Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Bobby choked. “Armory? Seriously?”
MJ grinned. “Not that kind of armory. Basically, it’s all the cool prototype parts the guys can add to their beasts—-”
“Beasts?” Bobby was starting to feel that she and MJ were not talking in the same language.
“It’s what the guys call their bikes. Beasts – or more specifically, beasts on wheels.”
Bobby saw the unspoken curiosity in MJ’s pretty violet eyes. “I know. I don’t know much about racing club lingo, do I?”
MJ could only smile awkwardly.
“Leandro and I didn’t get to talk much about bikes then.” Actually, they hadn’t really talked much at all since most of the time, they had only...Bobby’s cheeks turned red as she realized the direction her stupid brain had taken.
Unfortunately, the other girl easily guessed what she had been thinking.
MJ blushed as well. “Oh.”
Bobby hastily changed the subject. “So, any areas here that are off-limits to me since I’m a non-member?”
MJ was visibly surprised. “But you are a member.”
It was Bobby’s turn to be surprised. “I am?”
“You became one when you and Leandro were a couple and even though you broke up, Leandro made it very clear to the club that you retained your membership.”
“I don’t think I got my ID,” Bobby quipped even though inside she was starting to feel restless. She didn’t like knowing all these things about Leandro, and she didn’t like remembering what she used to do with him either.
MJ explained earnestly, “You see, it’s all about being a family. I think...it was his way of protecting you while he couldn’t do it on his own.”
Bobby didn’t answer. She was too busy remembering the countless instances when club members had suddenly shown up and kept her company while she was out alone and struggling with depression. Most times it had been Kellion, but even the quiet Yuri had kept her company once, and there were times when she found herself sharing breakfast in the diner near her school with Helios himself.
When Bobby still didn’t speak, MJ said slowly, “I won’t pretend to know what really happened between the two of you, but that night when you broke up, he came here and...” Unable to find the right words to tell Bobby about what she had seen, MJ switched her camera on and quickly began swiping at the photos on the screen until she found the image she was looking for.
“Here...”
Bobby reluctantly took the camera from MJ, feeling like she had just been offered a forbidden fruit. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the photo on the screen.
It was Leandro, standing on the old club’s balcony. He hadn’t changed, still in his dirty shirt and jeans – the same clothes he had been wearing when he barged in on her dinner with her half-brother. He looked beautiful in the photo like he always did, but MJ had also captured something else on his face.
Grief.
Loss of the most excruciating kind was etched on the handsome planes of his face, and Bobby had to bite hard on her lip to keep it from trembling. She didn’t want to see this, didn’t want to start hoping again and think that maybe Leandro Christopoulos had loved her after all.
She returned the camera to MJ. “I don’t want to see any of his photos again.” Her voice came out harsher than she intended, and Bobby grimaced. “Sorry, I—-”
“It’s okay, I understand,” MJ reassured the other girl quickly. “I respect your wishes.”
Bobby made a frustrated sound. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’m just...I just don’t want to have anything to do with him again. If the kids in the foundation weren’t so excited about this project, I would’ve canceled it. But they want this so...”
MJ impulsively reached out to squeeze Bobby’s hand. “I really understand, Bobby. There’s no need to apologize.”
Bobby managed a smile. “I know you meant well. But it’s just not—-” She stopped, the sound of the conference hall’s doors opening. Both she and MJ turned towards the sound just in time to see the club members file out one by one. Leandro was one of the last to come out, and he was talking to a girl wearing a tight leather dress and boots.
Bobby’s smile vanished completely as the other girl murmured something with a laugh and reached out to caress Leandro’s face.
Her heart went cold at the sight.
Some things never changed.
Leandro Christopoulos was still not a man to be trusted, and Bobby was still too naïve when it came to him.
Just then, Leandro looked up, his eyes unerringly finding her. Bobby quickly looked away, fumbling for her phone so she could once again call whoever to look busy, but it was too late. By the time she fished her iPhone out, Leandro was already standing across her.
“Hello, mégaira.” She looked unbelievably pretty...and hot. Leandro frowned, not liking the way her loose floral blouse, tucked into a too-tiny pair of denim shorts, had several buttons free. She was showing too much skin, and he hated it.