Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“It’s true.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Don’t panic.”
Rosalie touched her chest, rubbing at the spot, trying to not cry. Trying not to freak out.
“Rosalie?”
She couldn’t breathe. Her father was going to hurt Petal. He was going to destroy everyone she cared about.
“I’ve got her. Call Gabrielle.” She heard Petal’s voice in the distance, but it was too much for Rosalie, she couldn’t breathe.
“Rosalie, it’s fine. Everything is fine.”
It had been months, if not years, since she last had a panic attack. She had thought she was over them. Even when her father came calling, or the impending wedding, the wedding night, losing her virginity, all the Friday nights, the threats. Nothing had set it off, but now, it was just too much.
“What do I do?”
She heard the panic in Dirty’s voice.
“Shit, fuck. I … she hasn’t had a panic attack in a long time. I’m not strong enough. Gabrielle always held her tightly.”
Sinking to the dirt ground, she felt the hard stones against her knees and she didn’t care. She wanted to feel the pain. The biting hurt as they cut into her flesh. He was going to hurt everyone. There was no getting away from him. No stopping him.
She heard bikes approaching.
“She’s having a panic attack.”
Arms surrounded her. They were not her mother’s.
“I’ve got you, Rose. I’ve got you. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
The scent of leather, grease, and oddly enough, Colt, flooded her senses, and she felt the panic slowly start to ease.
Chapter Thirteen
The clubhouse doctor had given Rosalie the “all clear” and Colt had seen him out. He went up to her room before returning downstairs to check on her. She was curled beneath the covers, still dressed in her uniform.
Dirty had sent him the text that something was wrong with Rosalie. He didn’t get the full update from him until he managed to calm her down and bring her home. Petal, his parents, and Gabrielle, along with Dirty and a couple of the guys from the club, were waiting.
Rosalie was fast asleep. He didn’t know what her father had said to her, but Dirty hadn’t been joking around. She’d been in full panic mode. Gabrielle had been too far away and Petal had told him to hold her, to try and give her comfort with the pressure of his body. He’d done that, but it had taken time to calm her down.
Closing the door, he walked downstairs. His mother had already put the kettle on and made everyone coffee. The heavy scent filled the air.
“How is she?” Gabrielle asked, coming toward him.
“She’s fine. She’s sleeping.” Gabrielle wrapped her arms around herself.
Petal had been crying.
“No one told me she suffered with panic attacks. Debilitating panic attacks?”
Gabrielle sobbed.
“Not for a long time,” Petal said. “When we were kids, I didn’t notice the pattern, but it’s…” She stopped and looked toward Gabrielle. “It happened whenever her father was around.”
“Excuse me,” Gabrielle said.
He watched her go, pissed that she wasn’t able to keep her shit together. He knew she’d been through so much already, but it still pissed him off.
“How is she?” Warden asked.
“Fine. The doctor said she’s okay. That he’s done all the necessary checks, and other than exhaustion, she’s fine.” He shrugged.
“Daemon did something,” Petal said. “He had to.”
“He threatened you,” Dirty said.
Petal spun toward the biker who’d been quiet.
Colt frowned. “What?”
“Daemon had stopped by. He talked about the honeymoon, Gabrielle, the cruise, and he looked toward the diner. He could see Petal. When I went out there, it was clear to see he was going to hurt Petal.”
“Oh, I hope he does. I’ll cut him a new fucking asshole,” Petal growled.
“I told him Kim had arranged for Petal to go on the cruise with her and Gabrielle.”
“Surprise,” Kim said.
Colt knew in his gut that something was going to happen. He’d asked his mother that morning to add a plus one for Petal.
“You don’t need to do that,” Petal said.
“It’ll be fun. So long as you don’t mind hanging out with a couple of older women.”
“Hey, a free cruise, relaxing, a chance to see some dolphins on the ocean, I’m happy. I’ve got no problem,” Petal said. “What I’m going to do is go check on Gabrielle. Rosalie would be upset if I left her alone.” She shrugged and left the kitchen.
Kim didn’t look happy.
“He would hurt her best friend because you had taken his one target,” Kim said. “That man is a fucking monster, Colt.”
“I know.”
Kim shook her head and turned to Warden. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Warden captured her wrist and pulled her in close. “Always.” He kissed her hard and Kim patted his chest.
Colt thought about Rosalie. Seeing that text from Dirty, he’d panicked. He’d not been far from the diner, so it had only taken him a matter of minutes to get to her, but all the way over, he’d been thinking about her. When he saw her on her knees, he’d felt awful. She deserved better than this.