Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Alright, boss man,” Eddie said, nodding. “Come on out and warm back up,” he called to the girls as he opened the door.
They rushed back out, still wet, and shivering, but Eddie had clearly paused to get them towels before coming out.
Guns went back into their hiding places, and as Donovan and McCoy showed up, the OG guys headed over to Huck’s place to talk.
“Hey, Cato,” Eddie called.
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Your girl coming over tonight?” he asked, and I felt a surprising warm feeling in my chest at those words. Your girl. They were getting truer with each passing day. She was mine. She just hadn’t fully come to that conclusion yet. “I’m asking because I’m about to head to the store, and if she’s coming, I know I have to double up my recipes.”
“Ah, actually, I haven’t talked to her yet today,” I admitted. Neither of us were really ‘text all day long’ sorts of people. “But she usually pops by,” I added. Because that had been true since the kayak trip. We’d seen each other every day or night since then.
On the nights when she didn’t want me in her neck of the woods, though, she just showed up without texting or calling.
So I was assuming this was one of those nights.
“Yeah, she’s half in love with me, you know,” Eddie said, nodding. “Think you better learn to cook, or you’re gonna lose her to me. And I ain’t even gonna be sorry about it,” he added with a smile before making his way back out to his car.
The small get-together the had been going on all day became a raging party by the time night fell. Club girls, both new and old, were everywhere.
A few even managed to charm the somewhat standoffish York, one managing to sit on his lap while they talked.
Velle had another girl all to himself, the two lost in deep conversation, as expected with him. But when the girl started crying, she was smiling at the same time, then threw her arms around Velle, holding on for a while, before grabbing his hand, and leading him inside.
Coast had taken off to the shooting range with three girls. But judging by the lack of gunshots ringing out, it seemed more likely they were all fucking back there, enjoying the fact that the way the range was set up allowed them both privacy and a sound shield.
And I was sitting there, listening to the music, wondering why the fuck Rynn hadn’t shown up yet.
It wasn’t that she always showed up at the same time or anything, but she usually followed her stomach to the club at her dinner hour. Which was somewhere around eight or nine.
It was ten thirty.
I reached for my phone, checking the screen, just barely resisting the urge to text her to see what she was up to, if she was coming.
I didn’t want to come off as too demanding or overpowering. I knew she was kind of dipping her toe into this whole relationship thing. I didn’t want her to think I was suddenly trying to pick her up and toss her in before she was ready.
On a sigh, I tucked my phone away again, and went inside the house, knowing I was only going to bring the mood of the party down.
But when ten thirty became twelve, then two, and Rynn still hadn’t shown up, I had to admit that I was starting to worry.
Not about her per se, but about us. About what that crazy-ass head of hers was saying to her, getting her second-guessing things.
And she was so fucking stubborn that she would listen and push me away.
I wasn’t even sure how I would charm my way back in, past those walls and that uncertainty.
“Christ,” I hissed, rubbing the heels of my hands against my eyes.
I was getting ahead of myself.
She was someone used to being independent. She probably didn’t even think I was waiting on her. Maybe she had plans with Josie. Or had a sick cat. Or just crashed early at home.
There was no reason to assume the worst.
Until another day passed with no contact.
Until two texts and three calls went unanswered.
Then?
Yeah, then I started to worry.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Rynn
It was time.
All the planning and plotting I’d been doing for well over a week was going to get put into action.
“What?” I asked, brows pinching as I looked at Josie while I double-checked the knife and eye-gouger in my shoes, then clipped on this clever bracelet I’d found that detached and worked like a garrote if necessary.
“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head, her gaze skittering away.
“Come on. Spit it out,” I said.
To that, she let out a deep sigh. “I don’t want to mess with your headspace,” she admitted. When I gave her a waving motion, she relented. “I’m nervous about this case,” she admitted.