Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“I guess I’ll have to trust you on that since I know nothing about motorcycle clubs.”
“No worries, plenty of the Silver Saint old ladies had no clue what MCs were about when they met their men, but they all adjusted just fine.” Kian shook his head with a deep chuckle. “Which was probably for the best now that I think about it, since our club is a fuck of a lot different from others. Especially when it comes to how we treat women.”
I blinked my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, my head turning in the direction of the masculine voice that said, “Only because you guys have all taken the whole love-at-first-sight thing way too far. Dropping like flies left and right ever since your prez found his old lady.”
“We also don’t go around kidnapping innocent women just because their brother had the nerve to hook up with one of our sisters,” Kian muttered, pulling me against his side. “But you can’t say the same, can you, Maverick?”
“Maybe not,” Maverick conceded, looking only slightly sheepish as he shrugged. “But no Iron Rogue has kidnapped the woman he loves. You can’t say the same about the Silver Saints, can you, Phantom?”
Kidnapping? My eyes widened, and my head jerked back so I could gawk up at Kian.
“Don’t worry, sweet girl. It’s not as bad as it sounds.” Kian gave me a comforting squeeze. “My club brothers would readily lay down their lives to keep their women safe.”
“Shit, sorry.” Maverick raked his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t mean to scare your girl.”
“Quit pushing each other’s buttons. The beef between our clubs has been settled,” Blade grumbled, jerking his chin toward a hallway to our left. “Come on back to my clinic before you two start something else. I don’t want to call Fox and ask him to join us down here because you couldn’t keep your mouths shut.”
Maverick crossed his arms over his broad chest and quirked a brow. “Our prez knew damn well how I run my mouth when he picked me to be his second in charge. The man has known me my entire life.”
“Whatever, man.” Blade shook his head as he strode toward the hallway, pausing to look over his shoulder at Kian and me. “You coming?”
“Yup,” Kian confirmed, guiding me to follow the other man.
I had serious doubts about the situation I’d found myself in, but the warmth of Kian’s palm against my back offered a comfort I hadn’t felt in so long. And when Blade waved us into a large room that had more medical equipment than most urgent cares, more of my concern melted away.
Kian helped me onto the nearest exam table, and I flashed him a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“Like I said,” he moved to stand at my side, “I’ve got your back. Always.”
I nodded, interlacing my fingers through his when he reached for my hand. “Okay.”
“I get that you’re nervous, but no harm will come to you while you’re here.” Blade moved to my other side and looked across the exam table at Kian. “And judging by the fact that you’re wearing Phantom’s cut, you don’t have to worry about anyone messing with you when you leave, either. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said that the Silver Saints would die before they let one of their old ladies get hurt. Whoever hurt you doesn’t stand a chance against him.”
I ducked my head, my cheeks heating. It had been embarrassing enough to admit to Kian that my father was the one who’d hurt me. I didn’t want to explain what happened to anyone else.
Squeezing my hand, Kian growled, “Tessa knows she’s safe with me. What we don’t know is if her ribs are broken. That’s what we came to you for.”
“Then I guess that’s what I’d better do.” He grabbed a stethoscope from a nearby counter. “Gonna need you to lift your shirt so I can see the damage.”
“Sure.” The pink in my cheeks deepened as I followed his directions.
I caught my breath when he prodded my side with his fingers, muttering, “The swelling isn’t bad, but it bruised like a motherfucker. You were hurt yesterday?”
“Yeah.”
“Take a deep breath.” I winced as I sucked in air, and he asked, “How bad is the pain when you do that?”
“A little worse, but not as bad as I expected.”
“That’s a good sign that it might not be broken.”
Kian shifted closer to me, and Blade shot him a look. “Relax, Phantom. I wasn’t going to assume she’s okay. I’m going to do an x-ray to make sure.”
“Okay.”
“Unless you’re pregnant?” He shot a look at Kian. “If I didn’t know it was scientifically impossible, I’d say there’s something in the water over at the Silver Saints compound.”
“Um, no. We just met yesterday,” I whispered.
“Quit embarrassing my sweet girl and get this shit done,” Kian directed.