Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
“Take me with you,” Vera said, stepping out from where she’d hidden herself beyond the staircase. “Just out of town.”
I glanced at Nadine to catch her reaction, but it wasn’t what I expected. She looked resigned.
“You can’t ride on a bike like that. You can barely open your eyes.” I said to Vera flatly. “And I’m not gonna just drop you off in some town to fend for yourself.”
“I can ride just fine,” she shot back. “And I don’t need your help, I can take care of myself.”
“Don’t need my help except to fuckin’ kidnap you.”
“You’re not kidnapping me,” she replied.
“That ain’t how your pops is gonna spin it.”
The asshole started to stir, turning his head a little, and Vera’s face paled. If I’d thought that I could leave her and Nadine to figure shit out, I was kidding myself. One look at the fear in her expression and I was ready to do battle—there was no way I’d be able to turn my back. No matter what had happened between us before, I was in this thing now.
“Fine,” I said. “I’m leavin’ in five. If you’re not ready you’re on your own.”
I reached down and grabbed the asshole’s keys and tossed them to Nadine before stepping over him onto the porch.
“Close that door and lock it,” I ordered.
Ten minutes later—I guess they’d called my bluff on the time limit—Vera was on the back of my bike as we rolled out of town.
Chapter 9
Brenna
Present Day
“Wait, did the dad wake up?” Trix asked. “How did they leave so easily?”
“Not clear on that,” my pop replied with a shrug. “Guess he was still out.”
“That’s a long time to be knocked out,” Tommy said thoughtfully.
“Maybe Slider gave him a little kick as he left,” Cam said with a grin.
“Little love tap,” Leo said, grinning back. “Just to make sure he had sweet dreams for a while longer.”
“You two are idiots,” Dragon muttered.
“I can’t imagine riding after taking a beating like that and then getting on a bike,” Farrah said, shaking her head. “That must’ve been agony.”
“I’ve done it a time or two, Ladybug,” Casper replied. “It wasn’t fun.”
“Hell, Vera was twice the man you are,” Grease said, making everyone at the table laugh. “She probably sat back and enjoyed the wind in her face.”
Everyone at the table chuckled but me. The story my pop and Amy were telling was bringing back so many memories that I had a hard time sitting through it. For all intents and purposes, Vera raised me like her own. She’d taught me how to wash my hair and shave my legs, listened to me cry about mean girls and boys, and taken care of every other thing my pop hadn’t had any idea how to manage.
Now, while I listened to a story that she’d only hinted at over the years, I felt overwhelmed and a little betrayed.
She’d mentioned the ride they were discussing. We’d been sitting in the yard watching Trix and Leo play naked in the sprinkler and I remember that it had smelled really strongly of fresh cut grass. It’s strange how memories have scents to them sometimes.
As the conversation continued around me, I thought back to that day. I couldn’t remember what had started the conversation, but I did remember that Farrah was right when she said that it must have been painful to ride. Vera had told me, “Sometimes you have to ride through the pain to get to something better. Kind of like childbirth, I’d imagine.” She’d laughed. “One time I was so banged up that when I climbed onto the back of Slider’s bike I thought I’d topple right off the other side. But I knew he was my best bet, yeah? So I just held on tight anyway. In the end it was worth it.” When I’d asked her what had happened, she’d brushed me off. There were a lot of little memories like that, snippets of conversations that were suddenly beginning to make sense as we heard more and more of her story.
“You alright, baby?” Dragon asked quietly, his lips brushing against my ear. “Know you miss her this time of year.”
“I’m good,” I replied, giving his hand a squeeze.
“Let me know when you’re not,” he ordered gruffly before turning back to the table.
“I’m just saying that my ass hurts after an hour on the back of your bike,” Hawk said with a shrug. “So sue me.”
“You said you loved goin’ on long rides,” Tommy replied, his hand on his chest like he was scandalized.
“Those weren’t the rides I was talking about,” Hawk said.
“Oh, gross,” Rose yelled, throwing a balled up paper towel at Hawk. “I don’t want to hear that shit.”
“When two people love each other a whole lot—” Hawk began.
“Enough,” Will said as he strode toward us. “I just put my very drunk wife to bed and if either of you wake her up I’ll lose my shit.”