Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
And I knew I’d go fucking crazy in jail. Everything would be too cramped. People too close. I wasn’t made for a jail cell. They’d have to put me in a psychiatric ward.
We were silent until we got to the clubhouse. He gripped my arm, stopping me from getting out. Slowly, I turned my head to look at him.
“No matter what, brother, we’ve all got your back, you hear me? Athena is extremely worried about you, by the way. I know you’ll probably go MIA for a few days, but at least let her know you’re okay first.”
I nodded once and slipped out of the truck. I headed straight for my bike, which the guys had been nice enough to bring back to the clubhouse for me. I straddled my bike and pulled out my phone, shooting Athena a text.
Athena:
I’m okay, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m going silent for a few days. I need to clear my head, but when I get back in town, you’ll be the first person I come to see.
It’s stupid early for this, but I love you, Seb. Please, please, PLEASE be safe out there. Don’t make me be without you for too long.
God, she was killing me. My heart wrenched in my chest at her confession, and my hands trembled. But I was glad she’d told me over text that she loved me instead of in person because I couldn’t handle something that huge face-to-face.
You’re my entire fucking world, baby girl. I’ll come home to you.
Then, I shoved my phone into my pocket and gunned my engine, spinning out of the lot.
seven
Athena
I was so tired. I was barely sleeping because I was so worried about Seb. I knew he said he’d come find me when he came back home, but it had been two days already, and he was still MIA. I’d tried calling him and texting him, just wanting to at least know he was okay, but his phone was always off.
“Girl, you look like shit,” Chelsea said when I strolled through the club doors. I’d had the past two days off, and though Cecily and Chelsea had both told me I could take off as long as I needed, I couldn’t continue sitting in my apartment when I didn’t know where Seb was.
I was driving myself crazy. There were too many what-ifs. And not knowing where Seb was or if he was okay… I couldn’t even fucking go there, or I’d burst into tears.
“Athena,” Cecily called, surprising me. I quickly turned to face her. She was standing at the entrance of the hall that led to the offices in the back. She jerked her head. “We need to talk.”
Swallowing thickly, seriously wondering if I was about to lose my job because of what Seb did, I quickly followed her. I was surprised as hell to see Adler sitting in her office, too. Robin was missing, probably with one of his uncles. Wasn’t like there wasn’t a shortage of them waiting to dote on him.
“Where’s Robin?” I blurted, saying the first thing that came to my mind since I was so nervous.
“With his uncles,” Adler answered, confirming my thoughts. He gestured to the only other empty seat in the room as Cecily took a seat behind her desk. “Please sit.”
Frowning, I slowly lowered myself into Cecily’s plush chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. Cecily sighed, exchanging a look with Adler that I didn’t understand. Finally, Adler grunted and leaned forward in the chair he had beside Cecily.
“We’re worried about you,” he told me. I blinked in surprise. “And about Seb. All of us are, especially since Seb is in so deep with you. We’ve never seen him like this before, and it’s been years since he succumbed to his rage like that. He went through a lot of therapy to become the man he is today.”
Therapy?
Oh, Seb, what happened to you, baby?
I swallowed thickly, not sure what to say in response to that. I felt like I was about to get the third degree, and I wasn’t even sure what I’d done wrong. Was I seriously in trouble for loving Seb? Was that now a fucking crime?
“Easy,” Cecily soothed, picking up on my inner turmoil. “Seb hasn’t always had it easy,” she said. “I don’t know what he’s gone through. He’s very tight-lipped.” Wasn’t that the fucking truth. But God, I loved how quiet he was, how his words held weight, how despite him hardly ever speaking, he never left me wondering if I was doing the right thing or if I was pushing too hard. “But you two seem to be a done deal. So, I was hoping I could talk you into a different position so you no longer have to work the floor.”
My brain fritzed. A new position? But I didn’t really have any other qualifications. Stripping was easy, and it paid good money. I wasn’t sure I could do anything else and still afford my bills.