Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 42685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 213(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 213(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
I shook my head. “Never,” I rasped.
He pressed a hard kiss to the top of my head before releasing me.
CHAPTER 13
April
Ijerked awake, my heart in my throat but beating so fast, I could hardly breathe. Smokey sat up with me and tightly wrapped his arms around me, pressing his hand over my mouth when I got ready to ask what the noise was that woke me up. “Shh,” he whispered in my ear. I nodded, my skin growing clammy as my anxiety spiked.
Smokey had already heard it—whatever it was. That much was clear.
The banging on the clubhouse doors, which was apparently what woke me up, started up again, and I jumped in Smokey’s arms. He squeezed me to him with one arm, his other arm resting on my thigh. Something cool pressed to my skin, and when I glanced down, I saw the gun in his hand. My muscles relaxed.
I was safe. None of these men would let anything happen to me.
The banging stopped, and I heard one of the doors swing open. “Who the fuck are you?” Capone snarled at whoever was making all the racket.
“P-please,” a woman stuttered. She sounded like she was crying, and my suspicions were confirmed when she sobbed and hiccupped. “I need help,” she pleaded.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I heard Tank snarl from right outside of our bedroom door. I snapped my eyes to him. I hadn’t even seen him move to stand there, but there he was, all huge muscles blocking the doorway. I could see part of an assault rifle held in his hands as he looked down the hall toward the clubhouse entrance.
These men did not take my safety lightly nor the safety of each other. I could probably place money on Tank not being the only man guarding this room.
“Easy,” Smokey rumbled, drawing my attention back to him. “He’s protecting us. We’re safe.”
“Tank?” Capone barked. “Your call, babe.”
Tank glanced at us. I knew he was wanting my opinion, but I didn’t know what the right decision was to make in this situation. It was the middle of the night, and we knew nothing about her. And while I knew I’d shown up just as this woman had, I was nervous about letting in an outsider.
I understood how my men felt back then. They were trying to protect each other. And now, I wanted to protect them.
Besides, my gut was telling me something was wrong, and it rarely ever let me down. I didn’t know if this woman was the problem or if whatever was chasing her was the issue, but something was off.
I swallowed thickly, refusing to give a yes or a no. I wouldn’t be the reason a woman might get sent away, but something about this didn’t feel right to me. It felt like there was danger lurking just around the corner. It made me feel cold, and goosebumps crawled over my flesh.
“She may need real help,” Smokey told him quietly, speaking up when I wouldn’t. “I’ll stick by April. She’ll be safe.”
Tank nodded once before looking back toward the clubhouse doors. “Let her in!” he called to Capone.
Tank stayed standing in our doorway, refusing to move. “Come on,” I heard Capone tell her. “Hawke, get her at that table.” I relaxed, knowing he had Hawke with him. Hawke was a force to be reckoned with when it came to any of us, even someone as big and invincible-looking as Tank. He would make sure Capone was safe. “What injuries do you have?”
“Just this cut on my arm, some bruising, and I think my nose is broken.” She hiccupped again. I squeezed my eyes shut, pushing those horrible memories away. Memories of when my own ex had beaten the shit out of me—almost killing me. I’d barely made it back to this clubhouse. I’d felt like I was dying, and I didn’t want my last breaths to be in a hospital. I wanted to be somewhere I knew I’d be safe.
Smokey nuzzled into my neck, sensing my distress. “Stay with me,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the shell of my ear.
I drew in a deep breath, nodding at him. “I’m still here,” I promised.
Tank glanced at us before looking back toward the main room of the clubhouse where we sat around, chilled out, and ate our meals. “Why did you come here instead of the hospital?” Capone demanded to know. I heard Hawke popping open a first-aid kit. Capone had asked me something similar the first time I’d shown up needing help. I’d told him hospitals asked too many questions.
Capone had sent me away, only for me to return on the verge of death. I knew that guilt still resided within him. It was probably the only reason he’d allowed Tank to make the call instead of sending this woman on her way much as he’d done me.