Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“You sure about that? We need to know so we can prepare for it.”
“I know he’s dead because I killed him.” I stuck my chin up, finally meeting his gaze and holding it. There weren’t many things in my life I was proud of, but this was one of them. Our father had sold us out. Allowed us to be raped and used in unspeakable ways. I hadn’t been able to do it by myself, but I’d struck the killing blow and had reveled in it.
Roman raised an eyebrow. “You?”
“You don’t think I could?” I dared him to say I couldn’t.
He shrugged. “Don’t know you that well, girl, but you don’t look like the type.”
“What type would that be?”
“The killin’ type.”
“Well, I did. Ask El Diablo or Rycks if you don’t believe me. I cut that bastard like they cut me, then I stabbed him in the neck.”
“I see.”
“They were interrogating him and our stepmom. Cain was. At Bones. But I hid a knife and brought it with me when they let us tell our story. I cut him. Then stabbed him. He might have been tied up, but I still did it myself.”
He grunted, taking his gaze from the mirror and continuing on. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but I wasn’t about to gloss over that part of my life. It might have been years ago, but I got the only revenge I could. That part of my life still haunted me, but I refused to let it master me. It was why Serelda and I were here. To take back our lives in a place where no one had any preconceived notions about what we were able to handle. There was no way to conceal our past, but we could control the narrative. No one got to see how broken we were. We were strong.
Well, I was. Serelda tried, but she’d been withdrawn most of her adult life. Sometimes she came out of her shell, but it never lasted long. And she was never able to form attachments other than me. I hoped a complete change of scenery would give her the strength she needed to reinvent herself. If not, I’d call Lyric or Darcy and have Rycks come get us. Darcy was our stepsister and was married to a guy at Bones MC. We’d formed a bond of sorts over the years. Though Bones was still several hours away, it was far closer than Black Reign. Lyric was Rycks’s woman. If we called both women, Darcy could get us away quickly and provide a safe place until Rycks came for us. At least, that was the plan.
“How old’re you, girl?”
“I’m not a girl.” I tried to put all the bravado and fierceness I could into my declaration. The last thing I wanted this man -- or his club -- to see was me and Serelda as two weak girls in need of protection. We weren’t damsels in distress. Not anymore. “I’m thirty-five.”
“How long you been at Black Reign?”
“Thirteen years.”
“You go there after?” He didn’t specify after what.
“Yes. El Segador and Rycks brought us back. It was the only place we felt safe.”
“Why now?”
“Why what now?” I played dumb. Talking about this was more difficult than I’d thought, but I knew change would have to happen. At least, it was if we wanted to give this a shot.
He gave me an irritated look, and I sighed. “Look. It was just time. OK? We had time to study you while your club was there helping find Iris’s sister. We decided this was the best chance we’d ever have to leave.”
“You sayin’ you didn’t like it at Black Reign?”
“Not at all.” I shook my head. “They were wonderful. They took us in when they didn’t have to, but it’s past time for us to get on with our lives. After watching all of you, we decided you were like Black Reign. And Bones. And Salvation’s Bane. You might skirt the law from time to time, but you’re good people. We want a chance to live a life without people pitying us.”
“I see your scars.” He looked in the rearview mirror again. “Your sister seems to have more on her face than you do.” He sounded matter-of-fact. He could have been discussing the weather for all the emotion he put into his observations. “I take it she took the brunt of the abuse?”
“She tried to protect me.” It was all he was getting, so I hoped he would drop it.
“We protected each other.” Serelda spoke softly, but she raised her head to meet Roman’s gaze in the mirror. “It was how we survived.”
“Who sold you out, Winter?” I knew that question was coming. It had been so long, and I tried not to think about it. I’d known going into this we’d have to relive our past to some degree. Didn’t make it any easier.