Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 159050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 795(@200wpm)___ 636(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 795(@200wpm)___ 636(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Beast huffed like a wild bison. “Good. Fucking hell. Finally a break from the madness.”
Elliot cleared his throat. “Thank you for supporting me. I know you didn’t have to.”
Beast rubbed his shoulder, suddenly slumping forward, as if he was uncomfortable with the gratitude.
“Make him a sandwich too. Or two. He needs to eat a lot to maintain all that,” Knight said with a wild grin as he rolled into bed.
Beast shook his head, but then pulled down his phone when it beeped. “Fuck. Fucking fuck. No break after all. Magpie’s coming tomorrow. Be ready.” He turned around and walked out before Knight could even acknowledge what Beast said.
Elliot walked over to the fridge to get Knight a beer. “Is that a bad thing? Isn’t he your work associate?” By which he understood Mr. Magpie was most likely a criminal, because Beast wouldn’t be making such a fuss about a beer keg delivery.
Knight stretched, his eyes already closed. “Yeah... you see, dealing with Magpie is like dealing with a celebrity who wants golden toilets at the hotel and a very specific and obscure type of food in every room. But don’t worry. I can deal with him,” he said, as if Elliot had anything to do with the visit. He did want it to go well though. For Knight’s sake.
He wanted only the best for Knight, even if they couldn’t be together.
Elliot brought Knight the beer and sat next to him on the bed. “Are you fine with me staying at the clubhouse after… everything?”
Knight grimaced and rolled his head to look at Elliot. “Do you really need to ask me that? I got scarifications in your honor,” he said with a half smile.
Elliot ran his fingers over the sigil only to pull back, surprised by how hot it was. “I will never stop loving you. I want you to know that.”
Knight swallowed hard and grabbed at air before letting his hand fall to the mattress.
Elliot understood that gesture all too well. He too wanted to put his hands on Knight and never let go. But if they gave in, it would only end in more misery for both of them.
This was better.
Even if letting go hurt like being stabbed by a rusty nail in the stomach, getting covered in gasoline and then set on fire.
Chapter 32
Hound whined and licked Beast’s fingers, urging his master to pet his black head. Knight smirked, because the gentle scratching to the dog’s ears was the first thing Beast had done this morning without looking as if he’d bitten into a lemon. Since Knight had met up with him at breakfast, Beast’s grumpy demeanor and barked orders kept everyone from sticking around for conversation. When a huge cup of coffee hadn’t changed Beast’s mood either, Knight decided not to ask. But once the narrow mouth curved into a smile as Beast looked down at his pet, it seemed like a good moment to approach him.
With Magpie close enough that all the Kings of Hell gathered outside the clubhouse to greet him upon arrival, it wasn’t like there were more important things to do.
“You got up on the wrong side of the bed today.”
Beast’s blue eyes settled on Knight like icicles. “Is it so wrong that I don’t want my fiancé to die? It’s not a lot to ask that he doesn’t put himself in danger, is it?”
Wow, that escalated quickly.
Knight raised his hands and shook his head. “I mean... I get it that you’re worried. Are you still angry with him?”
“He’s angry with me. Can you believe that bullshit?” Beast huffed and crossed his powerful arms on his chest. “All I did was pull him out of a situation where that motherfucking ghost could have smothered him.”
Knight didn’t voice just how grateful he was to Laurent for luring Fane out of Elliot’s body at such great risk to himself, because he knew it would have only aggravated Beast more. “Why is he angry with you?”
The silence that followed suggested nothing good. Beast pulled a hood over his head when the snowflakes started falling again. They’d used a small plow to clear the road of some of the snow that had fallen throughout the night, but it seemed to have been useless.
“‘Cause I locked him up. But I had no choice. I needed to check on you, and I couldn’t risk that he’d follow me in some attempt at bravado.”
Knight scowled. “Ah. Yeah, well... I mean, I get you, but he’s very independent, isn’t he?”
“Too independent, if you ask me. I’m happy for him to be doing shit, but for fuck’s sake, he’s shocked himself with electricity recently.”
“It didn’t go that far. Lots of kids put their fingers where they don’t belong before they learn better.”
Beast frowned at him. “He’s not a child. He’s… young, but he’s in his twenties.”