Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 140795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“She doesn’t have to. It comes from experience with dealing with her. Look at her.”
Following Kaden’s gaze, he saw Ginny smiling out to the crowd as they shouted at her to continue singing.
“She never stays despite how loud they get. It takes me two songs to get them calmed down, and even then, it’s because the waiters tell them she’ll sing again later in the show. I tried to add an extra song to her set, and she told me no. And anything I try to change, she disagrees. I’ve only had one other person tell me no when I want my way.”
With another wave, Ginny walked toward the curtain.
“Who’s the other person?”
“My wife.” Giving him a wry look, Kaden walked out just as Ginny reached the curtain.
When she caught sight of Reaper standing behind the curtain, warmth filled her expression. Unsettled, his hand went to the metal railing. It was the look he imagined seeing on Taylor’s face when she had come to visit him, but and it hadn’t been there. He had known Ginny less than six days and had felt more love from her than he had from Taylor the whole two years they’d been together.
“Did you watch?”
Detouring away from what she was really asking, Reaper took the only route he could. “I didn’t see anyone standing out in the crowd.” He was afraid if he gave an inch, she would take a mile.
What she was seeking wasn’t in him anymore. When Ginny realized it would never be, she would move on to greener pastures. I’m doing her a favor, Reaper told himself.
Her aminated expression faded as she went down the steps and back to her dressing room.
Nickel was waiting outside her door and gave her a broad grin as she approached. “Damn, woman! Next time Reaper can watch your door. You sounded great!”
“Thanks, Nickel.”
Reaper could barely hear Ginny’s low voice with Kaden’s music playing a few feet away.
“You mind giving me a few minutes alone? I want to go over the song Kaden and I are going to sing. Tonight’s the first time we’re singing it in front of an audience.”
“Go ahead. You want me to get you something to drink?” Nickel asked.
“No, thank you. I keep several drinks in my room.”
Expecting Nickel to make a remark about Ginny’s reserved withdrawal into her dressing room, Reaper waited for him to ask if he was responsible. When Nickel just resumed his position by the doorway, he was the one left wondering why Nickel wasn’t questioning Ginny’s reticent behavior.
The longer they stood there, Reaper became even more curious. Was Nickel holding his tongue, just to keep from starting an argument with him? Or was it his guilty conscience that had him reading more into the way she was acting than any hurt feeling he assumed she was having? Tired of standing still, he started walking down the narrow corridor that led into the main part of the club. He nodded at the three guards posted to stop anyone attempting to get backstage, then turned around and started walking the same route back, mulling over Ginny’s behavior. Fuck, he was worse than a thirteen-year-old boy experiencing his first crush, overanalyzing every-fucking-thing said or done around her. There was only one way to find out.
Reaper resumed his position by Ginny’s door. “Did Ginny seem different to you?”
Nickel frowned. “No. Why?”
“You don’t think she was acting weird?”
“I’m not getting what you’re asking. She seemed normal to me.”
Was he imagining the change?
“She wasn’t acting friendly or smiling like she usually does.”
Nickel shook his head at him. “She seemed pretty normal to me. Ginny’s never been much of a talker to any of us. I think she’s shy. Maybe that’s what you’re getting since you haven’t been around her long.”
Were they talking about the same woman?
He started rubbing his temples, as if to clear the confusion that Ginny was creating in him. Letting his hand fall to his side, he saw that Nickel’s look of confusion matched his.
“She didn’t seem shy when she went out shopping with you,” he argued.
“Ginny acted friendly, but nothing out of the ordinary that I could text home about.”
“Why would it be worth a text home?” Reaper’s own curiosity grew.
“You’re kidding, right? Most of the brothers pulling detail with Shade and Rider have been trying to get with Ginny since she worked for us at the club. Believe me; if Ginny gave me any hint she was interested even a little, shit, I’d been on that like cotton candy on a stick.”
“How many brothers have tried?”
“It’d be easier to tell you who hasn’t.” Nickel laughed, leaning his shoulder against the wall to face him. “She getting to you too?”
The way Nickel was talking to him reminded him of the days when they shared an easy camaraderie. They would sit around, shooting the shit, talking about women and getting laid, or who they wanted to fuck next. His freestyling sexual conquests ended when he fell in love with Taylor, but that didn’t mean he had stopped listening and joking with the brothers. No, that had come to a crashing halt when he turned his back on the club.