Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
He stepped back, taking me in, and his eyes warmed. “Your woman is checking me out, Ghost.”
Shane snorted and stepped over, sweeping an arm around my waist. He pulled me to his side. “Kali, this is Boise.”
“Hi.” I felt shy. Gah. This was not me. Then again, this whole experience wasn’t me either.
He stepped toward me, his hand out. He watched me intently as we shook hands. “Kali. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He gave Shane a nod. “This one here hasn’t said a word about you, makes me even more intrigued.”
Yeah. My tongue was tied. No clue what was going on with me.
“Guys are good?” Shane asked over my head.
Boise straightened, his face growing serious. “All settled in. We’ve got the night.”
“Good.” Shane’s hand spread out over the small of my back as he stepped away. “Time to go then.” He nodded at Boise. “Cut off for the night.”
Boise went into our room, and a moment later came back out cut-less and wearing a black long sleeve Henley shirt. It hugged his frame.
Oh boy. I was rolling with the definitions of bad boy hotness. If Aly hadn’t beaued up with this new guy, she would’ve gone crazy. Same for Harper. They knew Shane from high school, but as far as I knew, they hadn’t seen him since, or any of these guys.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, nerves, as I got behind Shane, wrapped my arms around him, and hugged him the whole ride to Manny’s. The fluttering only intensified as we parked at the end of the lot and walked toward the building. It was busy. There was a different bouncer at the side door this time, and he didn’t give the guys a second look.
He was the only one, though.
The rest of the people, those standing in the parking lot and hanging out on the outside decks, were all about watching our group. The guys. Most were fixated on Shane, but the rest of the guys got their fair share of looks.
I understood. I had tuned into them myself. It was in the way they walked, the way they held themselves. Their jeans were well-worn. All the guys had on long sleeves—maybe to hide their tattoos? It was all classic. Nothing these guys wore were trendy. They were the real deal.
I knew they were carrying, but I didn’t know where. I didn’t want to know where. But it was clear these guys weren’t to be messed with. They were dangerous, like camouflaged wolves coming in from a recent hunt.
I sent a text.
Me: Here. Are you guys?
Aly: Yes! We’re in the back bar section. Is Shane with you?
The bouncer stepped aside, letting us in, and I paused, tilting my head up to Shane.
He bent down.
“They’re in the back bar section.”
He nodded, his hand still on my back.
Boise had been leading the way, but he paused, looking back.
Shane gestured the direction we needed to go, and Boise continued forward.
Manny’s was packed inside too, but not as bad as the other day. Today, at least there was space to breathe. I looked over the bar and spotted the guy from the last time I was here. I guessed that was Brandon. He was taking care of a customer, but as if feeling my eyes, he looked up and spotted me.
Recognition flared, and his head jerked up, but then his eyes narrowed as he took in Shane behind me. His mouth pressed into a firm line, but he didn’t do anything, just watched us move down the hallway past the bathrooms. Right before we moved out of his eyesight, he reached to pour a beer.
If anyone was going to raise an alarm, it would be him, so we’d have to see what happened.
I took a deep breath.
Aly and Harper.
I was walking into some drama, and they were going to see Shane.
I wasn’t ready.
But we’d entered the back section, and it was happening anyway.
It was go time.
“KALISTA CALLIOPE MICHAELS!” I heard a beat later.
That was Harper, and he rushed toward me as Aly let loose with a full squeal.
My besties were coming.
I braced myself, and their bodies hit mine a second later.
“Oh my God.” Aly was behind me, her voice muffled into my neck. I could feel her boobs pressing into me. “I have missed you!”
Harper’s head was buried into my shoulder. His arms held me, just underneath Aly’s. “Not more than me.”
When they let me go, I could only stare at them.
It’d only been what? Three days? But I’d missed them right back.
Aly brushed her hand over her eye. Harper just smiled, brightly and widely, still holding my shoulders. Then, as if remembering, he straightened and jerked his head to the side. His eyes got big and he sucked in his breath. “Is that—who are they?!”
Shane and the guys had gone to a table in the corner, not far from where Aly and Harper had come from. Shane was watching, and when I looked over, he gave me a nod. He was giving me space.