Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 202(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 202(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
El couldn’t escape the firm grip on his arm, but he still turned to face the former president. “No. I wanna know. What did you expect, man?”
Priest eyed El from top to bottom, like Tooth had. El looked different with his colorful hair, tattered clothes, and ink, so many regular people avoided him just in case, the same way ancient humans had avoided unknown animals, but the bikers weren’t afraid of a challenge and wouldn’t cross the street for fear of his skinny ass.
Priest shrugged. “Dunno. Prettier, I suppose.”
Fire rushed through El’s arteries as he hollered, “The fuck?”
Trig grabbed the collar of his jacket before El even realized he was moving toward Priest. The pull was so abrupt it hurt his neck, and a few people sniggered, their faces like masks in the dusky interior.
“Someone’s in need of new prescription glasses. Asty, will you keep your dad from drinking anymore?” Trig called out to the goth chick as he tightened his grip on El and dragged him toward Tooth.
Despite two people trying to get Priest off the table at this point, he produced something that resembled a silver wand and spun it, spraying liquid from its head. “By the power vested in me, I bless this club for another thirty years!”
El gave up on struggling, but hated how many eyes followed them all the way to a corridor with black walls. “Is pretty your type now?” he grumbled, self-conscious about Trig having all this choice and men to compare him to, even though he wasn’t intending to stay.
Trig held El tight against him as they pushed through the curious crowd gathered close to a large kitchen. “What are you talking about?” he asked, flinching when music blasted at them straight from a massive speaker densely covered with empty glasses and bottles, which all buzzed like hungry flies when the thing came alive.
El glared at Tooth with a scowl. “Who does he fuck around here?”
“Keep me out of this,” the massive biker said, walking through a channel of bodies, which dispersed the moment he was spotted. Behind the kitchen were a couple more doors, and he headed straight for the ones at the back.
“El, that’s unfair,” Trig mumbled.
But El was losing his inhibitions with every minute he spent breathing the bitter fumes of this clubhouse. “No. What’s unfair is you knowing everything about my life, and me being left in the dark about yours!” He didn’t care that Tooth and some others could overhear them, since Trig’s new buddies were apparently in on the whole stalking insanity. Served him right.
El couldn’t see well in the low light, but when Tooth switched on the lamp in the club office, the dark shade of Trig’s face betrayed his shame.
“I didn’t fucking know what to do,” he said and dragged El into the office, shutting the door behind them with a kick. The music drummed all around them, but the walls muted some of it at least.
Tooth rested his ass on the desk and crossed his arms over his chest with a grim expression. “So, what happened tonight, and why am I dealing with this fucking mess instead of enjoying a beer?”
El shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I had some enemies, but I guess now I don’t.”
“And you still give him so much shit?” Tooth asked before casting a crooked glance at Trig, who exhaled and rubbed his face so hard El could hear the delicious rasp of stubble against skin.
“I don’t need anyone to argue my case, okay? It’s been a bad fucking day.”
Tooth swallowed and stared at the tips of his shiny boots. “Fine. The guys will deal with the mess, but you will pay for everything.”
El rubbed his nape, unsure where to go from here. “So… I guess I’ll be going?”
Tooth frowned at him. “Where? You can’t go back to that house. As far as you’re concerned, you’re homeless.”
Trig gave a loud inhale and glared at El. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you leave here. It’s not safe, and you’re injured.”
El squeezed his hands into fists, but the pain in his arm only reminded him that Trig was right. He was so ashamed that he’d ended up in need of someone’s help again. Just when he thought he’d kept his head above water, managed to pay rent on a house, and stay out of trouble. Ish. Tooth’s scrutiny was even worse than Trig’s pity.
“Since when do you tell me what to do?” he snapped back at Trig.
Tooth slammed his hands on the desk. “I don’t care what kind of shit the two of you need to sort out, or what the outcome will be, but I’m telling you one thing, Elwood. Tonight, you’re staying here. And not just sulking. You go out there and mingle so your alibi is solid.”