Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
I knew what it meant to lose yourself in music, to find freedom in melody when life offered none. Never had I seen someone so completely transformed as I witnessed with Eliza now. Watching her, I felt as though I was seeing the real Eliza for the first time, beyond the protective walls she’d built around herself and her daughter.
Everyone cheered and clapped, the kids jumping up and down while I’d noticed several of the brothers and their women dancing. Actually fucking dancing! The guys whistled while the women whooped along with the kids.
Lily broke free from Lavender’s lap, running to her mother with obvious pride. “That’s my mommy!” she announced to everyone within earshot. “I told you she sings pretty!”
As the applause continued, Lily’s gaze swept the room and landed on me, still standing half-hidden near the supply closet. Her face lit up with recognition and she pointed in my direction, waving her good arm enthusiastically.
“Cash!” she called out, her voice carrying above the crowd. “Did you hear my mommy sing?”
Heads turned in my direction, including Eliza’s. Her eyes widened when she spotted me, something unreadable flashing across her face. For a moment, our gazes locked across the room, and I felt an almost physical pull toward her.
But this wasn’t my place. This moment of triumph belonged to her and Lily, to the community they were building here. Before Lily could make her way through the crowd toward me, I stepped back through the supply room door and out the back entrance, into the warm evening air.
The sound of renewed music and laughter followed me across the compound as I headed back to my bike. Her voice echoed in my mind, stirring memories of smoke-filled bars and dreams I’d thought long buried. I’d come to Haven tonight to check they were settling in, to assure myself my help was no longer needed. Instead, I’d discovered another piece of the puzzle that was Eliza Jans, another reason to stay away before I became more invested than I already was.
Yet even as I cranked my bike to life, I knew I was fighting a losing battle. Something about the mother and daughter had gotten under my skin, and no amount of distance would change how I felt now.
Chapter Eight
Cash
I nursed my coffee at the bar, watching Mike set up the karaoke equipment on the small stage at the back of Throttle. The regular Friday night crowd packed the place, leather cuts mingling with tank tops and faded jeans, the air thick with cigarette smoke and the familiar scent of spilled beer. Knuckles and his brothers occupied their usual corner booth, their laughter occasionally rising above the rumble of conversation and the steady thump of classic rock from the jukebox. I hadn’t planned on being here tonight, but something kept pulling me back to places where I might catch a glimpse of Eliza.
I could admit, to myself at least, to being completely charmed by Lily, but more than a little obsessed with Eliza. Thankfully, the old ladies had surrounded her and Eliza with love and the pair had formed fast friendships, especially with the mothers in the club. Tonight, Eliza had agreed to let Lily stay with Penny and Tiny. Brynn and Kira and Zelda would also be with her. The older girls had surrounded Lily with their protection and made it their mission to put themselves between her and anything that might hurt her, and I could see the care they took in keeping their young friend safe.
The door swung open, letting in a brief rush of warm night air before it closed again. My heart skipped when I saw her standing between Hannah and Knight’s sister Ada, her eyes wide as she took in the room. Eliza looked different outside of Haven, away from the hospital. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face instead of pulled back in her usual practical ponytail. She wore dark jeans and a deep blue top, transforming her from the exhausted, worried mother I knew into someone new.
I’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Not only did she have curves in all the right places, but she was a fierce protector and advocate for her daughter. Lily clearly adored her mother, and Eliza proved herself time and time again in the careful balance she managed between letting Lily be a normal, rambunctious six-year-old and protecting her from injuries. She picked her battles carefully and used redirection liberally rather than telling the child “no” all the time. Not only did Eliza make an excellent mother, she would be a fierce old lady. I could see her alongside Lavender and Pippa and all the other old ladies protecting the children in the compound. Which meant my fate was fucking sealed because I wanted Eliza to be mine. I took another pull of my coffee. If ever a time called for beer -- or something stronger -- it was now.