Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 628(@200wpm)___ 502(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
She quit pressing down on her knuckles when Doom remained silent.
“Are you going to tell Puck and Buck you know the truth?”
“No,” he said. “I think you would be better off taking me up on my offer and letting me hire someone to take care of your parents so that you and Blue could go together.”
“Luc would be miserable.”
“How can you be so certain?” Doom argued. “You could have at least asked him. Maybe you’re the one putting up the roadblocks keeping you from growing closer. Perhaps where you’re going wrong with Blue is, you’re making decisions for him he’s more than capable of making himself. You’re right—The Last Riders do look at each other as brothers, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have good relationships with our families. It’s a mix, actually. The only difference is, we don’t try to interfere in their lives.”
Feeling guilty, Arden looked away. She was well aware of her propensity to meddle, especially with Doom’s constant reminder.
“After this, with Buck and Puck, I plan to take a backseat approach with Luc.”
By his doubting look, Doom didn’t seem to believe her.
“So, you’re willing to give up becoming a Last Rider?”
“I mean…” she hastened to explain, “once I’m a Last Rider. I’ll take a backseat. I just want to make sure Luc—”
“Woman, all your tinkering is going to blow up in your face. You should have learned that lesson with the asshole who tried to kidnap you. Especially—” Doom’s expression grew increasingly angry, “after this fiasco with Buck and Puck. I’m not going to stop you from becoming a Last Rider. I think you’re underestimating how Blue is going to feel when he finds out you’re trying to become one.”
Arden paled. “Are you going tell him how women become a Last Rider?”
“Me? Fuck no. But I can guarantee one of the other brothers will. What will you do then? I don’t think he’ll be pleased if someone tells him that’s why Buck and Puck took him to the Super Bowl.”
“If that happened, I’d tell him the truth, obviously.”
Arden took a step back when Doom appeared as if he wanted to shake some sense into her.
“You think Blue is going to come running to you if he finds outs?” he yelled at her.
“Of course.”
“Are you fucking nuts?”
Arden took another step back.
“The first thing he’s going to do is try to rip off Buck’s and Puck’s heads,” Doom snarled at her.
Arden was sure Doom was wrong. “Luc doesn’t have a violent bone in his body.”
“You’re looking at it from a woman’s perspective.”
“How should I be looking at it? From a man’s?” she scoffed.
“No, from a brother’s.”
“Where I’m concerned, Luc’s brotherly instincts are non-existent.”
“You don’t know jack shit about how a man’s brain works!”
“Luc is a teenager.”
“Which makes it even worse. He’s going to go off. If your true objective is to make the brothers grow closer to Blue, and he finds out, it’ll have the opposite effect.” Doom’s eyes narrowed on her. “Or is this your game plan all along?”
“Doom, I swear it’s not,” she said sincerely. “I admit, at first, that was my plan, but that was before I got to know everyone. Just because I don’t want to participate in the sex with the club doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the friendship the club offers. How the members have everyone’s back. I want that for Luc. You say okay, Puck and Buck will continue taking Luc under their wing, but what about in a year or two—three? If I’m a member,
………. you’ll still have mine and my family’s. Am I wrong?”
From Doom’s expression, she wasn’t.
“The Last Riders aren’t your only choice, if that’s the case.” Frustrated, Doom ran a hand through his hair. “You have Mama, and don’t tell me you don’t. Hell, that fucking mob she brought here would scare the shit out of anyone who gives you or Blue trouble.”
Grimacing, Arden had to agree Doom was right on that observation.
“I love Mama—don’t get me wrong—but she can be somewhat volatile.”
“Somewhat?” Doom snorted, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Dammit.”
Doom looked away from her then turned his gaze back to her. “Fine,” he snapped. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Arden breathed a sigh of relief. “I won’t,” she eagerly agreed. “And we’re good where Buck and Puck are concerned?”
Doom held his hands up in surrender. “I won’t say another word.”
Arden thought that would be a miracle, but okay.
She happily started for the door, but Doom caught her by the wrist.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to work.”
“I thought we could continue with your science experiment?”
“No, you were right. I want to be able to tell Luc about the votes, that I never really had sex to get any.”
“That’s a little late, don’t you think? Did you forget about last night?”
“That doesn’t count,” she said unperturbedly. “It was in my apartment, and I told you I didn’t want your vote. If we had sex here, I would get your vote.”