Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Chuck frowns at her.
“Don’t look at her.” I poke him in the chest. “Answer me.”
He shackles his hands around my wrists, driving me backward.
“Get your fuckin’ hands off of her, Merlin.” Bricks shoves Chuck enough to loosen his grip.
“I’m fine, Bricks,” I say. “Give us a minute. Please.”
Bricks shifts his gaze to the war room, as if he wants to call all the brothers for help.
“Please?” I repeat.
Bricks nods but moves closer to the war room. If Chuck touches me again, Bricks will get Marcel and the rest of the club out here. I desperately buckle a leash around my temper. I want answers more than I want to see Chuck get his ass kicked.
Chuck’s helpless blue eyes meet mine. “I never thought they’d come after my family. I swear it.”
“Especially since you don’t give a shit about Carter or me.”
He shakes his head but holds my gaze. “I’m here, ain’t I?”
I open my mouth to argue, then stop. He’s right. He’s been on the road for a couple of years now. We haven’t exactly kept in touch. No one would’ve known where to find him. He could’ve easily ignored my phone calls.
“You know my reasons.” He lifts his eyebrow, as if I need the reminder that Carter’s only my half-brother and that Chuck’s always hated him for something out of Carter’s control. “I can’t change the shitty way I behaved in the past. But I’ll get him back to you.”
I burst into tears and curse myself for showing any weakness in front of him.
“Aw, shit, Charlotte.” He wraps me in a slow, awkward hug. “I shoulda done better by you,” he whispers. “Don’t have it in me, though.”
What an understatement. “I know you don’t.”
He releases me. “I need to talk to your man again. We’re going to fix this.”
I nod. “Okay.”
I’ve never hated him more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Teller
“That’s our plan, then.” Rock runs his gaze over the brothers sitting at the table. “I don’t want to tip Merlin off too early, so we won’t split until we’re already out there. Ravage and Bricks will go with Merlin.” He nods at me. “Teller, Wrath, Dex, and Murphy, you’re with me.” He glances at Z.
“I’m with you.” Z nods at Rooster. “Stick with Merlin.”
“You got it.”
Z nods at Grinder and Jigsaw. “You two come with me.”
Jigsaw glances at Rooster, then Z. “Okay.”
“They left the package for me,” Dex says. “You think I should be at the meet with Merlin?”
Rock doesn’t usually appreciate having his orders questioned, but he seems to consider Dex’s observation. “You’re right. Just in case. Let’s do that.”
Dex nods.
“Also, before we leave, give Remy a call and see if they’ve had any issues with those guys out there lately.”
Dex pulls out his phone and stands. “I’ll do it right now.”
There’s a knock on the door and Bricks peers inside. “We got it, boss.”
Merlin brushes past Bricks and reclaims his seat next to Wrath. Something must’ve rattled him. His shifty gaze won’t settle on any of us. Instead, it bounces around—
the window, his hands, the table.
“Look, I, uh…” He glances at Wrath, then Grinder, maybe deciding sitting between our two enforcers isn’t the safest place to be. Especially since the last time he was in a room alone with Wrath, he got the shit beaten out of him. “I should come clean before we head out there.”
Wrath catches my eye and smirks.
“What’d you lie about now?” I ask.
“I didn’t lie.” He glares at me. “They only asked for fifty K.”
“What were you planning? Steal the rest and run?” I sneer.
He rubs his hand over the back of his neck. “Buy my way out of this thing with the president’s daughter and make sure Carter’s safe.”
“What’s wrong?” Wrath flashes a dickish smile. “Don’t feel like getting prodded down the aisle with a shotgun tomorrow?”
Merlin’s weathered face tightens with surprise. “You heard my call?”
“The highlights,” Wrath confirms.
He side-eyes Wrath. “I ain’t taking another beating from you.”
“I’ll decide that,” Rock says.
“You’re not my prez,” Merlin shoots back.
“Whoa.” I hold my hands in a “time out” gesture. “Whip out your dicks some other time.” I wait until I have Merlin’s attention. “On top of the chaos you’ve already caused, you fuckin’ lied to us. Why come clean right before we leave?”
He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “My niece had a few choice words for me.”
Shit, I should’ve asked Hope to get Charlotte out of the clubhouse. Although, knowing how stubborn my woman can be, she wouldn’t want to be far from us.
I cock my head. “So you dug deep, found your conscience, and dusted it off?”
“Fuck off, Teller,” he snarls. “You’re still a self-righteous little prick.”
“Enough.” Rock slams his fist into the table to get our attention. “We’re going in two teams. You’ll meet with your new in-laws. Rest of us will go to the camp for Carter.”