Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” she said, rubbing her face against my chest like a contented cat. “I see that.”
“Why don’t I take you to my room, Jolene? We need to talk.”
“Uh-oh,” she said, pulling back from me slightly. “What happened?”
“Fucker,” I said, throwing Ripper a killing look over Jolene’s shoulder.
“Just tell me,” she said, sounding resigned. “You don’t want me anymore. Do you.”
“Honey, there is no way you believe that. Let’s just do this in private.”
She looked up at me, a bewildered look on her face. “I -- I don’t under -- understand.”
I sighed, pulling her back into my embrace. “Honey, Avery’s in Palm Beach. Him and his kin.” Jolene stiffened in my arms. “Stop,” I said next to her ear. “Just take a breath. I’ve got you. I’m not goin’ anywhere, and I’ll always protect you.”
“I know that,” she said against my shoulder. “We always protect each other.”
“That’s right, baby.”
With another shudder, she pulled back and looked up at me. She must have seen something in my face, because she closed her eyes and sagged against me. “Just tell me what you don’t want to say, Styx.”
“Apparently, there’s a picture of us. On my social media.”
She looked confused. “You took a pic of us? Why is that bad?”
“I didn’t take it, honey. And I didn’t post it.”
“But, isn’t that what people do when they’re together? Post pics of themselves? Together? You know, as a couple?”
“All true. And I’ll gladly take any picture you want and post them everywhere with a caption proudly proclaiming you my ol’ lady. But this one…”
“What about it?”
“Apparently, it was of us makin’ love, baby.” There was a long silence. Jolene had gone perfectly still. “Talk to me, honey.”
“I did it,” she said softly. “I posted the picture and tagged your brothers and cousins, Styx. I wanted them to come here. So I could kill ’em. ’Cause I ain’t goin’ back to West Virginia for anything ever.” She took another breath. “And, ’cause I wanted to replace that other video with something of my choosin’. If shit like that’s gonna be out there ’bout me, I’m pickin’ the pics, and I’m pickin’ who it’s with.” The more she explained, the stronger her voice. She was trying to take back her life in the only way she knew how. Had she stuck me with a dagger through the heart, I couldn’t have been more shocked.
“Well,” I said. “Wasn’t expectin’ that.”
“Why would you do that, Jolene?” Thorn didn’t look mad, just thoroughly confused. “We know what they all did to you. How you were betrayed, then attacked. Why would you taunt them like that?”
She took a breath, then turned to face everyone. “I’m sorry I put y’all in a bad position. I just wanted ta face ’em where I’d be strong.”
“Baby, I told you I’d take care of ’em.”
“I know. But I wanna do it.” Her expression grew fierce. “I’m gonna do it.”
Thorn shook his head, grinning slightly when he met my gaze. “Girl’s gonna be a handful. You sure about this?”
Jolene gasped, then pushed away from me. “I ain’t trouble! I’m takin’ care of my own fuckin’ mess is all. Just thought it’d be safer to do it in a controlled environment.”
“Relax, baby,” I said, pulling her close once again. “I’m sure ’bout us. Thorn knows it too. He’s just givin’ me shit like he does everyone else. All our women are handfuls. That’s why y’all put up with us. Just wished you’d given me a heads-up.”
“You’d’a just tried to talk me out of it. Or, worse, gone’n done it without me.” She had this adorable, stubborn look on her face as she looked up at me. Like me going into battle without her going with me was the most unreasonable request she’d ever heard.
“Well, yeah,” I responded. “Ain’t never lied to you, so I ain’t startin’ now. I don’t want you near the mess that’s gonna go down. If you’d’a told me, we could’ve been ready to meet ’em head-on.”
“I’m ready,” she said, her eyes fierce. In that moment, I saw how much Jolene needed this. “You don’t have to go with me. I got this.”
“Honey,” Thorn said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m not doubting you, but there’s more involved than just killin’ the bastards. I mean, they deserve it, and they’re gonna die fuckin’ hard. But I like to have a plan in place if possible so we can mitigate the damage. I’ve had to move the clubhouse once because of it, and my wife is rather fond of this one.”
“Wait,” I said, something just occurring to me. “You never took pictures of us having sex.”
“Yeah,” she said, looking slightly ashamed. “It was when we were in the truck.”
“No…” I said slowly, trying to think back. “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t that far gone,” I said. “I’d have remembered if you took a pic or vid. I mean, that’s pretty hard to miss.”