Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
The girls have been through hell. The moment we get home, though, they’re going to need to sit down and take us through everythin’. I’m not stupid enough to think Patrick will just walk away from his daughter. There has to be a reason he’s let Callia go. Somethin’ doesn’t feel right when we board, and once we’re settled, it’s Rebel who is first to question it.
“Why did Patrick let ye come home?” His voice is chilled as he regards Callia.
The doubt in his eyes is enough to have me needin’ my laptop. I have to do some diggin’. The itch of not bein’ able to find information quickly is frustratin’.
“He said he… He told me he would be back in Belfast soon. And when he does return, he’s going to take the whole club out. He left me here to pass on the message.” Callia glances at Monster, and somethin’ flickers in her gaze. Her expression is pained. There must be more to it, and I have a feelin’ it has to do with him. She looks at Rebel, who’s at her side. “I want to go home.”
But Monster steps forward. “Why did ye go to yer father in the first place? What is he holdin’ over yer head?” Monster asks, leanin’ his forearms on the small table between them.
The air is thick with worry, the tension is feckin’ stiflin’. It’s times like these that make me feel more at ease with a whirrin’ computer than human interaction. But I haven’t let go of Einin’s hand since we got off my bike. I doubt I could ever let her go.
“I had to go. My choice has nothing to do with you. It’s done now,” Callia says with conviction clear in her tone. But she doesn’t say anythin’ more about her choice. “What I can tell you is that there were meetings being scheduled. They’re meant to take place over the next couple of months. He’s aimin’ for the new year, March. He said he needed time to set everything up. He had a call from someone in Italy because I overheard him speaking in Italian, but when I tried to listen in, he caught me and…” Callia turns to the window, her shoulders slumpin’, and my gut twists.
“What is it, Callia? Ye know ye can tell us anythin’,” Monster implores, while Rebel rages beside her. His hands are in white-knuckled fists as he glares.
Rebel’s not angry at her. I know he’s furious because of what she’s been through. The bastard hasn’t told her he loves her, but everyone else in the club can see it. I’m not sure why, but he’s been far too slow to react, to admit his feelings.
“He did his own form of punishment,” she whispers.
A shudder races through her; I can see her whole body shakin’. I’ve come close to killin’ once before, and today, a second wave of that same emotion rolls through me. I want to hurt the bastards who did this. I want to make them bleed.
My early life was spent in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. There weren’t any secrets, but people were happy. There was a sense of support, of community. We didn’t have brawls or any of that shite that happens in the city. But right now, violence runs through my veins. I got my girl, but I’m willin’ to fight for my family.
Since I joined the club, I’ve learnt that blood doesn’t always mean loyalty. I’ve watched fellow brothers struggle with their own lives, their own pasts. It’s not been easy. I’ve come to love each of them. And I realised, not long after patching in, I would do anything for these men. And the women who are part of the club.
I’ve watched Monster dole out his fair share of punishments over the years, and I’ve never understood it, not fully.
But in the past, I had nothing to fight for.
Now, I do.
SIX
EININ
Ireland feels different to any other place I’ve been. Not that I’ve travelled much. But the city of Belfast has a character. As if it’s alive, with a beating heart and a soul. On the back of Tye’s motorbike, the city flies by as we weave through the traffic.
The fresh air smells different, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m free or because I’m with Tye. When we were young, he was always a foundation for me. He gave me advice when I needed it, and he was there when I needed someone to talk to. Our friendship grew from the first day we met, until the moment I got on the bus for the airport. My flight was meant to take me to London. I didn’t think I’d ever see him again. I was convinced I would die in one of the houses I was sent to. Seven long years have passed, and holding onto him as he speeds down the streets feels like I’ve finally come home.