Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Unease gusted, blistered and blew through the scorched wasteland of who I’d been. Where my soul had gone dry.
My hands fisted. “I’m not sure who you think you are, Darius…” I bit out his name through clenched teeth. “But I’d suggest you watch what you say. Took a chance on you. Don’t make me regret it.”
I wasn’t one to fly off the handle. Had learned to play it cool. To keep the old demon that thrashed inside chained.
But this?
I was half inclined to toss him from my shop. The other part knew we both were overreacting. He was only doing what he thought was right.
Standing up for his sister before she got herself hurt.
I mean, fuck, could I blame him?
I took a step back, trying to put some space between us. Wasn’t like a thing had gone down between his sister and me, anyway, so every bit of this was misplaced.
Darius winced, finally catching up to the fact that he was out of line. He scrubbed a palm over his face, and he dropped his gaze to the ground. “I’m sorry, Sir.” He might have been apologizing, but his voice was hard.
“She’s been hurt, and I’m not sure I could stand aside and watch it happen again,” he admitted low.
“Not necessary, man. Just…chill. All’s good. I got her to safety to ride out the storm. She slept in my guest room. It started and ended at that.”
Left out the part where I’d felt chained.
Spellbound.
Truth be told, if the girl had wanted one of those wild nights that caught you unaware? Nothing but pleasure without any of the aftermath? I’d have gladly peeled her out of those drenched clothes.
But that possibility had sailed the second I’d realized she was related to Darius. I sure as shit didn’t need that kind of complication. Think more than that, though, was the fact there was something about her that felt like more.
Pain lanced. A dull moan from that vacant space.
A knife in my chest where my heart had gone missing.
And in the middle of that void, there was no space for more. I forced a smile. “Are we good, man?”
Nodding, Darius lifted his gaze. “Yeah. Sorry. That was uncalled for. Get a little crazy when it comes to my family. Want you to know I appreciate this job. Need it, and I know you hired me when I wasn’t exactly qualified.”
I let a huff of a laugh leave my nose, and I reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it. Something is wrong with us if we don’t go a little crazy when it comes to protecting our family.”
Truth that family should mean everything.
“Just watch how you do it next time, yeah?” The warning dropped from my mouth as I backed away. I might get it, but I wasn’t about to take any shit, either.
I started to walk before I punted out the words, hard and direct, “And I’ve got her car covered. Gonna need her number. Text it to me before you leave.”
For a beat, he hesitated, clearly wanting to argue, but he finally dipped his head in surrender and turned around to get back to work, grumbling, “Whatever you say, boss.”
I spun around, only to catch Brock grinning like a smug prick from where he stood next to the engine he was rebuilding, asshole rocking his hips and wagging his brows.
Boob shots, he mouthed with an overexaggerated nod and a wink.
I roughed a hand over my face.
Fuck my life.
Ignoring him, I strode back to the bones of the bike I was slowly rebuilding. I cranked the music back up, pulled on my welding mask, and got lost in the work. Got lost in the feel of the metal beneath my hands.
The peace in it.
Guessed it reminded me I still had something to offer.
That the darkness could create beauty.
That the condemned could whisper grace.
That I had something good to show for my life.
A purpose.
Hours must have passed, I didn’t know, I was so lost in thought, sound banging through my ears and vibrating through my body, that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand landed on my shoulder. I ripped off my mask as I whipped around, ready to floor a motherfucker.
Old habits died hard.
I blew out the strained breath when I saw it was my youngest brother, Logan.
Asshole cracked up, stumbling backward and shouting over the music, “Bro, you jumped like fifteen feet in the air. If the whole restoration thing doesn’t pan out, think you have promise. Olympic hopeful.”
He lifted his hands out like he was catching a dream.
Fucker.
I tossed my mask to the table and wiped the sweat from my brow with my sleeve. “Yeah, and you’re lucky you’re not fifteen under. Don’t sneak up on a man like that unless you wanna get cut.”
Logan laughed like it wasn’t our reality.