Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“There’s not really anything to do for it if it is broken anyway, right?” I asked.
“I mean, I know a few men who just… yank that thing back into place,” she said, shuddering a bit. “But not really. Splinting it. Ice. Over-the-counter pain meds. You’re starting to get a decent shiner, too, though,” she told me.
“I think I’ll skip the splint,” I said, getting a nod from her as she turned her attention to my cheek. “Alright, we have a couple choices for this,” she said, pressing the skin on either side of the cut. “I can put some butterfly stitches on. Or I can do some skin glue. You don’t need real stitches.”
“I guess the glue,” I decided. I hadn’t seen it myself, so I had no idea how bad it looked. But judging by the long strip of liquid bandage she put on me, it was pretty big.
“Alright. That should cover it,” she said, taking her tray over to dispose of the bloodied gauze. “You can pull that gauze out of your nose in a few minutes. I would definitely get some ice going sometime tonight,” she told me.
“I will,” I told her, my stomach twisting in knots that this was over so fast, that I had to go back to my building now. Without the kid to protect me, solve this problem.
Amarantha made her way to the door, but turned suddenly back.
“Hey, Jade?” she called, sounding conflicted.
“Yes?” I asked as I got up off of the table.
“I probably shouldn’t be saying this,” she said, gaze sliding to my nose and cheek before making eye contact. “But… go see Levee, okay?”
With that, she was gone.
I leaned back against the exam table, realizing that Ama was Amarantha. The doctor that Levee talked about. The girl he’d grown up with. Who eventually married her best friend, Seeley.
She’d clearly heard enough about me to recognize me and my name. And my file that listed my address was probably a big tip-off too.
I knew what she meant, of course. That I should go to Levee, tell him what happened, let him be the big, strong man and protect me.
Suddenly, I didn’t want that.
I didn’t want to talk about it.
I didn’t want to even think about it.
I wanted to get away.
I wanted a distraction.
I reached for my phone to text Levee before I even left the exam room.
And by the time I was back in my car, I had an address to drive to.
If I was going to escape for a while, doing it with Levee seemed the best possible choice.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jade
The biker clubhouse was very… normal.
Sure, there was a big fence, an oversized driveway full of motorcycles, cars, and one really fancy sports car.
But other than that, it was just, you know, a house.
A big one, sure, but a house nonetheless. There were even flowers in beds out front that had been lovingly cared for. Including some massive red, pink, and yellow hibiscus flowers.
I pulled in and parked, drawing in a steadying breath, knowing I was going to be lying to the face of a man I was really starting to like, and hating everything about that. Just not enough to delve into the truth.
I could tell by the look on his face that he didn’t believe my lie, but he was gracious enough to let me have it, to invite me into his world, into his life without an issue.
And, well, it was exactly what I needed.
His club brothers and the girls all also avoided bringing up my face and just let me have fun with them.
Between the tequila, the conversation, the pool games, the food, and the sex, I could almost forget anything had even happened to me.
As the tequila wore off later that night, though, the pain was really starting to come back. It was a little duller than when it had been fresh, but it was a constant reminder of why I was with Levee.
Not just to enjoy time with a man I cared for. But to get away from my life.
I’d snuck out of bed at the crack of dawn after fitful, restless sleep.
Levee was still out cold, his arm falling lazily off of me as I slid away.
I’d fallen into bed still wearing the yellow bikini from the night before, so I stole one of Levee’s shirts to slip over the bathing suit, then made my way downstairs.
There were the low sounds of TVs or music on in the other bedrooms, but the house was otherwise quiet.
“Fuck you, Benny,” Mackie grumbled at me as he plucked at the bars of his cage.
“Good morning to you too, Mackie,” I said as I moved over to his cage. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to do this, but you look unhappy,” I said, pushing the unlock button, then pulling the door open.