Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry, but ew.”
Joanne laughed. “It’s fine.”
She had tried to set him up with Anne at the library, but Bear wasn’t budging on dating. He didn’t want to be with anyone and Anne still had her cheating ass of a husband, whom Robin had gotten to meet when he came to the library.
He was a good-looking man, but she didn’t see the appeal all the other women clearly did.
“We weren’t close, but we weren’t enemies either. I wish I had looked out for you more. You’ve never been a horrible person so when you got pregnant and then lost the baby, I was always sad for you. After the baby, you looked so lost, so miserable. I remember wanting to just give you a hug. Everything had returned to normal around you, but you, you were lost.”
Robin sighed. “I don’t remember any of it. I don’t know at times if not remembering it is even better than remembering it. It sounds so … horrible.”
“It was,” Joanne said. “It really was.”
She finished her beer. “I need to go use the bathroom.”
“I’m going to see if Bear wants any of my company tonight.” Joanne winked at her and Robin winced. This was the kind of information she really, really didn’t need to know. Her father getting action wasn’t on her list of priorities.
Getting to her feet, she put the empty bottle in the trash can on her way past, heading inside the main clubhouse.
It was so busy, and she saw the bathroom was full. She left the main room and headed up to the living quarters. She came to a stop outside of Bishop’s old room. She couldn’t remember if he had a bathroom in his room or if it was just Preacher’s room.
Putting her hand on the door, she paused, feeling a wave of sickness wash over her. She needed to use the bathroom, and being afraid of a room was pointless.
She pushed on the door, stepping inside.
The heavy scent of leather, dust, and something else. She stood frozen, looking around, and like flashes coming through her mind’s eye, Robin stopped.
Her life coming together as she remembered the argument in his room. Bishop sat getting head while she watched, not long after she lost the baby. Touching her stomach, she saw Preacher, smiling down at her as he made love to her. The anger in his eyes at Bishop. O’Klaren. The night she was taken. The rape. The beatings. The ink. The falling in love.
All of it. Past Robin and present Robin coming together to form herself again.
Tears filled her eyes with the memories. They had all been locked inside her, trying to get out and now that they were, she was scared. She swiped the tears as they fell down her cheeks.
Bishop’s room never had a bathroom. He was never allowed an en-suite.
Bishop. That traitorous, fucking bastard. Even without her memories, he’d been trying to hurt her.
Turning on her heel, she made her way downstairs. Just moments ago, the crowd had been too much, but now, it was like old times.
Opening the door, she looked around the room, focusing on each person. There were a couple of new faces, but she was searching for Preacher. He wasn’t there.
Pushing her way through the crowd, she made her way outside. Joanne sat on Bear’s lap. Preacher sat beside him, beer in hand, laughing at something one of the men had said.
Without thinking, she walked over to Preacher, straddled his lap, sank her fingers into his hair, and kissed him, hard, passionately, desperately, filled with hunger, shame, and guilt. For a long time, she’d craved this man’s touch, wanted him more than anyone else, but that was all mixed with another new feeling.
Pulling away, she looked into his eyes. People had grown silent around her.
“Robin?” Preacher asked.
That was right. The old Robin would never have gone up to her man, kissed him passionately in front of his club. She didn’t have the experience the new Robin did.
“Hello, Preacher,” she said. “Miss me?”
“What?” Bear said.
She turned her head, smiling at her dad. “Hey, Dad. So, you finally killed Mom. What did she do this time?”
“Your memories?” Preacher asked.
She got off Preacher’s lap. “They’re here. They’re all here.” She touched her head. “Every single one.” She licked her lips.
Today, she had seen Reaper. He’d been at the supermarket, and so had … their daughter. She couldn’t let her anger or fear ride over this.
Staring at the man she loved, she forced a smile to her lips.
“How did this happen?” Preacher asked, getting to his feet.
“Bishop’s room. I don’t know what it was about the room, but it clearly triggered whatever I needed because they’re all back. I remember everything. Milly, the baby, Bishop, O’Klaren, all of it. I remember being taken, and … I know what happened just before the car hit me.”