Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
I made my way to my trunk, pulling out my civilian duffel, my military bag, and my rifle case. Data grabbed my duffels and took them inside. He knew better than to touch my rifle, everyone did. That was mine.
As I turned to follow, my father’s voice cut through the air like a rusted blade.
“Kai.”
I stopped, eyes locking onto his. Neutral expression, no weakness, no emotion.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, awkward and out of place.
I didn’t respond, just nodded and kept walking. Let him squirm.
Inside, my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. The clubhouse had cleaned up well. Gone were the sticky floors and seedy corners crawling with bacteria yet to be discovered by modern science. The men here seemed more disciplined, the space more structured. Still, it wasn’t my world.
Duke’s voice pulled me back. “We’re headed this way.” He nodded toward the hallway leading to the MC’s core, the armory, Church, offices.
“I’m not locking it up.” I gestured to my rifle.
Duke smirked. “We’re going straight to Church, Kai.”
As the people in the room shifted, heading in the same direction as us, I fell in line behind him and Preacher. The unfamiliar Knight from outside kept pace beside me, but I didn’t spare him a glance. I wasn’t here to make friends.
I was here to get the job done. And then? I was gone.
I heard the shift in the room behind me—boots scuffing against the floor, the low murmur of voices as the rest of the group moved in our direction. The air felt heavier, charged with a mix of curiosity and tension. Without hesitation, I fell in line behind Preacher and Duke, my steps steady, my mind already calculating the next few moves.
Beside me, the guy kept pace, his presence a silent but undeniable weight. I didn’t need to glance his way to know he was watching me, assessing, trying to figure out where I fit in the dynamic of this club.
Too bad for him, or maybe lucky for him, I wasn’t looking to fit in.
Names didn’t matter because all their faces blurred together. This wasn’t a reunion, and I wasn’t here to make friends. I was here for one reason only, and once the job was done, I’d be out of here as fast as I’d rolled in.
So, whoever he was, whatever silent questions he had circling in his head, I didn’t give a shit. He wasn’t my problem. None of them were.
“Jagger,” his deep voice suddenly murmured beside me, sounding rich and smooth like aged whiskey. The name rolled off his tongue with quiet confidence, and finally, I turned to take him in. The dim hallway lighting did him no favors, but even in the shadows, I could tell he was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried himself with an easy assurance that spoke of experience. Dark hair framed a strong face, and though I couldn’t make out much more, something about him held my attention for a beat longer than I intended.
I gave him a brief nod, acknowledging the introduction, before turning back and stepping into the room. The vast table in the center dominated the space, a battlefield for discussions far deadlier than most people could imagine. Sliding into a chair next to Data, I set my rifle case carefully on the floor, my ribs reminding me with a sharp throb that I wasn’t at one hundred percent.
When I looked up again, the lighting in the room gave me a proper view of Jagger, and my breath caught. A fresh wave of pain radiated from my ribs at the involuntary inhale, but it wasn’t just the physical discomfort that made my stomach twist. He was hot in a way that wasn’t just attractive, it was dangerous. The kind of good looks that made him impossible to ignore, and the kind that got him exactly what he wanted. Short beard, tousled dark hair, and hazel eyes that were strikingly clear now that I could see them properly.
“You’re drooling,” Data snorted quietly beside me, fingers flying over his laptop keyboard as he pulled up files.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t bother denying it. Instead, I adjusted my seat, stretching out in a way that made me look relaxed, even if my body protested the movement. The rest of the Club and the Indigo team filtered in, claiming their places while Duke and Preacher positioned themselves at the front of the room.
As soon as the door shut, Preacher got straight to the point. “You know why we’re here,” he said, his tone heavy with the weight of the situation. His gaze swept the room, and before he could make eye contact with me, I looked down at the table, my fingers idly tracing the wood grain. I wasn’t interested in meeting his eyes, wasn’t interested in whatever thoughts were running through his head about me.