Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67757 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67757 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
She, of course, doesn’t budge, her nose still high in the air so she can look down on me.
I flash another smile. “You have five minutes, or you leave with nothing but Coco and the clothes on your back. Either way is fine with me.” We stand there staring at each other for so long that I’m not sure if we’re about to fight or fuck. With this chick, both options are possible.
Her shoulders sag, and I know I’ve won this round. “Fine, but I am not getting on that death trap again.”
“You will, and you’ll like it. Just like Coco does.”
Her gaze narrows, and her jaw clenches, but she doesn’t say a fucking word. She doesn’t need to because her expression says it all. I’m the enemy, and she hates my fucking guts.
Too bad.
“Five minutes, Aria, or you won’t like what happens next.” Heat flares in her eyes, and I smile to myself. The Princess likes being bossed around. I tuck that detail away for later and stare at her until she gets her perky little ass in gear.
“Fuck you,” she growls.
I laugh. “You’ll have to ask much nicer than that, Your Highness.”
She flips me off, and I laugh again.
Pissing her off is becoming my new favorite pastime.
CHAPTER SIX
Aria
The Reckless Souls clubhouse feels like a foreign country where I’ve crash-landed and forgotten how to speak the local language. I’ve always been the chameleon, effortlessly blending into any scene, but here? I’m a fish out of water, flailing around, gasping for air. Surrounded by leather and denim, I cling to Lucky’s side like a security blanket.
“Relax,” Lucky whispers in my ear, prying my bags from my hands but leaving Coco in his tote.
“Easy for you to say, these are your people.”
His lips pull into a surprised smile. “Come on, I’ll introduce you around, and you’ll feel better, promise.”
“Doubtful,” I mutter, but follow him anyway.
“I know you don’t like being out of your comfort zone,” he says, his words shocking me. “But I’ve got MC business to deal with, so you’ll have to stay put. Out here.”
I want to argue and tell him that this isn’t going to work, but my brain short circuits when his hand lands low on my back. It feels like an iron that’s been sitting in a fire for weeks on end. His fingertips singe my flesh as they scrape back and forth across the thin strip of exposed skin.
“I can’t.” The words slip out in a vulnerable whisper.
“You have two choices, Aria. Sit in a corner like you’re too good for everyone else or get to know the people in this room. They’re good people. They just choose a different lifestyle than yours. It’s your choice.”
It’s not much of a choice, but I keep that thought to myself and watch Lucky’s long legs saunter away from me. My nerves are on edge as I sit against the wall and watch everyone else laughing and talking, having a good time.
These people are living their lives, and I envy them, the ability to brush off trauma and impending doom to enjoy this moment in time, to be present enough to live in the moment. I don’t have that skill because I’ve never had the chance to live like that, but fuck me, do I envy them all.
“Aria Morgan. Never thought I’d see you in a place like this.” McKenna Marin approaches the table, her signature blonde hair falling in sexy waves around her shoulders and her eyes alight with laughter. “What are you doing here?”
I take in her outfit—black jeans, stiletto heels, and a gauzy red blouse. “I could say the same about you, McKenna.” I say, smirking.
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and I don’t expect it to. We aren’t exactly friends and not quite enemies. That’s just the way of things in our social circle, always polite with a thin veil of bitchiness just under the surface. “My boyfriend Ace runs the MC.”
“Your boyfriend?” My eyes flash in surprise at her words.
“Yep. My boyfriend.”
“Wow. That’s cool, I guess. “McKenna is the least likely woman I expected to find inside the halls of an outlaw biker gang.
“Lucky brought me here after someone shot at the house. Said he needed to protect me. And that was after the feds came and carted my daddy away to who knows where.”
I shrug like it’s no big deal. That familiar feeling of sliding back into my high school persona is more comfortable than reality.
“That sucks,” she says sympathetically, and I cringe at the pity in her eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that, but you’ll be okay here. These guys may not be like the boys we grew up with, but trust me when I tell you, they won’t hurt you.”
Oh, I want to believe her, but it’s hard. “Sure,” I snort and roll my eyes. “If these guys are my best hope of survival, I might as well go play on the freeway and let the devil take me.”