Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 63194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
It felt great to be taking care of others instead of only herself for a change and filled a need inside her that she didn’t even know she had. The brothers had become her family. They teased her, bantered with her and generally kept her upbeat with there outrageous stories of drunken escapades. She’d even become something of an Agony Aunt to some of the prospects who liked to vent to her about their families or girlfriends.
The brothers also created a barrier between her and the club sluts. After sleeping in Duke’s bed for a full week they tried making her life hell. They attempted to turn the brothers against her by talking shit and made any task she was given twice as hard by messing it up. Helen once slipped onto Kings’ knee while he was eating and tasted his food. After she declared it disgusting, she was shoved from his lap and all the club sluts were banned from eating the clubs’ food, unless it was a party. Nicole had wanted to cheer with pom-poms after seeing everyone agree, having her back while Helen was left red-faced and snarling.
The odd nights Duke was away on club business she still slept in his bed trying hard to fall asleep. Sleeping without Duke had become more and more difficult. He claimed the same thing with her. Once he swept her up into her arms when he got back from an overnight run and pounded his way up the stairs to his apartment. She got excited and so wet at the prospect of being thrown down on his bed and sexed into oblivion. He stripped her quickly before collapsing beside her. He wound himself around her and pulled up the covers. She remembered being totally confused until he buried his nose in her neck and drew in a long breath.
“Fuck, baby. I couldn’t get a fucking minute of sleep without you under me. I’m good for fuck all right now.” Two minutes later he was lightly snoring. She giggled to herself before settling down and taking a nap that she needed too, luxuriating in his warmth and smell.
He’d started to open up more to her about his life before the club. Razor and Duke were raised in foster care and group homes until Duke was eighteen and left, taking Razor with him. He hated his mother who had abandoned them.
“Out mother was a total bitch. Why she ever had kids is a mystery to me. She made it damn clear to me and Razor that she wished we’d never been born – it was her version of good morning. I hardened to it pretty quickly but I always knew it got yo Razor more than he let on. Nights when she didn’t come back, he’d worry where I’d be just fucking grateful.”
He talked briefly about all the men who she paraded through their house and allowed to beat on him and Razor. As he spoke she clung tighter to him. He never seemed weak or vulnerable while he was talking, she did it for her comfort more than his. He never gave more details than he wanted to and she never pressed him for them. The rare times he spoke of his mother was in a monotone voice. Her abandonment of him and his brother had definitely left its mark.
He built up quite a reputation as a thug in his time in foster care and as soon as he was released he starting working for a gang as an enforcer. He described his job as “breaking bones and collecting debts.” He did this for three years until the gang made a deal with Fallen MC.
“I was at the meeting. I can’t remember what shit it was over but Prod, the gang boss, pulled me and all the other enforcers in to add to his protection. Fallen had a fucking ruthless reputation and everyone knew sure as shit not to mess with them. Prod always acted invincible but I was excited to see what could rattle the bastard. In walked Prez, followed by only three other brothers. One was Hollywood, the other two are old-timers now and aren’t round much. There was eleven of us standing round and in Fallen walked, just four brothers and they totally dominated the meeting. You could just see the bond between them. There was no doubt about who’d have their back or if they were about to be screwed over. They were solid and I was drawn to it. I wanted that too. Two days after the meeting me and Razor approached Reaper, who was VP at the time, about being recruited and the rest is history. Prod tried to have me taken out but my brothers took care of it, just like I’d do for any of them.”
Nicole knew that Duke saw Fallen as his family now, a family without the hassle and heartbreak a ‘traditional’ family can bring. From starting as a prospect right up to being voted VP, he gave everything to the club and never let anything interfere with that. Nicole didn’t know anything about living as a traditional family either but she wouldn’t mind finding out. She wanted to belong to someone too and in her heart she knew she wanted it to be Duke. She’d never had the stability that he treasured so much. She could see why he’d do anything to hold on to it.
She started to spend more of her free time with the brothers, Shel and Jewel. Not just at meals. She really liked them all and they treated her well. Even Prez had thawed towards her. Shel and Jewel liked to tease that she was going to be the next old lady yet Duke had never mentioned anything like that. It chipped away at her that maybe he never thought of her the way she thought of him. She tried not to let it show or affect her but when she was alone she felt sad to her bones. She loved her life now. She never imagined living in an MC. she’d even vowed to herself years ago to escape any kind of life like this but now she wanted it more than anything.