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)
“Jesus,” Bricks mutters, planting his face in his palm.
“Ravage.” I snap my fingers to get his attention. “Move out of the way.” I curl my fingers at Kyla again.
She takes a few tentative steps toward my desk.
“Everything okay?” I ask. “At home.”
“Oh!” A genuine smile flickers over her face. “Yes. I’m still staying at Willow’s, but it’s going great. She’s been super cool about everything.”
At least Willow can do one thing I asked. “Stan hasn’t bothered you anymore?”
Surprise widens her eyes. She really never figured out I paid her boyfriend a visit? That’s good. “No,” she answers. “I blocked him from everything, though. Deleted all my social media too.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.” I cock my head. It still might be better to get her out of the area. “You ever want to travel? See other clubs? We’ve got a place in Tennessee. They’re always looking for new talent.”
“Oh, I…don’t know if I want to start over new somewhere I don’t know anyone.”
I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was permanently banishing her. “Well, it’s always an option if you want. We’ve got other places too.”
“Thank you.”
“Rav, can you walk her out, please?” I ask.
He magically slips into professional mode, opening and holding the door for Kyla. “You got it.”
“Rav?” I call in a low voice before he steps out.
He turns to me with a raised eyebrow.
“Wait a sec out there. Make sure no one follows her or anything.”
“Yeah. No problem.”
Bricks shakes his head after they leave. “How is he a fuckin’ clown one minute and Mr. Manners the next? Gives me whiplash.”
“It’s a curse.”
“Don’t you mean gift?”
“No. I don’t.”
We both share a laugh.
“Shit, I’ve missed you, Dex,” he says. “Where the fuck you been hiding, lately?”
“Who’s hiding? I see you in church every week.”
“Yeah, but you haven’t stuck around afterward to bullshit with everyone. Been missing Thursday night dinners too.” He pauses and cocks his head. “Although maybe I need to start skipping family dinner nights. I think that’s what’s giving Winter baby fever.”
I choke down my laughter and try to remain in supportive brother mode.
“I should kick Teller’s ass,” he continues.
“Why just him?” I ask, not following his logic. “Murphy and Heidi just had a baby. Grinder and Serena just had one.”
“It’s the twin thing. Charlotte’s having twins.” He rolls his eyes. “I never knew Winter had an obsession with having twins before.”
“I’m pretty sure Teller didn’t plan it that way,” I point out. “Wait until the babies get here and she sees how much work they are. Maybe that’ll change her mind.”
He slaps his palms together prayer-style and closes his eyes for a few seconds.
Ravage returns, closing the door behind him. “Got her out of here safe, boss,” he says, dropping into his chair again. “You’re not still talking about babies, are you?”
“Yeah, we were talking about you,” I say.
“The biggest baby,” Bricks adds.
Rav jumps out of his chair. “Well, I’ll let you two sync up your cycles, check your fertility windows, or whatever the fuck. I’m gonna go work the floor.”
“Don’t forget your G-string!” Bricks shouts after him.
Rav throws up his middle finger, then slams the door.
Shaking his head and grinning, Bricks turns my way. “I never get tired of messing with him.”
“Eh. He’s been helping out a lot here. I probably shouldn’t hassle him so much. You definitely should, though.” I flash an evil grin. “At every opportunity.”
His shoulders shake with laughter, then abruptly stop. “Did I hear right? Inga stopped by here?”
I let out a heavy sigh. Somehow, I’d managed to forget about that. “Yup. Wanted to waltz right on stage like nothing ever happened.”
“She had balls approaching you.”
“Karma loves fucking with me. Must be all the evil shit I’ve done.”
“What’re you talking about?” Bricks stares at me slack-jawed. “You’re the best of us, brother.”
“You kidding? All the people I’ve fucked up…or sent to the demon’s dinner table, as Jigsaw might say. That’s a heavy karmic tax.”
Bricks is shaking his head before I even finish, a serious frown crossing his face. “Fuck that. You know how many good things you’ve done for people? Little things that make a huge difference? You’re always there to help a brother out when he needs it.” He jerks his thumb toward the door. “Kyla looks like she’s had a hundred pounds lifted off her shoulders since she got away from her boyfriend. I feel shitty that I never bothered to figure out why she always looked like a frightened little mouse around here.”
“You haven’t been working here that much since she started,” I point out.
“Don’t be dense, bro. And stop feeling guilty.”
“I don’t feel guilty. Sometimes I think that’s the problem. The lack of remorse.” No crime I’ve committed or body I’ve buried could ever dig a deeper hole in my conscience than losing my wife and daughter.