Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“We need to check what’s in his pants, and then we’ll know all about Dex’s loyalties,” Shane said, grinning at Hammer’s knocked-out form. “Help me with this, Jag.”
Jag’s mouth twisted as he held Dex’s gaze with a mixture of betrayal and distaste, but he did eventually grab Hammer’s legs, lifting him up alongside Shane. The wind blew into Dex’s face, bringing a waft of the delicious cologne his lover favored.
This couldn’t be happening.
“Frank, it wasn’t safe for me to call. You gotta understand.” He tried to free himself again, but Frank had hands that could crush a watermelon, and they wouldn’t budge from Dex’s thrashing. “Please don’t take him back. The club could hurt him. He’s being framed. You have no idea what’s been going on.”
Frank growled. “Oh I will find out what’s been going on. On the ride home.”
Dex’s stomach shrunk to the size of a nut when he spotted Frank’s van. Still knocked out, Hammer was a limp bag of meat and bones between Jag and Shane, but a part of Dex hoped it was just a bluff, and that Hammer would pick himself up in the right moment to—to do what exactly? Dex might be angry at his friends now but didn’t want to see them hurt, which might end up happening if they stood in Hammer’s way.
“Don’t worry, Dexie, your prince will arrive at the junkyard unharmed,” Shane said, climbing into the back of the van. His grinning face hidden in shadow, along with Hammer’s form, which disappeared from sight as the two men carried him in.
“Don’t out him either!” Dex cried, slouching in Frank’s hold. This was really fucking bad, but Frank was his uncle, and the guys—his friends. Surely, he could change their minds about Hammer on the long drive home.
Shane slid out through the side door and rolled his eyes. “We’re not animals.”
Jag growled, shutting the back of the vehicle with more force than necessary. “You sure? Because I would love to rip him apart for causing all this. What if he took Dex and killed him?”
Shane’s mouth opened in a wide grin. “I think it’s pretty clear at this point that’s not what he wanted with Dex.”
Frank must have thought that Dex was over fighting the inevitable, because his hold loosened, and the moment that happened Dex shot forward, leaving his new jacket in Frank’s arms.
“I said let go of him and we’ll talk about it!” He sprinted toward the van, but the fact those were his friends, not people he’d have no issue pointing the gun at, put him at a disadvantage. It was three to one, and if he didn’t want to risk their lives by playing dirty, his and Hammer’s fate was in their hands.
But they cared for him as much as he cared about them, and while they were in the wrong now, he could make them understand that Hammer did not deserve whatever his club had in store for him!
Jag spun around and dropped his spear for the same reason Dex’s gun was still in the holster, and balled his hands into fists, ready to fight Dex off.
This couldn’t be happening.
“Stop,” Frank roared, stomping after him. “Get into your fucking car, and we’ll talk! He won’t be hurt, but he’s going back to the junkyard with us, as are you!”
Right before Dex could crash into Jag and leap in through the side doors of the van, where Hammer still lay like a sack of potatoes, Frank grabbed him from behind and lifted him into the air. Dex let out a screech of fury.
“You have no idea what we’ve been through! He saved me from a fucking tiger!” His heart leapt when he saw Hammer’s shoulder move. “Hammer, I’ve got you! I’ll work it out!”
“Dex?” he croaked, not all there yet under the sack, but Shane shut the door with a single tug, making him disappear.
It was like getting shot over and over. “I’ll make this right!” Dex shouted as Frank carried him away, huffing from the effort.
“You’ll alert the whole town!
Jag spat on the ground as he circled the van to get in from the passenger side. Some friend.
“What do they want from him? What’s the situation? How did you find us?” Dex asked, never taking his eyes off the van as his ogre of an uncle carried him above ground, away from the man who needed Dex’s help and protection.
“Dex. Keys,” Frank said with a grunt, finally putting him down.
“Hammer has them,” Dex said, pulling his jacket from Frank’s hand. He took a deep breath and put it on before glancing toward the van. It was now very clear he didn’t stand a chance against them all, and since persuasion was the only weapon he could effectively use, he’d focus on that instead of thrashing around like a salmon thrown onto shore.