Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
I parted my lips to call to them, but I was hit on my side, sending me down to the ground as a stocky, muscular Hornet hovered over me. A fist hit my cheek. My temple. My nose.
So much blood filled my nose that I couldn’t breathe for a second, my chest crushed as he pinned me down.
I managed to strike upward, hitting the Hornet on the chin and knocking him off. Pain flared through me as I got to my feet, kicking another Hornet off Auden and yanking him up off the ground.
“Serpents, on me!” I shouted, pushing and punching as much as I could to free my members until we all made it to our bikes. I hit the throttle, leading the others away from the Hornets and thinking that was the end. Until I heard more engines starting.
“They’re after us!” Hayden called out.
I accelerated, my dazed mind having to think quickly. Back road or busy road? We could go faster on back roads, but so could the Hornets. Busy roads were more dangerous, but we were all great riders. Busy road it was.
I turned to the right onto a busy, two-lane street, weaving in and out of traffic.
Horns sounded on either side of me and behind me as the Serpents followed, the sound of wind filling my ears. I glance behind me, seeing the Hornets lagging in the distance. I signaled with my right hand before turning right into a parking lot of an abandoned, shut-down clothing store and killing my engine.
The others followed suit before getting off their bikes and checking on each other.
I stayed on my bike and reached up, touching my nose tenderly as blood continued to flow down my face. Disappointment rolled over me like a cloud as I turned and watched the guys, their angry voices ringing throughout the parking lot. Things could’ve gone a lot worse.
I heard of people dying during brawls like that, and if I got punched in the wrong spot or hit too hard, that was it. Lights out. And the Serpents would be left without a president and would be more vulnerable than ever.
These guys were my brothers, who had my back during my worst moments, and I refused to risk their safety. I felt like I was already failing them by getting chased off by the Hornets. The least I could do was consider what would happen if I died.
Someone had to take over. Some of the guys were more capable of leadership than others, but they were good at what they did. I wanted someone to train to be a leader.
Someone to raise in the path I had taken.
Chapter 1
Aisling
“I’m sorry to tell you this, but I have to evict you.”
My landlord Brianna’s voice echoed between my ears as I leaned against the doorframe of the front door of my apartment. Well, it looked like it wasn’t going to be my apartment any longer.
“Just like that?” I asked as I crossed my arms over my faded black band t-shirt. I would’ve been lying if part of me didn’t see this coming, though.
Brianna lived by herself on the bottom floor, probably waiting for her soldier husband to come back home. She busied herself with doing things around the apartment building, like arranging social events and things like that. Honestly, I believed she was just lonely.
Brianna let a slow sigh drift from her as she glanced up and down the hallway where some of the other units are on either side of me.
“I’ve mentioned to you a few times that your neighbors have made noise complaints, and you’ve been late paying rent multiple times,” she replied.
I grimaced, pushing my fingers through the dark strands of hair that fell around my face in tousled waves.
One of the best ways for me to gather the motivation to deep clean this place was solo dance parties, which required… loud music. I did feel bad about the rent, but I always paid it as soon as possible. Basic living had become a lot more expensive over the past few years.
“Right. I remember now. Sorry about that,” I said.
Brianna shifted awkwardly on her feet.
“So, I need you to pack your things,” she told me.
“I can’t get one more chance? I just put up these new curtains in the bedroom. This place is really starting to feel homey,” I asked her with a warm smile, hoping she could cut me a break. Again. My life was so go-go-go that things slipped my mind. That was all.
A guilty look crossed Brianna’s face.
“Other than the rent and complaints, you’ve been a good tenant, Aisling,” she replied. “It’s not like I want to do this, but it hurts me when the rent is late and when other tenants threaten to move out because of noise issues.”
I got that. How could I not? At the end of the day, she was a landlord so that she could afford her own place.