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)
“Give them a minute.” A man with the title “President” and the name “Thorn” approached us. He’d just come from inside.
“Everything OK?” Lemon asked softly.
“I think so.” Thorn shrugged. “Suffice it to say, they all have things to work out.”
“Fuck you, Jacob!” An irate-looking woman stomped out of the building. “I didn’t do anything the two of you didn’t do! I just had to disappear for a little while! Tell me you didn’t do the same thing, then come talk to me about the future.” She stabbed a finger in the direction of the door just as Falcon and Rattler followed her out.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Falcon called after her. “I’ll help you with whatever you need.”
“I need my fiancé and my brother to support me in my career!” As Falcon got close, she lunged into him and shoved his chest hard. Falcon didn’t budge, but he didn’t reach for her like I thought he might. “I did what I did because the Marines and the CIA told me I had exceptional talent. If you can’t deal with that, maybe I don’t need you in my life, even if I still want you!”
“Joilyn, you left us.” Rattler reached for his sister but she batted at his hands, stepping further away from him. “We both thought you were dead. Why didn’t you at least tell us what was going on?” Rattler still held out his hand, pleading with his sister. “It’s been three years. How were we supposed to know you were undercover?” Both men were focused squarely on Joilyn. I doubt they even realized they had an audience.
I winced. “This was a bad idea. Maybe I should go.” My voice was tight as my throat closed up. I’d expected this, but it still hurt. Someone put a hand on my shoulder and turned me around, pulling me into their arms for a tight hug. It took a moment to realize it was Lemon.
“I-I sh-shouldn’t be h-here. I w-want to g-go h-home.” The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by the men from Grim Road and Venus. She and Piston were regulars in the Grim Road compound, though Venus was actually a member of Salvation’s Bane. I’d heard they’d been given memberships into several clubs and now acted kind of like ambassadors or mediators or something for all the clubs Grim was active with.
“Come on, little one,” Venus murmured to me. Lemon passed me off to the other woman. Venus and Piston urged me away from the clubhouse. I hadn’t even gone inside. “It will be all right.”
“I d-don’t know why I c-came.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but wasn’t sure how well I managed it. “This was a s-stupid idea.”
“Was not,” Piston said gruffly. “Seems to me someone is regretting her life choices and taking it out on the people who love her. Don’t worry. Your man’s not letting her manipulate him.”
“I can’t --” I sucked in a breath. “I can’t w-watch this.”
Venus wrapped an arm around me while Piston led the way back to the garage. When I stumbled, Piston grunted, but scooped me up into his arms and strode into the building. Venus said something and Piston grunted again.
“I’ll sit with her. You go make sure Falcon doesn’t have his head up his ass.” Piston had set me on a bench and Venus sat beside me, her arm going around me and pulling me to her.
“He’s good. I’m more worried about Joilyn. I don’t think she’s mentally stable.”
Piston turned and jogged out of the garage and I was left with Venus. She still had her arms around me, patting me like a mother might an upset child.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“No reason for you to apologize,” Venus reassured me in her soft Russian accent. “Falcon messaged Lemon to bring you to Salvation’s Bane. He wanted you here, Gina. Don’t give up on him.”
“H-He did?” I hated that I looked up at Venus with the hope that suddenly blossomed in me, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted Falcon. I wanted him to be my own. I… I loved him.
“He did. He knew Joilyn was coming home and he still chose you.”
“He d-didn’t even l-look at me.”
“He will.” Venus continued with the comforting arm around me, while she stroked my hair with the other. I was ashamed to admit how hard I clung to her.
“I never used to be this clingy,” I admitted to Venus as I desperately tried to get myself under control. “Never had anyone to cling to.”
“And that’s shame, little sister.” Venus didn’t let me go, but continued to comfort me when I felt like I was going to shatter. “You should have always have had someone to cling to when you hurt.”
I’d just started to calm down when I heard raised voices outside and getting closer. I cringed, shrinking back. Venus let me go, but didn’t move away completely.