Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
His eyes, though.
They take my very soul and claim it.
He could own me in one single heartbeat, and I’d never look back.
My cheeks flush when I realize I’ve been staring at him for more than a few seconds. I look down, tangling a curl around my finger and twisting it nervously. I take a shaky breath and look back up. I wonder if I’m overdressed. Mal is staring at me, his eyes running down the length of my body, making my heart beat so fast it feels as though it’s going to launch out of my chest.
I’m wearing a pair of blue jeans and a halter neck tee. My hair is down, washed and curled, and I have on my favorite pair of black boots. I didn’t want to look completely out of place. I meet Mal’s eyes and one side of his mouth jerks up into an absolutely heartbreaking grin. “Ready to go, darlin’?”
I nod, and walk toward the door. I take one step out and my mother takes my arm. I spin toward her and stare into her wide eyes. She looks from Malakai to me, then back to him. Finally, after scrutinizing him for a minute, she meets my gaze. “You aren’t going out tonight.”
“Mom,” I say, patting the hand she has on my arm. “I’m safe. And I’m going.”
“You can’t do this,” she says, giving me a look that says “you know what I’m talking about."
Caiden.
Always Caiden.
“I can do this, please don’t cause a scene.”
“If you go, Amalie, I’m going to be so bitterly disappointed in you.”
I’m tired of those words.
Everyone disappointed in me. Everyone let down by my presence. I’m so damned tired of always feeling like the thorn in everyone’s side. I’m about to open my mouth, and say what, I don’t know. Maybe agree with her to get her off my back. Maybe argue with her because I’m tired of it. I’ll never know what would have come out of my mouth, because a hard hand touches my shoulder and I turn to see Malakai standing behind me, staring at my mother.
I read every word that leaves his lips.
“Don’t know you, don’t claim to. What I do know is no woman should ever speak to her daughter the way you just spoke to yours. Last time I checked, she’s a grown ass girl. Last time I checked, that meant she could do whatever she pleased. Using emotional blackmail ain’t the act of a good mother. As I said, don’t know you, don’t care to, but I do know her, and pardon me, ma’am, but she’s a fuckin’ angel. And I’m takin’ her with me. Goodnight.”
Without giving my mother a chance to respond, he curls an arm around my waist and hauls me against him, and then we’re moving down the front path toward his ... motorcycle. I stare at it and come to a stop, but that doesn’t deter him in the slightest. He doesn’t give me a chance to fight against him and tell him no. He plucks a helmet from the seat, spins around, and brings it down over my head.
Then he climbs onto the bike and looks at me.
He is not taking no for an answer.
I turn and glance at my mother, who is staring at us, horrified.
A choice, really.
For the first time in such a long time, I’m getting a choice.
So, I turn, and I climb on the bike.
-5-
NOW – AMALIE
The second the motorcycle starts up, I can feel its power beneath me. It starts as a rumble that travels through my body, and then, when Malakai takes off, it’s a force that has me clinging to him, a loud squeal coming from my throat. I’m utterly terrified, and yet, at the same time, the adrenaline running through my veins makes me feel alive.
So alive.
Faster and faster we go, winding around bends, flying down straights, and all the while my fingers are curled around his waist and into his leather jacket. And I can smell him. All masculine power. He rides the motorcycle like it was born beneath him. He holds it like it is a part of his soul. He’s familiar with it. It’s his home.
He keeps riding until finally slowing to a stop, only I realize we’re not at the clubhouse, but a beautiful park. Rolling snowcapped mountains can be seen in the background and thick lush green trees go for miles. He stops the bike, slides off, and turns to me. I’m still sitting there, hands now on the seat, staring at him.
I don’t really know him, but I do trust him.
I’ve trusted him from the moment I looked into his green eyes.
“What are we doing here?” I ask once I’ve taken the helmet off.
“You looked wound up. Know when I’m wound up, I don’t want to talk with a bunch of strangers. Thought we could come here for a bit, til’ you chill out.”