Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“All right.” She takes a step back. “You better get going. If it’s something important, your club’s going to be mad you didn’t get there sooner.”
“This better be good,” I grumble at Wrath when I walk into the clubhouse.
“Nice of you to show up,” Wrath answers in his deep, pissed-off rumble. Arms crossed over his chest, he pushes away from the wall next to the war room. “This is your party, motherfucker.”
My party? “What the fuck does that mean?”
“We waitin’ for Downstate?” Ravage asks as he paces in front of the bar.
“No,” Murphy answers, “This is strictly an Upstate matter. Rock didn’t want to wait around for them to get up here. If we need to, we’ll fill Z in on Saturday.”
Murphy’s over on the corner sectional with Heidi and their girls. My gaze travels to the other couch where Charlotte’s stretched out with her feet resting in Teller’s lap.
“You all right, Charlotte?” I ask.
She slowly turns her head and rubs her hand over her very pregnant stomach. “I’m sprawled out on the clubhouse couch in the middle of the afternoon in front of everyone.” She wildly waves one hand toward Ravage and Stash. “These babies have stolen the last shreds of my dignity. No. I am not okay, Dex.”
Yikes. Kinda wish I hadn’t asked, now.
Heidi presses her fist to her mouth. Laughter that she tries to disguise with a discrete cough spills out. “You have no idea how much more dignity you’re going to lose when those babies come shooting out of you.”
“You, be quiet.” Charlotte points a finger at her sister-in-law. “Keep your horror stories to yourself.”
“I’m trying to help!”
“Go help elsewhere, little sister,” Teller says.
“Charlotte, you look more radiant than ever,” Ravage says.
Teller narrows his eyes, waiting for Rav’s inevitable punchline.
“But,” Rav continues.
Here it comes.
“Can we have a…moratorium on more babies for at least a year? I feel like one of you ladies has been pregnant for like, the last four years or something.”
“Yes, Ravage,” Heidi says in the same patient voice she uses with her daughters. “We’ll put our procreation plans on hold to accommodate your sensibilities.”
“Thank you, Little Hammer.” Ravage dips his chin in Heidi’s direction. “It’s much appreciated.”
Heidi rolls her eyes.
The door opens behind me and I step aside.
Rock walks in, sweeps his gaze over the living room, and nods to Wrath.
“Did Hope come with you, Uncle Rock?” Heidi asks.
Rock must be in a mood. He takes a sarcastic look behind him, then stares at Heidi for a second. “She’s at the house.” His gaze shifts to Charlotte and concern wipes the irritation off his face. “You all right, Char?”
“Yes, but I might need you to come over and help your son lift me off this couch before you all sit at the table.”
“I got ya, Charlotte,” Wrath offers.
Rock jerks his head toward the war room. Most of the guys follow him inside. I stop to say hi to Heidi and Alexa.
“How’s the baby doing?” I ask Heidi.
“Bit-bit!” Alexa squeals, yanking the blanket off her baby sister’s carrier.
“Shhh,” Heidi reminds her daughter, pressing a finger to her lips. “Bit-bit’s sleeping, remember?”
Alexa pouts but doesn’t bother her sister again.
Knowing some of the girls are here tonight, I kind of wish Emily had been able to come with me. Or maybe it’s a good thing, in case all the talk of babies would’ve scared her away.
I step into the war room and take my usual spot.
A few minutes later, Murphy and Teller round the table and take their places. I nod to Bricks on the other side, while Ravage, Stash, Hoot, and Birch all take their seats.
Behind me, the door shuts. Wrath drops into his chair on my left.
Great, let’s get this over with.
I glance at the clock on the wall across from me. Malik and Blue will be opening the doors to Crystal Ball soon. I’ll need to haul ass there as soon as we’re done.
Every one of us focuses on Rock at the head of our table.
“Thanks everyone for coming in on short notice. I won’t drag this out. Loco wants us to come out to the diner and sit down with him soon,” Rock says, throwing a weary look around the table. “He’s bitching about MC business happening in Ironworks. Anyone know what the fuck crawled up his ass?”
Teller curls his lips into a dismissive smirk. “Ironworks is our territory now. We can do whatever the fuck we want there.”
“Agreed,” Rock says. “We have a vested interest in keeping him happy, though.”
Something about Ironworks nags at me. I can’t think of any official business, though.
“How are his girls doing at CB?” Wrath asks me.
“Fine.” I run over the list of Loco’s girls working for us. “Serenity might need to go. She copped an attitude with Emily the other night—”
“Whoa. Hold up.” Murphy slashes his hands through the air in a flag on the play sort of gesture. “Your Emily? Why was she at CB in the first place?”