Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72790 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72790 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Lucky would be on his own.
Well, other than hundreds of badass bikers.
I rested my head on the steering wheel. I was ready to collapse from the tension, and the sudden absence of it. I felt cool air as the door opened beside me. Then I was being lifted out and held. I let Lucky manhandle me without protest. I needed this.
I needed his arms around me.
I was enveloped in the smell of warm skin, leather and something fresh that almost smelled like pine. Lucky smelled good. Much better than he should have after playing poker until dawn.
“You’re shaking, Angel.”
His hand smoothed over my back as I stood there, unable to calm myself.
“It’s okay now. You are safe now.” He tipped my chin up. “You aren’t going back there.”
I shook my head.
“You don’t understand. I have to.”
He stared at me, inches away. I watched as the muscle in his jaw ticked.
“Let’s get you inside.”
“You guys good?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Drake.”
The other biker grinned and I looked from him to Lucky and back again. Where did these guys come from? They all looked like models. Grungy, rough around the edges models, but they were ridiculously good looking.
“Thank you.”
“No problem, miss.”
He shrugged sheepishly and I nearly laughed. They were both big teddy bears! How had I thought Lucky was trouble when I first saw him?
He kickstarted his bike and pulled out. I noticed neither one of them wore a helmet.
“You should be wearing a helmet,” I said without thinking. I sounded like such a mom. But I couldn’t help it. I was a mom.
Lucky squeezed my hand and I looked down, not even realizing our hands were tightly clasped. Our fingers were interlaced, his thick fingers warming mine. His big hand was rough with callouses. Mine looked so small and dainty in his.
It felt so… nice. No natural. I took a deep breath and pulled my hand away. I shouldn’t encourage him. Lucky didn’t seem to notice, he just shifted his hand to my lower back.
We went up to my apartment in the rickety old elevator. I was lost in my own thoughts. I barely even looked up until I heard the ‘ding.’
When I glanced over, Lucky was watching me with an intense look on his face. I felt heat flood my cheeks, turning them pink. He looked like he was starving for me. Not just a little. He wanted me, more than I’d realized.
There was more raw, naked hunger in his dark blue eyes than I’d ever seen before in my life.
I snapped out of my daze as I pushed my key into the lock.
Uh oh.
Even with Jacey already off to school, if he came in now, he would see kid stuff. Photos. He would know about Jacey. I glanced at him and bit my lip. I couldn’t send him away now. And the truth was, I didn’t want to.
“Just… give me a minute.”
He nodded, his face so serious that it twisted something inside me. I’d never had anyone focus on me that way. Even cretins like Sal didn’t give me this much attention. And it was respectful, caring attention, even if there was an undercurrent of sexual tension underneath it all.
More like a tidal wave of sexual tension.
I hurried inside, shutting the door loosely behind me. I shoved Jacey’s shoes into the closet. I shoved her spare book bag into the closet. I almost shoved myself into the closet, I was so frantic.
I ran through the living room and slammed the two bedroom doors shut. Then I took the photos off the mantel of the non-working fireplace and shut them in a drawer of the old dresser that served as our TV stand. I looked around.
It was the best I could do. I dashed back to the front door and opened it. Lucky stood there, his heart in his eyes. I almost stepped back, the look was so intense. It did something to me.
I did not want to hurt this man, I realized. Not that I wanted to hurt anyone, but I especially did not want to hurt Lucky. I was going to have to let him down easy. After I thanked him for saving me, of course.
And gave his money back, I remembered.
“Come in.”
He nodded and followed me into the house. He shut and locked the door, inspecting the chain. He picked up the crowbar I had leaning in the corner and looked at me, his eyebrow lifted.
“I’ve never used it.”
He put it down again.
“It’s dangerous for someone your size to have something like that. Someone could take it away from you.”
“It’s just… it makes me feel better.”
“I’ll get you some pepper spray and a taser.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said quickly. He was making plans for the future. A part of me warmed to the idea, but the practical mom voice put her foot down. Not realistic. Not going to happen. Jacey was the only thing that mattered.