Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
I looked up at her. Her gaze was steady on me, and I knew I was going to have to say something. Taking a deep breath, I pushed back from Rocket. I was afraid he wouldn’t let me go but, surprisingly, he did. Which made me want to cry all the harder. I wanted him to force the issue. Like he had back at that fucking shack. I wanted him to want to hold me and never let me go. To protect me even though I didn’t need it.
Only… maybe I did need his protection.
“No.” I straightened, not bothering to swipe at my tears. Leaving them was bad, but acknowledging them was worse. “Build their suspense. I need a bit of time to ice my face and take a Tylenol, then I’ll be down.”
Venus nodded her head and gave me a small half grin. “Is there anything you need from me while you take care of personal business?”
I started to say no, then thought better of it. “Yeah. Have Falcon take you to Gina. She’s had a hard go of it. Though she’s doing better, I like to check on her in the afternoon. Just to make sure she’s good, but I don’t think she needs to see me with my face all bruised and swollen. Might scare her worse than she already is. Would you be wiling to do that for me?”
“Absolutely.”
“She’s still a little nervous around the guys, though she’s getting better. I think she likes Falcon. It’s why he needs to be the one to take you to her.” Talking about mundane, routine things helped settle me, though I knew my voice still shook with emotion. I tried to project the calm Rocket often did in the face of chaos. But, like had been said about me, I was chaos embodied. How did one project calm when one was anything but by nature?
“Good. Also, thank you for letting me know about threat to Bane. Thorn found guy lurking around fence to compound. They have him locked away until you or Rocket are ready to send someone after him.” I didn’t miss how she put me in a position of authority the same as Rocket. It helped me keep what little control I’d managed to grasp. When this was all over, I owed Venus more than I could ever repay.
“Knox. Take Bear and Leather with you. Go get that bastard and bring him back.” I gave the order with confidence, not once looking at Rocket. He had his hand resting on my shoulder and, though I thought maybe I should shrug him off, the connection felt too good.
“All over that shit,” Knox growled. Then he asked the strangest question. “He the one who bruised up your face, Lemon?”
I just looked at the man. Knox was pissed. Nearly as pissed as Rocket looked. “No. I think he hit me outside Tito’s, but it was Pinhead who hit me the most.” I waved it off, trying to get my bravado back when all I wanted to do was break down and have a good cry. “I got him back, though.”
“Pinhead?” Knox looked from me to Venus in confusion.
“Yeah. Like in the movie,” I supplied.
Venus shrugged. “His face was covered in piercings.” She grinned, lifting her chin and looking for all the world like she was a proud mother. “Emphasis on was.”
“Was.” Knox gave her a blank look.
“Where do you think all that blood came from?” She gestured to me. “There might be a few left in his face but not many. She’ll be starting on other body parts when she’s had chance to rest.” Venus’s gaze roamed around the room until she landed on the few remaining club whores. “Torture is nasty business. Hard work. Makes woman… thirsty.” She shrugged. “Usually for more blood. My suggestion would be to keep hands off what does not belong to you. Lemon appears to have… vicious streak.” Then her gaze landed on Piston. “As do I. And it appears this one has decided to claim me.” She raised an eyebrow at Piston. “Unless he changed his mind?”
“Nope.” Piston’s expression didn’t change. The two didn’t go to each other or do anything else. It seemed like a quiet understanding passed between them. I knew this meant the next few days to come would be interesting and normally I’d be gleeful. But just now, I was desperate to get back to mine and Rocket’s room, because I had reached the end of my endurance.
“Good,” I said, clearing my throat and turning toward the back of the room. “Carry on. I’ll be down in an hour or so.”
“Tomorrow.” Rocket’s voice was close behind me. Before I’d made three steps, he scooped me up and hurried down the hall and up the stairs with me in his arms. “She’ll be down tomorrow. No more torture until she gives the word. Let the fuckers stew.”