Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I poke my head inside. Rock, Wrath, and Z are at the table. Rock and Wrath are in their usual places. Z’s sitting in Teller’s spot.
Z notices me first and flashes a big, dimpled grin. “Look who it is!”
Rock lifts his hand, motioning for me to come in.
I pull out the chair next to Wrath and take a seat. “Looks like we have another baby King.”
Z grins. “He’s a cute little shit, right?”
“I don’t know about cute. He looks as grumpy as his father,” Wrath adds with a hard laugh.
Rock shakes his head. “We were talking about what we can do to help Grinder out.”
“I’ve already been trying to ease him into his position slow,” Z says, all serious now. “Things are quiet down there anyway.”
“Why’d you have to say that and jinx us?” Wrath snarls. “Now all hell will break loose.”
Z rolls his eyes, then taps his knuckles against the hardwood table. “Better now?”
“When your clubhouse gets raided again, I’m going to remind you of this,” Wrath warns.
Rock blows out a heavy, irritated sigh.
“What have you come up with so far?” I ask to move them along.
Rock chuckles. “Hope’s bought enough clothes for ten baby boys.”
“Is she trying to tell you she wants another baby?” Z asks.
Rock slices a cool look Z’s way. “No.”
Wrath snorts and rolls his eyes. “You’ve got babies on the brain more than any chick I’ve ever heard of.”
“Whatever.” Z flicks away the comment with a middle finger aimed at Wrath. “Lilly and Trinity cooked a bunch of meals for them and stocked their freezer. I hired someone to come over and clean that giant house for the next couple of months. Although, I have a feeling Grinder’s going to fight me on that one.”
“He doesn’t like strangers in his space,” Wrath agrees.
“I would’ve asked a couple club girls to do it, but I didn’t think Serena would like them roaming through her house.” Z scowls at Wrath. “This is a bonded, professional company. Not bums off the street.”
Wrath holds up his hands in an unusual sign of surrender. “I’m with you, brother. Just sayin’ be prepared for G to give you a hard time.”
“Tough shit if he doesn’t like it,” Z says.
“He might bristle, but he’ll appreciate the gesture,” Rock assures Z.
“Sounds like you’ve covered everything,” I say.
Rock holds up a finger to indicate he’s not finished. “One last thing. Let’s at least pretend to try to respect their privacy.”
Z scratches the side of his head. “What’s that?”
“Give them a call before showing up at their house.” Rock slices a look at Z since that’s who this warning is really for. “Stuff like that.”
I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.
“All right.” Wrath slaps his palm on the table. “You know where I’ll be if you need me.”
He and Z leave but end up right outside the war room.
“Well, at least I tried.” Rock shrugs. “If Grinder shoots Z for showing up unannounced, my conscience is clear.”
I snort with laughter. “Doubt it’ll come to that. While we’re here, I need to talk to you.”
“Is this a closed-door discussion?”
I glance at the open war room door. Wrath and Z are still talking to each other but not paying attention to us.
“No, we’re fine.”
Rock stands and braces his hands against the back of his chair. “What’s on your mind?”
I take a long, slow breath, hating that I’m about to piss off my president and ruin his afternoon. “Inga stopped by CB yesterday.”
Rock’s entire body stills. He doesn’t explode and start yelling. In all the years I’ve known him, though, his deadly silence has always somehow seemed more dangerous.
I wait and don’t say another word, to see where he lands.
He closes his eyes and curls his fingers around the back of his chair until his knuckles turn white.
“And what did she want?” he spits out between clenched teeth.
“What else? To dance at the club again.”
Laughter, harsh and menacing, explodes out of him. Jesus Christ, I don’t want to be responsible for making Rock snap and go on a murder spree.
I cast a glance over my shoulder. Wrath’s now watching us with narrowed eyes.
“That’s priceless,” Rock finally says. “Of course she does. Sure. Why not? I guess she forgot about suing all of us?”
“You could say that.” I still can’t believe this part. “She didn’t seem to understand why the club was pissed at her.”
“I’m sure she didn’t,” Rock sneers. “Well?”
He can’t seriously think I’d let Inga step foot inside Crystal Ball after what she did? “I told her no fucking way in hell and that I didn’t want to see her face again. None of us do.”
“Good.” He nods and releases the chair, standing straight. “Jesus Christ.” He scrubs his hands over his face. “She’s like a blood-sucking mosquito that keeps dodging the swatter.”
I snort with laughter. “She kinda looks like a mosquito, to be honest. Even if she didn’t have such bad history with the club, she wouldn’t be hirable.”