Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
It was time to leave.
I didn’t want to take too many of the things the women had gotten for me. I needed underwear and a couple pairs of jeans and shorts, as well as three or four T-shirts. I picked out the best, most comfortable pair of shoes and three pairs of socks and stuffed everything in my backpack. It didn’t feel right taking off without at least finding Esther and thanking her and the other women. I dreaded it, though. I knew it would hurt the other woman’s feelings, and she’d likely do her best to get me to stay, but I couldn’t. I had written all their numbers down from the phone they’d given me, though I hadn’t taken the phone. I’d find a way to call them after I got back to Indiana. Then I’d send money to pay for the clothing I’d taken with me.
Swiping a tear from my cheek, I headed down the stairs and outside the main building. I’d taken the back way so I didn’t run into any of the women or the children. That was when I remembered Jerrica. I couldn’t leave that little girl without saying goodbye. It would break her heart. Might anyway.
This was going to suck.
* * *
Warlock
“You’re gonna have to make a fuckin’ decision, brother.” Wrath had hunted me down, pulling me into his office for a come-to-Jesus meeting. “I’m ready to move on getting your marriage annulled, but I have to have your signature. You won’t answer Shotgun, you won’t return the affidavit I gave you with your signature. I need to know what you want to do. Wasted enough fuckin’ time on this if you’re not participating.”
“I’ll sign the thing when I’m Goddamned good and ready.”
“You better get good and ready,” he snapped. “Or get your ass to figuring out how you’re gonna keep that girl.”
I narrowed my eyes. “That sounds suspiciously close to a threat. You’ve got a woman. You throwin’ her over?”
“Hell, no! Celeste is my whole entire world. As are Holly and Tabitha. Those girls are everything I could have ever wanted in my life, and I’ll guard them with my life.”
“Then what are you hinting at, Wrath?”
“More than one brother here has eyes on her. The only reason they haven’t moved yet is because they’re waiting for you to decide what you want to do. It’s more of a courtesy than they’d normally offer, but they’ve had the fear of El Diablo put into them. He’s built you up. How you’re such a badass and can help this club in ways most of them can’t conceive of.” He scowled at me. “We all know how you sacrificed your woman for your club. While El Diablo said you had little choice, most of us think you’ll chew Hope up and spit her out.”
“I’m aware of how fragile she is. More so than you.”
“You think?” Wrath tilted his head slightly. Obviously the man knew more than I thought. “Shotgun and Esther came through in spades. They dug up everything about that girl there was to know. They probably know more about her background than she does.” He scowled at me. “And you’re leading her on. Everyone knows you spend most of the night with her, yet you leave before she wakes. Anyone can see how that’s messing with her head. You’re hurting her, Warlock.” Wrath pointed a finger at me in a stabbing motion. “Make up your fuckin’ mind.”
“Fuck.” I scrubbed my hand over my face. “I don’t know what to fuckin’ do.”
“It’s not that hard, man. Either you take a chance on her or you don’t. She’s all in, brother. Anyone can see that.”
“Yeah, but she’s not in it for the right reasons.”
“How do you know? What makes you think that? She said she hates you or that she wants someone else?”
“Wrath, it’s not that simple. She’s nineteen years old with no real-world experience. I’m forty-nine. Thirty years I’ve got on her. She’s with me because she sees me as something stable in her life. What happens in five years when she realizes she’s shackled to an old man instead of someone closer to her age? She’s not gonna grow old with me. She’s gonna watch me age and die way before she does.”
“God. I never pegged you for such a pussy, Warlock.” Wrath chuckled as he shook his head. “Or a stupid-ass motherfucker.”
“I’m leaving.” I stood. I wasn’t sitting here and taking this from Wrath. “This is my life. Not yours.”
“Sit your ass down.” The disapproving growl came from behind me. I looked to see Samson, the vice president of Black Reign, enter and slam the door behind him. He looked livid. With a long-suffering sigh, I did as I was told. If I’d been in Samson’s position, I’d have busted my ass for the disrespect. Samson looked like he wanted to do that. “This is the only time we’re having this discussion, and I’m only doing it because Lottie made me.” That got a raised eyebrow from me. Which must have been more than the big man could take. Instantly, his fist shot out and connected with my jaw. “You ain’t president here, Warlock. Way you’re goin’, you ain’t gonna be here much longer. While you are here, though, you will show proper respect to the officers in this club.” Surprisingly, Samson didn’t look or sound all that angry. Well, he didn’t look or sound any angrier than he usually did. His default setting seemed to be surly-ass motherfucker. The only time I’d ever seen a different expression on his face was when his woman, Charlotte -- Lottie -- was with him.