Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
“Do what you have to. Maybe I don’t wanna be part of your fuckin’ club now. I mean, if you’re gonna be all up in my business -- or tryin’ to steal my woman.”
“That’s your choice. I suggest you talk to Brick. As vice president he’ll tell you this is standard. One of our women is sick or hurting, we check on her.”
“Well, good Goddamned thing she ain’t one of your women, now, ain’t it?”
I heard the door slam and I moved to the far side of the room away from the window. If he thought I was trying to slip out or spy on him he’d use that as his excuse to beat me. I’d learned to huddle in the farthest corner of the bedroom if I wanted to have a shot at an uneventful night.
Surprisingly, Hammer didn’t immediately come after me. With any luck, he was too busy worrying about what Mars would do to bother with me. Or he’d start drinking. I really didn’t want him to start drinking.
I’d never been lucky.
* * *
Scarlet
School the next day was uncomfortable as shit. Hammer hadn’t been drunk enough to make mistakes like he did the last time and mark my face. Oh, no. He knew better. Hammer might be many things, but stupid he wasn’t. He learned from his mistakes. The first thing he’d done when he entered my bedroom last night was to put my shoulder back in place. It had hurt worse going back in than it had coming out.
I avoided Apple and Lemon. Neither girl could do anything to help and there was every possibility I’d only get them hurt. Or worse. Anything Hammer could use to keep me under his control, he would. If that meant killing an innocent, I had no doubt he would. My dad kept everything he could about Grim Road from me, but I knew they were all killers. Every single one of them. They were casual about it. Secrets floated around that compound like ghosts and I knew more than my fair share.
I was about to leave the building and head to where Hammer always picked me up. He got angry if I wasn’t waiting on him, so I hurried as fast as I could. Which, given how sore I was and the fact that I was pretty sure I had a couple of broken ribs, wasn’t very fast.
“Scarlet!” I cringed. I’d chew my own arm off if that wasn’t Lemon. “Scarlet, wait!”
“I can’t, Lemon.” I glanced over my shoulder at her. The last thing I wanted was for Hammer to see me with Lemon again. I needed him to think I’d severed ties with her, or at least, for him to think we weren’t close. Which, I guess we weren’t. I hadn’t known her and Apple long. “I have to go.”
“We can help you, Scarlet.” Lemon grabbed hold of my left hand. I hadn’t missed that she was careful of my right arm. Had she known how badly I’d been hurt?
“No, Lemon. All you’ll do is get hurt. I need to go.”
“Stop.” Lemon hissed her command and tightened her grip on my hand. “Just… stop.”
I was getting desperate. I figured I only had a couple of minutes before Hammer pulled up at the school. I needed to get going. “I can’t. I have to go. He’ll get angry if…”
“I can’t help you if you keep going back to him, Scarlet. Come with me and Apple. Stitches can take care of any injuries you have, and the guys will protect you.”
It was almost more than I could take. One tear leaked from my eye, but I batted it away. “He’ll hurt everyone he can that I love if I leave. Starting with my sisters back in Florida.” Lemon sucked in a breath, her features hardening. She might be only seventeen, but Lemon was going to command all she surveyed. Soon. God help anyone who went against her when she grew into her attitude.
“The Tzars will protect your sisters. All you have to do is tell us where they are, and Wylde can make sure they’re safe.”
“Wylde isn’t your president.”
“No, but he’s the motherfucking tech guy. He’ll take out anyone in that fucking club of your father’s he has to, to keep you and your sisters safe. So will Sting and the rest of the guys, but Wylde can do it digitally. Nothing can be traced back to the club or you.”
I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face. “It’s not that simple.”
“Sure it is,” she persisted. “Come home with us. Let me and Apple take care of everything.”
I should have known Apple wasn’t far away from Lemon. As different as the twins’ personalities were, they were inseparable. Apple put her hand gently on my shoulder before giving me a worried look. “Lemon’s right, Scarlet. We can help you.”