Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Lemon snorted but grinned at Gina, chuckling lightly. “No, you’re not. Which is exactly why I turned up.” She sat on the edge of the lounge chair sideways, her elbows resting on her knees. Lemon reached over and took one of Gina’s hands in both of hers. “This is your home, Gina. No matter what. We’re your family.”
“I know.” Gina smiled, but again, it was her fake smile.
Lemon studied the other woman for several seconds before shaking her head. “I don’t think you do. Grim Road has a few other chapters over the country. If things are uncomfortable, the guys can transfer. Rocket says members patch over for different reasons. They’d all still have the club’s protection, but you’d be comfortable in your home.”
Gina frowned and shook her head. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“Honey, what’s fair is none of this ever happening to you. I’m glad you landed here. I just wish things had gone down differently.”
“I’m glad I’m here too, Lemon. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
Lemon shrugged. “We’re sisters. That’s what sisters do.” Then she gave Gina a wide smile. “Me and the girls are gonna stay with you while the guys are playing in their flying tin cans. We can have a big party with every kind of pizza we can get our hands on. Chips. Beer. Wine. Crown Royal. It’ll be awesome!”
Gina let out a small giggle and I saw her genuine smile break through for a moment. Yeah. She liked the idea but was anxious. “Why not just skip the food altogether?”
“See? This is what I’m talkin’ about! Woman after my own heart.” Lemon raised a hand for a high five and Gina complied with a grin and she started to relax again.
“We should probably get some rest, Lemon.” I couldn’t fuck Gina before I left, but there was no way in hell I was gonna spend my last night before this mission anywhere other than wrapped around her as she slept.
“Yeah. I’ll come with Rocket when he and Knox pick up Falcon and Rattler. You can go back to bed if you want and I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Lemon, why have you always been so nice to me? Is it because you feel sorry for me?”
Lemon held Gina’s gaze for several moments before she answered her. “Gina, you are one of the strongest women I know. You walked through fire and made it out the other side alive. Singed, but alive. Not only that, you’re taking your life back. You’re learning to trust again. It takes a brave person to take the leap. So you’ll always have my respect.”
This was one of many reasons Lemon was vice president of Grim Road. She always seemed to know the exact right -- or wrong -- thing to say or do. It was her superpower. She squeezed Gina’s hands before standing to leave.
Gina didn’t move other than to bunch her hand back into my shirt. “I don’t want you to go.” Her soft whisper wrapped around my heart and squeezed. “It’s selfish, I know. And I don’t expect you to really not go, but I still don’t want you to.”
“Honey, if it was anyone other than Joilyn, I’d gladly tell everyone to piss off. But I can’t.”
“I know. It’s who you are.”
“Come on. How about we go inside and watch a movie before bed?”
She settled back against me, clutching my shirt once more. “Maybe we could stay here a little while longer?”
I kissed the top of her head again. “Of course, baby. As long as you like.”
* * *
Gina
If it gave me a little bit of a reprieve having to think about him leaving me to go rescue the woman who he’d planned on marrying, then I’d take it. I believed Falcon when he said he’d come back, but I wasn’t all certain he’d want to stay with someone like me when he had a second chance at a happy ever after.
Chapter Six
Falcon
Once Gina was asleep, I carefully stood and carried her to bed. She never let go of my shirt. Even in her sleep. She was breaking my fucking heart!
I lay with her cuddled against my chest for most of the remaining hours before I had to leave. It was about an hour before I needed to get up when Gina stirred against me.
“What time is it?” Her words were slurred slightly from sleep.
“Three-thirty.”
“What time do you have to leave?”
“Five.”
She raised herself slightly so she looked down at me. Moonlight spilled through the bedroom window to bathe her face in a silvery glow. She looked ethereal, almost unreal. She lay her palm against my beard-roughened cheek. Then she kissed me. It was a light pressing of lips but she lingered.
God, I’d missed her kisses. She was sweetly tentative and her lips trembled slightly against mine.