Total pages in book: 212
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 207966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1040(@200wpm)___ 832(@250wpm)___ 693(@300wpm)
“I’d probably be too shy,” she whispered. “Did a studio demo once but it was just me and a guitar with a guy that hit the buttons. I was still pretty shy.”
“Where’s the demo?”
She waved a hand. “Got lost somewhere along the way. I never thought it’d lead anywhere.”
“Maybe when we get our own place I’ll buy a new set of drums, a keyboard. Then maybe I can help you some more.”
Her eyes warmed. They warmed so much it made my chest expand, like I had to make room to fit all the emotion coming at me.
Somebody knocked on my door. I let go of her and opened it.
“Scott,” I greeted.
He looked troubled. “Need to talk to you,” he stated, shooting my girl a disapproving look.
Gigi’s face went pink. “Edge already talked to him, Scooter.”
“Still need to have a word, Gia,” he said. “Out of respect for my brother here. No offence to you.”
“Okay,” she squeaked.
I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring, “Be back, baby,” then I stepped out with him and followed him into his room.
“You saw them together hugging.”
“Yeah,” Scott replied.
“It look like more than hugging?”
“No. But you needed to know in case it is.”
“Talked to Edge. It’s cool. But thanks for havin’ my back.”
He waved like it was nothing.
“You good?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t.
“Not sure we’re gonna make it. Me and Dee.”
“Shit.”
“First I was havin’ shit fuck with my sex drive because of the Jackals memories. Now I see her fuckin’ someone else with flashes in my head when she and I are gettin’ into it, so I get turned off. Then last night, she tries to fuckin’ suggest a threesome after that shitshow in here with Blow and those girls. Like spicin’ it up was what we needed to do to get my sex drive back. In reality, I need to not think about her fuckin’ her ex every time she starts to get close.”
“Shit, brother. Sorry to hear it. Maybe you do need a clean break.”
“Not sure. Gonna think about it for a couple days. Told her we needed a breather. Then I get here after that conversation and see Edge’s arms around your woman and I just… I wanted to make sure you didn’t get blindsided. I heard those two were together a while back up in the falls. Don’t know if you know that.”
“I know about it,” I said. “Know her history with every brother she’s been with or fooled around with. And I know about the hug. Edge came right to me from it and talked to me. They were gettin’ closure. Their thing ended abruptly when Jet died and he went underground for that while.”
“Ah. You’re not worried there’s lingering feelings?”
“Not at all,” I replied. “Wanna go downstairs with me and G for some food?” I offered.
“Not feelin’ like bein’ a third wheel, but thanks, brother.” He clapped me on the back.
“Hope the breather brings some clarity, man.”
“Yeah. Same.”
***
A Few Days Later
Things hadn’t been bad the last few days. Gigi seemed content, though a little quiet. We met in The Roadhouse for my lunch break each day and she cooked for me at night like it was her responsibility to have food on the table for me after work. I needed that to stop. Because my girl in the kitchen was a disaster. The place had already burnt down once; Deke didn’t need it to happen again.
We were still slammed at the garage, and profits were better than ever at the bar and the bike dealership. Things had been quiet with the Jackals, though we were braced.
We had intel that Alec Wylde wasn’t giving up, pulling strings from jail to try and help the remaining ass wipes resurrect shit. We were preparing. We had allies and firepower and were digging with our network to stay ahead of whatever their next move might be while covering our asses for alibis and looking after our loved ones.
After the disaster my girl tried to cook me the night before, which was the first thing she cooked this week that had flavor and that flavor was the flavor of salty burnt plastic, I talked her into delivery and a Saturday night in the Roadhouse. Between the shoe leather steak, the raw pork chop, then the plastic flavored stir fry of the night before, I was ready to suggest we eat at restaurants from now on.
We wound up getting delivery from a sub shop that had gluten free bread for her and something actually edible for me before we went downstairs, finding a packed house.
We had presence from other chapters, other friendly MCs, too. It was a show of solidarity against enemies, illustrating we had numbers where they didn’t.
I could tell Gigi was nervous about a Saturday night down there, but I counted it a win that she didn’t balk or fake an excuse to stay in the room. I surmised she had cabin fever. She even joked, saying she was getting a hostage day pass.