Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 94897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“You did what?” Shanta asked, her last word rising several octaves.
Archie watched Jagger smile back.
They let Mal deal with his mother’s reaction to his remark and Jagger took her to his truck.
But along the way, she made certain to wave in the general direction of the Chaos brotherhood.
She got some all-man chin lifts and only one wave, which was mostly a flick of a hand.
That was Dutch.
Jag helped her in his truck and shut her door for her, rounded the hood and got in himself.
“Boyfriend,” she called.
“Right here,” he said, sliding his glasses on his nose.
He then commenced scanning the area, undoubtedly watching for the convoy to start to take them to the cemetery.
“Don’t freak out.”
At her words, he turned those sunglasses to her.
“What?” he asked.
“Don’t freak out,” she repeated.
“About what?”
“About the fact that I’m telling you right now that I’m really, stupidly, crazily, totally head over heels in love with you.”
Jag said nothing.
Not a word. Not a sound.
He didn’t move.
He just stared at her through his kickass KD sunglasses.
Then he grunted, “Same.”
She couldn’t stop her grin.
Or pushing across the cab to kiss him.
Both she did.
The first big.
The second…
Hard.
* * * *
It was hours later.
She was in the Chaos Compound watching another reason why she was in love with Jagger Black happen at the pool table.
Fabe and Lafayette were playing pool with Dutch and Joker while Joany, Georgie and Joker’s wife Carissa looked on (but mostly, the women were giving them shit and trying to make them mess up shots, though this was not succeeding very well).
Another reason why she was in love with Jagger was that he was not there.
He’d gotten a text from Mal that said, Can you come get me?
She’d watched Jagger text back, You okay?
To which, Mal replied, Yeah, I just have to get out of here. Mom says it’s OK.
Be there soon.
And with that, Jag asked her if she wanted to come with him, or hang. She’d told him she wanted to hang (so she could give him time with Mal and give the same to Mal).
He’d kissed her quickly and left.
But when they’d arrived, Jag had told her the gang was all there, and like Jag and Archie, a lot of them had changed out of their funeral clothes.
Since their arrival, she’d met Snapper and Rosalie, Hopper and Lanie, Tack and Tyra, Shy’s wife Tabby, Dog’s woman Sheila, Carissa, Rush and Rebel, High and Millie, Boz, Arlo, Hugger, Grizz, Karma, Saddle, the list went on.
Jagger had a huge family.
She liked that.
She was nursing a beer and considering going over to the pool table when Hound slid up on the stool beside her.
“Hey,” she greeted.
“Hey, girl,” he replied.
“Thanks for today,” she said. “Mal’s been leaning on Jag a lot lately. His dad couldn’t come home, communication is spotty, and it seems to give him something, having a dude to hang with. So I think it meant a lot to Mal, you guys showing. Also to his mom,” she told him.
“Yeah,” he grunted.
“And again, sorry about the other night.”
He’d jerked up his chin when he’d settled, and then had been watching Saddle behind the bar go and get a beer for him (Saddle was a man Jagger called a “prospect,” or someone who was putting the work in to become a member of the Club).
But Hound looked to her when she said that.
“Don’t know why you’re apologizin’. It’s understandable.”
She nodded. “I’m glad you sat down. Wanted a moment to say thanks.”
“You already did.”
“Not for that.”
“For what?”
“For Jagger.”
He shook his head, dipped his chin sharply to Saddle when the beer was set in front of him, and looked back at Archie.
“Not my doing,” he said.
“Oh yes it is.”
Hound stared at her hard.
Then his voice dropped low when he asked, “He okay?”
Hers went low too when she answered, “He’s working through things, but yes.”
“Don’t wanna put you on the spot. You don’t have to say dick. But you probably could guess this anyway. His momma is worried,” he muttered.
On first appearances, Hound seemed pretty rough, weathered, definitely had some life under his belt.
But there were things no one could hide.
So she knew, Jag’s dad was feeling the same.
“He might reach out to her,” she told him.
“You don’t have to say anything.”
“I do if it makes you feel better. He wants to watch that Chaos movie with me. I think he needs to share Club history with me. His dad. You. I think he’ll feel a lot better when I know. But it’s hard for him to express.”
“I get that,” he muttered, and turned to his beer.
She took that as what it was, he was letting her off the hook with that at the same time he got what he needed to feel better about it.
And she was grateful for it.
Moving on.
“My mother would lose her mind, the thought of her daughter sitting in a biker club hangout, drinking a beer, surrounded by bikers,” Archie remarked.