Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
“We can’t have that now can we? I’m about to head into a meeting with some new distributors. How about you drive my truck downtown and hit up our local distributor? I’ll give them the heads up you’re coming. They always have extra cases on hand for us.”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
“That’d be great.”
“No problem. I’ll just let Hayes know.”
“He stepped out for a bit, but I’ll tell him when he gets back.”
“Oh, Okay.”
“How have you been? Are you liking things around here?”
“I love it. Thank you again for hiring me. I’m killing it with tips. This bar has been amazing. Truly, everyone has been great.”
“Especially Hayes?”
I nervously chuckled.
“No need to get shy, darlin’. Hayes that has effect on women. I can’t keep them staffed for very long, you know? He always breaking their hearts. But you…” He swept the hair away from my face, placing it behind my ear. “You seem to be having quite an effect on my boy.”
“He’s had quite an effect on me too.”
“You guys getting serious?”
“I guess as serious as things could get with him.”
“You’re spending a lot of time together.”
“Yeah,” was all I could respond.
“You in love with him, Haven?”
I jerked back, not expecting him to ask that.
“It’s all right. You can tell me. Your secret’s safe with me.”
I glanced up at the surveillance camera.
“Don’t worry about that. I turned it off. After what he did to Taz, I prefer some privacy when I’m here.”
“Right.”
“You do know what he did to him, right?”
“Yeah…”
“You know he did that for you?”
“Ummm…”
“Don’t worry, darlin’. It’s not your fault. My boy has always had a temper. Ever since he was a child, he never liked sharing his toys. I blame his mother. She coddled him too much.”
“He doesn’t talk about her at all to me.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“Why is that?”
“Sore subject.”
“Did something happen?”
“A lot happened, but there’s no point in reliving old wounds.”
I nodded, eagerly wanting to know more.
“Hayes doesn’t tell me anything, you know? He’s always shutting me out and I’ve given that boy everything. Even forty-nine percent of my bar.”
“Is there a reason you two aren’t close?”
“There’s plenty. Beginning with that fact that he’s breaking my fucking legacy. He’s the only kid I have, and he wants nothing to do with my club. You know what it’s like for a father who’s given him everything? He’s ungrateful. He’s always been a little shit. More so now that he’s a man.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I kept my shut.
“But you…” He twirled the ends of my hair around his fingers. “You, darlin’, he’s attached to you, and I can’t help but wonder why.”
I swallowed hard.
“Don’t get me wrong, you’re gorgeous. I can see the appeal, but Hayes has never been a one-woman kind of man.”
“Maybe we’re just meant to be.”
“Maybe, but anyway, I’m glad everyone’s been treating you nice, darlin’. Let me get you my keys, and I’ll write down the address for you too.”
“Sounds good.”
“When you get there, just ask for Christoff. He’ll make sure to take care of you.”
Once he handed over his keys and the address, I quickly left the bar, not wanting to be alone with him anymore. It was the first time I felt that way toward him, but I hadn’t spent a lot of alone time with him to begin with.
Hayes was adamant I stay away from him and his club, including the biker members and for the most part, I listened to him. After what he told me about them, I understood his distaste for them. I steered clear of The Outlaws.
The only thing that changed between us was how close were getting. I stayed the night at his place almost every weekend. I usually crashed at Cove’s on the weekends, so it wasn’t hard for me to stay with him.
We’d close the bar together and he’d drive us back to his house. He even started riding the Harley he drove on our first date to the bar when he knew I’d be staying the night with him, fully aware of how much I loved it.
We still hadn’t done anything other than make out. Anytime things became too heated between us, he’d immediately stop and go take a cold shower. If he didn’t touch me soon, I was just going to get naked and jump in the shower with him.
There was no way he’d turn me down if I was dripping wet in front of him, but at the same time I was learning Hayes was a paradox of contradictions. I wouldn’t put it passed him if he did.
The more I got to know him, the more I fell for him.
There was no avoiding it. We shared this connection I’d never felt with anyone. It was this spark that was living and breathing every time we were together. I couldn’t put into words how much he meant to me.