Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
“Turn that damn thing off!”
Abruptly jerked awake at the loud shout, Ginny sluggishly looked toward the doorway as Dalt belligerently crossed the floor to stand beside her bed, impatiently waiting until she turned the clock off.
Lisa was the only one who came into her room. Dalt had never come in there before, and she didn’t like that he was there. As much as she despised Lisa, she would put up with her a million times a day rather than him.
“Get dressed. I’m driving you to school today.”
Normally, Dalt was nice to her, even if he ignored her most of the time. His obvious irritation had her cautiously staying still.
“Okay. I’ll hurry,” she said, trying to placate him.
Satisfied at her quick reply, Dalt gave her a sharp nod.
Waiting for him to leave before quietly tiptoeing to the door, Ginny hastily locked it before getting dressed. Throwing on jeans and a blue shirt as fast as she could, she ran a brush through her lackluster brown hair. She didn’t know if she should make her bed or rush downstairs. Twisting her hands together, she went to her desk to grab her backpack, then hurried downstairs where Dalt was waiting for her by the front door.
Her grumbling stomach was going to have to wait until lunchtime. She was too afraid to set him off again by asking for breakfast.
Settled in the back seat, Ginny felt uncomfortable being alone with him after the way he acted this morning.
She wished the dark angel who had carried her away during the night hadn’t brought her back. If she ever got out of Lisa and Dalt’s house, she promised herself that she would do whatever she wanted and not have to listen to anyone about where she could live. She would buy a big house, find Trudy, and she would definitely not have a coaster anywhere in their home. She wasn’t a little girl anymore; she didn’t believe in happy ever afters. Losing Leah had taught her that.
Leah hadn’t gotten her happy ending, Ginny thought to herself, and she didn’t think she would either.
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin soundlessly opened the church’s back door, then edged inside to make sure no one could see him as he closed the door behind him. He hadn’t told Lucky he was coming, wanting to keep their meeting private.
The last nine months in Treepoint had flown by. He kept his word to Taylor, driving back and forth from Kentucky to Ohio every weekend. The wedding was a month away and she was pressuring him to decide on his groomsmen and his wedding guests; so far, he hadn’t reached out to heal the breach between him, Viper, Rider, and the club.
He would have apologized months ago for his hot-headed reaction that had him giving his jacket back, but the reason he hadn’t was why he sneaking in the back door to talk to Lucky. During Gavin’s time in Treepoint, Memphis had been a frequent visitor. He’d helped out checking deliveries, making sure that the construction crews arrived on time, and staying at the inn—making sure none of the construction materials were stolen.
Gavin had been so busy overseeing the construction, he’d only allocated a twenty-minute morning meeting with Memphis each day to discuss the day’s activities. It was an arrangement that had worked, Gavin feeling that he was able to maintain his distance from The Last Riders, and Memphis being the one to update Viper. The fact he’d castigated himself by leaving the club worked to Memphis’s advantage—not only to line his pockets but to destroy the future of the club and its members.
Making his way across the front of the church, he froze in place when he heard movement from the back. Safeguarding his presence, he walked along the back of the pulpit, his feet silent as he moved to the side door where the choir usually sang.
As he was slipping through the door, he heard someone coming down the aisle. Going into the office, he closed the door behind him, frustrated that Lucky wasn’t there. He hadn’t wanted to use his cell phone, and he certainly didn’t want to be seen in the church, not wanting anyone to make a connection between him and Pastor Dean. He had been able to keep his connection to Pastor Dean a secret, and the last thing he wanted was to be caught and blow his cover. Only the original members of The Last Riders knew that Pastor Dean was actually Lucky, and Gavin wanted to keep it that way.
Deciding to call Lucky, he had just taken his phone out when he suddenly and explicably wanted to open the door. His senses went on alert. Every bone in his body called out to him to expose what was on the other side.
Wanting to know who it was, he reached for the doorknob, started to twist it, when he heard a scream on the other side, followed by sharp voice.