Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 145606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 728(@200wpm)___ 582(@250wpm)___ 485(@300wpm)
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “How long ago did this happen?” I asked with a shaky voice.
Luke still had that faraway look in his eyes. “Just under a year ago.”
A year? Tears ran down my face, this story sounded too similar to what happened to me, shit it almost happened at the same time! Was this some kind of sick karmic joke?
Luke seemed to shake himself out of his trance, and he saw my tears. He gently pulled me into his arms. “Fuck, Gwen, you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be that harsh.” He sounded truly apologetic.
The words didn’t register and I continued crying, my breath hitching. This was meant to be my quiet little town, I was meant to heal here, not have my wounds ripped open again. How cruel could Fate be? To thrust me into a situation which posed so many similarities to one that almost killed me. How stupid could I be? To jump straight into bed with someone who came from a world that almost killed me. I was so out of it I didn’t hear the approaching bikes, didn’t notice Luke’s hands tightening on my shoulders. I was so angry with myself for breaking down, but I had been holding this all in since I first encountered Cade, this was the last straw.
“What the fuck?” I heard Cade’s voice from behind me. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
I blinked the tears out of my eyes glancing up to see Cade standing in front of us, arms crossed, stance threatening. When he got a good look at my face, his anger turned palpable, he was flanked by Lucky and Bull, both wearing blank expressions under their sunglasses.
“Crawford. Take your hands off my woman, then explain to me why the fuck she is in that state,” Cade commanded, his voice full of restrained fury.
“Watch your mouth, you forget who you’re talking to Fletcher,” Luke clipped. “As far as I know Gwen is not your woman.”
Still, he took his hands off me.
“Not forgetting anything Crawford, I know I am currently talking to a prick who not only had his hands on my woman but made her fucking cry. And trust me, she’s fucking mine.” Cade promised, shades on me.
I stood on shaky feet. Cade took a step towards me, stopping when I retreated.
“Baby...” His was voice gentle as if it was just the two of us.
“Stay away from me,” I whispered brokenly.
Luke stood in front of me protectively. “You heard her, Fletcher, beat it.”
Cade scowled at Luke, then dismissed him, focusing on me. “Whatever he said to you…”
I couldn’t deal with this. Any of it. I turned away and ran, ignoring the male shouts behind me. I ran in the direction of the beach, not knowing where else to go. I reached the sand, pausing to take off my shoes. I walked until the water was kissing my ankles. I stood, looking blankly at the horizon, a million thoughts running through my head.
I must have been there for a while because my feet and ankles were numb. But at least I could feel, at least I was alive. Unlike Laurie. I didn’t know her, but she could have been me so easily. Still could be if I didn’t sort myself out.
I slowly walked out of the water, choosing not to react when I saw Cade leaning against his bike with his arms crossed, watching me. I turned my back to him, sinking down into the sand, watching the waves, trying to beat away the demons currently knocking at the corner of my mind.
“She was beaten, savagely, raped, stabbed. Face fucking tattooed.”
Jumbled words from Luke’s short but heartbreaking story rushed through my mind. Beaten. Stabbed. Raped. Sweet girl. Clueless girl. Like me, she just fell in love with the wrong guy. Yeah that guy didn’t kill her, but she would still be alive if it wasn’t for gangs and their fucking politics. I didn’t react when Cade sat behind me, his powerful thighs coming around either side of mine. Strong arms pulled me to his chest. I sat rigidly, trying to work up the strength to fight him off. Problem was, all of my strength was going towards not having a mental fucking breakdown. It was focusing on what an idiot I was for letting another man so much like the one that almost killed me, into my bed, under my skin.
“Babe,” he murmured in my ear, voice soft.
I ignored him and continued looking blankly at the sea.
“Crawford had no fucking right to talk to you like that, badmouth the fucking club.” He still sounded soft, he was angry but he was checking that anger for me.
I went as hard as stone. “God forbid he badmouth the fucking precious club,” I hissed. “Never mind the girl that was murdered.”
At my words, Cade tensed. “You don’t know anything about Laurie, Gwen.” His voice turned hard.
“Yeah, I do. I know she fell in love with a man, a dangerous man, who at the time seemed exciting, made her feel alive. And no matter how dark things got, the love was still there to make it seem light, so she could ignore the signs, the big fucking flashing red signs that should have made her run the other way. But she didn’t and that got her dead. Raped. Beaten. Dead.” My voice cracked at the end.
I felt Cade flinch at my words, his arms tightening around me. Then I’m in the air, turned so I was straddling him, his hands came to my face.
“Need your eyes, Gwen,” he muttered, staring at me so hard I felt like he was staring into my soul.
“Bull loved Laurie, fuck never seen a love like it. They were the last two people you’d ever think to be together. Him a huge fucker with tattoos. She was tiny, smaller than you, babe, with blonde hair that shone like the sun. Smile, Christ, she had a great smile, made everyone happy just by being around. They didn’t seem like they’d fit, but you saw them together, you knew, they fit perfect for each other, made sense.”