Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Jenny turns to me, takes my hand before drawing me in for a tight hug, then pulling back again. Her pale green gaze searches my face. “I’m so sorry she was hurt. And so glad she’s okay.” A sudden little smile curves her lips. “And Anna says some congratulations are in order, too.”
Throat feeling rough, I nod. “I was so damn sorry to hear about Red,” I tell her, since I haven’t seen her since it happened. “Your dad was one of the best men I’ve ever known. You all right?”
Her smile wobbles a bit, but she nods. “I’m doing okay. And…we’ve brought you a present.”
We. Not her and Anna. Her and Saxon. The prez is standing over by Gunner, obviously waiting for me to finish up talking to Jenny. I head over there, the prez watching me come with steel in his eyes.
“I don’t like this shit,” he tells me with a muscle working in his jaw. “These fucking feds dragging you into this like you owe them a favor. That’s some goddamn bullshit. They want her as a witness, so they’d have done all this for her regardless—and instead they pulled you in, too. So if you want out, you say the word. We’ll get you and your woman out. And we’ll hunt down this fucker Papa with you.”
Chest feeling real swollen, I shake my head. “If it was just bringing down Papa, maybe. But they’re going after the whole fucking Cage, all the owners. That’s a whole lotta resources they’ll be pulling in…and I’d rather spend the government’s time and money and blood than my brothers’.” My voice thickens real deep. “What I need from you is to keep my woman safe.”
Jaw clenched, he nods. “We will, brother. And I swear to you—we won’t fuck up again. They’ll have to go through every goddamn brother to touch her.”
I know it. And if I didn’t believe it, didn’t trust it, I wouldn’t be leaving her tomorrow. Or ever.
Throat burning, I nod.
“And we’ve got something else for you,” he says gruffly. “You might say it’s a present from Blowback. Because he heard they found a whole bunch of shit in the holes out behind those barns.”
I frown. “The graves?”
“Yeah.” He turns to Gunner, who hands him a folded leather bundle. “And apparently Creek gave him some shit about tampering with evidence, but Blowback must have had something Creek wanted real bad, because he traded for this.”
My kutte. That burning in my throat turns into a big fucking lump when I see the vest I’ve worn since patching in. The vest that’s been like a second skin to me ever since.
“Turn around, brother,” Saxon tells me.
So the Hellfire Riders’ president can put it back where it belongs. The familiar weight settles on my shoulders. Straight out of a grave. Worn by a man who was all but dead not too long ago. And I sure as fuck can’t leave Maxine yet. I’ll have to wait until she wakes up again, show her this. Let her see the man who’ll be coming back to her. Let her see the man who’ll be destroying every fucker who ever hurt her.
“All right, then.” Saxon turns me back to face him, gives me a once-over. “Looks real good.”
Fuck yeah, it does. Looks real fucking good. I’m a sexy motherfucking beast in these colors, and Maxine’s going to cream her little hospital gown when she sees me. Just picturing it makes me grin like a jackass, and Saxon gives a short laugh before regarding me seriously again.
“You need anything…you just say the fucking word,” he tells me.
I just need to get this done. Then get back to the club.
And back to Maxine.
V
The Club
42
January
I hope this works! Gunner says he’s been leaving messages this way to tell you how I’m doing. So you probably already know that I’m at your mom and dad’s house…as you can probably also see from the room behind me. They put me in their bedroom for now, because walking up the stairs was… Well, it didn’t happen. Oh, and Daisy says hi! She loves your videos. I do, too, honestly. The way you say ‘good girl’ makes me all tingly.
Oh, wait. Should I say that I’m tingly while I’m in your parents’ bed? That’s either really weird or really hot. So…yeah.
Anyway! You probably know about the interviews I already did with Creek, and the sketches they made from my description of Papa. I can’t think of anything I left out…but if I do think of anything, I’ll let you know. I hope you’re safe. Gunner tells me not to worry, that you’re one tough motherfucker, and I know that. But I miss you. And… Oh shit, I’m not going to cry. I swore to myself I wouldn’t cry in these videos. So I’m going to stop now, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.