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)
As special as El was to him, Trig had found his place in the world already. Here. With the Coffin Nails MC. They’d given him the family he’d never had, and he wanted the same for El.
“That’s really unfair. You won’t even give them a chance.”
El spread his arms wide. “What chance am I supposed to give them? They’re a bunch of degenerates who will push you for their gain until you end up in prison!”
“They’re my friends,” Trig said more firmly, and stepped closer to grab El’s hand. “And you aren’t a flawless saint either. Wasn’t your business selling drugs?”
El scowled and tore his hand away. “Fuck you! I’m just doing the best I can with the shitty cards I’ve been dealt! I’m going to mingle at the bar like your prez told me.”
Trig’s mouth dried, but then he looked at the meat that had been left in his charge and cursed before taking in the small crowd that had gathered around them for the drama. He needed to catch up with El before he did something stupid. “Someone take over the grill right the fuck now!”
Chapter 8 – El
Regret and fear whirred in El’s skull, sending nauseating vibrations through his body until he couldn’t walk straight. Unsteady feet led him toward the open door of the clubhouse, but the gate that offered freedom was wide open across the yard, beckoning him between its metal arms.
That had been the plan, hadn’t it? To put Trig’s suspicions to rest and take a hike while everyone was too busy and too drunk to notice. El could easily get lost on the streets of Detroit, and disappear for good. Starting over somewhere far away would mean relative safety from the Moreno cartel, as long as he was careful and only used cash, but that future didn’t involve Trig even in the capacity he’d been present in El’s life for the past five years.
As much as El hated the idea of being spied on, a sick part of him that was still emotionally attached to Trig felt grateful and moved that his ex remained interested in his fate, that he’d been always there, watching over him like some guardian angel in leather. And if El left now, it would be like ripping his own heart out all over again. He wasn’t stupid and could plainly see Trig cared for him. Even his friend had said that Trig was still hung up on—
Thinking like this was a road to nowhere.
It was time to go. Trig had decided that this community of people who would fuck him over sooner or later, was more important than El, as was his right. Unlike El, he’d at least have lots of people to console him. Just thinking about that Hen guy crawling into Trig’s bed to make him forget the trouble of saving El’s life made El hesitate, but despite the jealousy soaking into his brain like some unholy syrup, he had no right to Trig. His ex had chosen a life for himself, and there was no place for El in it.
The door to the bar still beckoned him with laughter and rock music, but once El was out of Trig’s sight, hidden behind a group of chuckling girls, he made a beeline for the gate. His feet moved faster, and the rapid pulsing of blood made the ache in his cut-up arm more intense. He had no idea how he’d deal with dressing the wound, or even how he’d buy food, but at least he’d be free.
Free of the cartel.
Free of the Coffin Nails.
Free of his Trig.
He stumbled when an ache radiated all over his body from the middle of his chest, but before he could have ignored it in order to run out on the one person who made life worth living, a man stepped into his path.
He wasn’t particularly intimidating despite the tattooed arms and the club vest resting over a stained gray T-shirt. His face was plain, his hair a dishwater blond, and he would have been forgettable if it weren’t for the massive nose with a rounded tip, but since he wasn’t a man mountain like Tooth and had a bit of a pot belly, El ignored his presence and walked right past him.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” the stranger asked and grabbed El’s shoulder.
El shrugged him off with a scowl. “None of your business.”
“Listen kid, you’ll be sorry if you don’t—”
El broke into a run, sprinting toward the open gate and the road outside, begging for it to follow up on its promise to take him far away from here. Maybe he could even hitch a ride to some other part of town?
His ears drummed with the dull sound of his beating heart, but just before he crossed the border of the club-owned property, a giant emerged from the shadow of a tree and pulled him in with more force than El could withstand. Long, wild hair whirled in front of his eyes as he sucked in air, but then the stranger shoved him at the tree trunk so fast El ended up hitting himself on the forehead.