enough to come near him. Mama’s men became baseballs to be hit out of his fucking ballpark.
“Motherfucker!” one of them screamed in pain.
“Get the fuck back, or I’m going to smash all of your fucking faces!” Doom roared at them. He was done doling out minimal damage to Arden’s friends. The squad of Italians was out for blood. Unless The Last Riders stopped playing defense and started breaking bones, they were going to get their asses handed to them.
Realizing that he was done playing around, Wizard and the brothers started fighting back just as viciously.
A sharp command from Mama, which Doom couldn’t understand, had the Italians breaking away from their fights to return to their vehicles.
Wizard wiped at his bloody lip as he gave the yeti a promising glare when the hulking man stuffed himself into the front seat of a van.
“Another five minutes, and I would have had that fucker,” Wizard said as he strode closer, wiping at his lip again. They were both observing Mama’s fervent hand gestures as she and Arden continued to argue.
“Another five minutes, he would have used you as filling for his meatballs.”
Wizard looked as if he wanted to deny the possibility, but then his shoulders slumped. “I should have chained Knox to the bar instead of letting him go to Kentucky with Viper.”
That, Doom had to agree with. “Mistakes were made.”
Wizard’s expression grew calculating. The brother never stayed down for long. He could give Captain America a lesson. If he couldn’t get a job done, he had no problem handing it over to someone who could.
“You think there’s any chance we can bribe him to come back?”
“No. Especially not now. His old lady is still recovering from being nearly decapitated.”
“Fuck.”
“Buck might be able to take him,” Doom reasoned.
“Not on his own,” Wizard scoffed, nodding his head to the yeti; he had gotten out of the van and stood with Mama and Arden. “You think they’re a couple?”
“The yeti and Mama?”
Wizard’s lips twitched at his name for the man standing protectively next to Mama. “The yeti?”
“Can you think of another word to describe him?”
“Yeah. Cockblocker comes to mind.”
“You in love again?”
“Brother, you only meet a woman like that once in a lifetime. Not only does she have the perfect handles, but damn, her vase isn’t nothing to sneeze at either. There’s only one problem I can see keeping us from spending several months in coital bliss.”
Doom rolled his eyes at Wizard. “Only one? I can name several,” he scoffed. “She can’t stand The Last Riders. As president, that means you. The yeti could be her lover.”
“Those problems I can deal with.”
“So, what do you consider your only problem?”
“Arden. She could seriously fuck my game up.”
“I would already considered it fucked myself, but you’re more of an optimist than I am where women are concerned.”
“I would ask why, but I don’t care.” Wizard motioned the rest of The Last Riders back inside the club when all the cars began pulling out of the parking lot until it was only Wizard, Jesus, Hawk, Puck and himself who remained outside.
Wizard eyed the small group again. “Anyone else notice Arden shut Natalia up and moved her away before either of us could get more detail about what happened this morning?”
Doom nodded while Hawk and Jesus agreed.
“Doom, I want her tagged wherever she goes. Find out where Arden lives and put around-the-clock surveillance on her place. Check and see if she’s telling the truth about the camera situation as well. She’s lying about something, and I want to know what it is and who she’s protecting. The fucker touched Last Rider property, and we need to make sure the repercussions are severe and long lasting.”
“I get first dibs,” Doom stated, drawing the other brothers’ surprised reactions.
Wizard shook his head at him. “As president, I do. You can’t have first dibs unless you claim her as yours. You ready to do that?”
Arden had had his guts tied in knots since she had barged into the club. Still, he wasn’t ready to claim her until he was good and ready to, not because he wanted to vent the rage he was feeling on the person who had struck her.
“Then no. You can have what’s left.”
Frustrated, Doom saw Mama and Yeti had gotten into the van and were driving away.
When Arden walked back to the clubhouse, his hands clenched at his sides. The full extent of the bruising was visible with the sun shining overhead. She had asked to stay home today, and he had told her no. His gut twisted into another knot. The woman was systemically wrecking the life he had worked so hard to build. Thanks to her, he no longer had free reign of his room. He hadn’t even been able to enjoy fucking with the same satisfaction without picturing her instead. He had gotten more pleasure out of kissing and touching her last night briefly than he had tongue-fucking the woman on the bar, or spending the whole night with Celeste. He had never had a problem keeping his emotions under control where women were concerned, yet there was something about Arden that pushed every fucking button he had.