Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Maddie tensed up. Sickness swirled in her gut as he looked at Grant. She tucked some hair behind her ear.
“I figured you would’ve gotten a job at a diner, or a bakery, or somewhere there was lots of food.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She had learned long ago that Grant only got worse when he knew he was getting to someone. She wasn’t going to show him any kind of weakness.
“Mr. Reynolds is in the back,” she said.
Grant laughed. “Mr. Reynolds. I bet my brother loves that. So, tell me, Chunk, what have you been up to? I mean, clearly, losing weight wasn’t high on your agenda.”
If the ground could open her up again and swallow her whole, she would like that.
“Grant, a word. Now,” Bull said, suddenly appearing behind her. There was a door to the back of the reception that connected to the main shop. She had uncovered a window, which allowed her to see into the main shop as she worked.
She turned away from the customers who were waiting as she held a file in her hands. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten. Her hands shook, but she didn’t want to cry.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
You’re not a kid in high school anymore.
Grant’s an asshole.
Ignore him.
He was always cruel, manipulative, and evil.
“How long is this going to take?”
She took a deep breath and turned to one of the customers. She didn’t recognize him from town, so he had to have been passing through. “I will go and check.”
Maddie used the door at the back and stepped through to go find Pat. She was careful to not get in anyone’s way.
“Hey, Pat, the out-of-towner is getting a little impatient. Do you have an update?” she asked.
Pat sighed, moving out from under the hood of the car. “It’s fine. He ran out of fucking gas. I put in enough gas to get him to the gas station.”
“Oh.” Maddie frowned.
“You want to know why I waited?” Pat asked.
“He seems pretty mad,” Maddie said.
Pat shrugged. “Let me deal with him.”
“I can handle it.”
“Maddie, guys are assholes. You don’t have to deal with them, and besides, I like irritating pricks.” He winked at her and walked past her, heading back into the shop.
She followed after him but paused when she caught sight of Grant storming past her. He didn’t stop, nor did he push or shove her, but she saw the blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, which she knew hadn’t been there before.
Maddie didn’t stay long as she heard the shouting already happening.
“What an unprofessional, backward, fucking town,” the out-of-towner said, his voice raised.
She stepped in to find Pat with his arms folded, and she already knew that wasn’t a good position for him. It meant that even though he looked calm, he was close to losing it. Bull was usually the one to hold Pat back.
Stepping to Pat’s side, she kept a smile on her face. “Sir, with all due respect, you came in here on fumes. He has saved you a whole heap of work and trouble.”
“Work and trouble. I’ve been waiting for two hours.”
“It would have been a lot longer if you’d kept pushing that car.”
“I … this is unacceptable,” the out-of-towner said. “I want to talk to the manager of this place.”
“That manager is here,” Bull said.
Maddie glanced back to see him wearing his leather cut. She had never seen him in that at the shop, and seeing it now was a bit of a shock.
“Good. Then you can tell me what the meaning is behind taking your time getting my car ready.”
“Pat?”
“He ran out of gas.”
Bull tutted. “Let me guess, this is one of the scams you usually do?”
She was confused. How could running out of gas be a scam?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Of course, you don’t. To understand it would mean you have to admit to it. Now, I’m all for causing trouble. If you want to start something, then let’s start it,” Bull said.
The out-of-towner clocked the leather cut, and she watched him swallow. The jacket had impact. Even she was nervous seeing Bull in it. She had been working for him for a week now and she had almost forgotten he was the president of the local MC.
Nerves gripped her.
“Then take your piece-of-shit car and get the fuck out of here.”
The owner grabbed his keys and ran to his car as fast as he could.
“You think it was a scam?” Pat asked.
“Got to be. I think he’s used to causing scenes in order to get a full tank of gas that he doesn’t have to pay for. How much did you fill him up?”
“About five dollars. Enough to get him to the nearest gas station,” Pat said.
“That scam thing is an actual … thing?” Maddie asked.