Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
“Yeah.” I lower my voice. “Thanks for keeping that to yourself in there.”
“Surprised you didn’t speed out of here to go give her the good news. Did she know you were doing this today?”
“I mentioned it but not today specifically. She’s busy with work, anyway.”
He stops in the hallway outside the champagne room. Loud chatter from the dining room drifts toward us from one end, and in the living room, the guys and ol’ ladies are laughing and talking. But for the moment, Rooster and I are alone.
“Pine Hollow’s a bit of a ride, brother. I assume, because of her job, she must be on call a lot and need to stay close to home. You plannin’ to transfer to this charter so you’re closer?” he asks.
That had never occurred to me. “Are you planning to transfer here, brother? Because the rule’s always been, I go where you go. That’s not changing.”
His lips roll into a thoughtful line.
“Besides, your place isn’t that far from her. And last I knew, Z wanted me handling more things out that way, anyway.”
“Yeah, surprised no one brought up the support club today.” He tilts his head toward the dining room and we continue walking. “Noticed you didn’t jump up and wave your hand around to get picked for a shift at Crystal Ball this time.” He snickers.
“She didn’t ask me not to, just so you know.” I jam my hands in my pockets. “I can’t explain why, I just don’t feel like it.”
“No, I get it.”
“If Dex is really desperate, I’ll help out.” I elbow his side. “Besides, you haven’t been there lately. He hired these two new dancers and one is a creepy little bitch.”
“The double-P dancers?” He rolls his eyes. “Rav told me all about it. The one who only whispers?”
“Pepper and Porsche,” I confirm.
We push our way into the dining room where brothers are standing around in groups, catching up. The dining table hasn’t been set up yet, but club girls and prospects are working fast.
Rooster and I grab cups of coffee at the bar. I’m stirring sugar into mine with my back to the rest of the room when I sense movement behind me.
“Ohhh!” Ravage shouts. “Look who it is! The next member of the pussy-whipped club.”
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, turning around to face him.
“You’ve talked a lot of bullshit over the years,” Rooster reminds me.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Rav’s grinning like an asshole, overflowing with jokes, I’m sure.
“You need a hug or a slap?” I whip my hand back and forth in front of Rav’s face. “I’m down for either one.”
“Brother, are you serious?” Ravage snickers. “No more Crystal Ball. No more muffler bunnies. No more anonymous ass on the road.”
Christ, when he puts it that way, it sounds so fucking pathetic, I’m even more confident about my decision.
I bob my head up and down. “Yup, yup. Get it out of your system now.” Rooster’s right. I’ve run my mouth a lot. I have this coming, so I’ll let them have their fun.
Stash raises his hand like he’s waiting for someone to tag him into the conversation. “I thought you enjoyed women of all sizes, shapes, ages—”
“I do.” I cut Stash off. “But I’m not afraid to admit that I now see the value in being a one-woman man.”
Rooster snorts. “This should be entertaining.”
I side-eye him. “You don’t have to join in, motherclucker.”
“I can think of one very important reason. You can have sex whenever you want,” Ravage says. “Without having to work for it.”
I shoot him a withering glare. “You’re confusing girlfriend with blow-up doll.”
“Again,” Dex adds. “He always gets those confused.”
Rooster chuckles and taps Dex’s shoulder. “The fuck you doing here with these clowns?”
“Maybe we should buy Rav a blow-up doll for his birthday,” Stash suggests.
“Just say you want one,” Rav fires back.
“I don’t need one.” A smug smile stretches over Stash’s face. “Got all I can handle.”
“Only thing you’re handling is your dick and a Fleshlight,” I mutter, taking a sip of hot, sweet coffee.
Butcher joins our circle. “Bro, you sure about this? What’s the upside?” His eyes widen as he seems to notice Rooster and Dex—two happily non-single brothers next to me. “I mean for you, Jiggy.”
It’s impossible to put it into words for these guys when I barely understand it myself. “I have someone who actually listens to me.”
“Poor Margot.” Dex snickers. “I don’t even want to know what twisted shit you’ve subjected her to.”
“I know, right?” I grin at him. “Her patience has no limits.”
“You mean, she laughs at your shit-tastic jokes,” Rooster says. “And she’s not faking it. She actually thinks you’re funny.”
“She doesn’t fake anything.” Too late, I realize how dirty that sounded.
“Is she a screamer?” Rav asks. “Because those quiet, nerdy ones are usually some of the dirtiest bitches—”
I lunge for him. My hand’s wrapped around Rav’s throat before my coffee cup even splatters against the floor. I squeeze and tighten my grip. “The fuck did you say?”