Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Shit hit the fan?” he asked.
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Just another day at the clubhouse then,” he said, shrugging, as the girls from out back moved inside. “We’re having a movie night,” he explained as the girls climbed up on the couches, leaving a space for him. “So, I’ll keep an ear and eye for Zoe while you’re gone.”
With that, they got busy with the movie, I grabbed the keys, then headed out back to the motel.
I drove around for a few, looking to see if I spotted that car again. But when I didn’t see anything suspicious, I pulled into the lot, popped the trunk, and made my way upstairs.
“Sorry to break it to you, hon, but she went out.” Brooke was sitting cross-legged in front of her partially cracked door. There was a chunky notebook sitting on her leg and ink marks on her finger from the pen she was tapping against the pad.
“She’s at the clubhouse with me, actually. She had a little… incident.”
“What kind of incident? Is she okay? Lainey?”
“Just barely. Look, it’s looking like the fucks who broke into her place are targeting her.”
“What? That’s crazy. Nothing else has happened around here, though.”
“But there’s been a suspicious car. Dark car, dark tint, idling in the lot.”
“Holy shit,” she said, eyes going round. “I did notice that!”
“They found her at the convenience store and chased her. She just barely got away. She didn’t know where to go.”
“Sure seems like she did, actually,” Brooke said, giving me a little smile. “Everyone here is just giving me so much material.”
I had no idea what that meant. And I didn’t want to waste time asking.
“Listen, I don’t think anyone else in the motel is going to be in danger now that she’s gone, but—”
“Oh, honey, don’t you worry about me. I inherited my good looks from my mama, but my love of cussing, fighting, and firearms from my daddy. Me and mine, we’re gonna be just fine.”
“I like you, Brooke,” I said, shooting her a smile.
“I like you too, sugar. Now, I know you’re taken by Zoe and Lainey now, but keep an ear out for men who like single moms and future bestselling smut writers, okay?” she asked, moving back into her room.
“Will do.”
“Bonus points if they have a pool. The kids and I have grown attached to the luxury.”
With that, she was inside her room, door locked. And I would bet good money that one of those firearms she mentioned would be nearby, just in case.
Brooke’s room seemed just as she left it. And I took a while just folding up and stuffing their clothes into the large totes she had.
Then there was all the bathroom stuff and the toys.
In the end, though, it all only took four or five trips to the club’s bulky SUV to move everything they owned, playard and new swing included.
It wasn’t right.
The two of them deserved a life full of crap: clothes, bedding, knick-knacks, toys, everything that they could need or want.
On the last trip, Brooke caught me in her window, giving me a nod.
“Take care of the girls.”
“Take care of yours,” I said back.
And with that, it was all over.
Zoe and Lil’ Bit had moved in with me.
And I was going to go ahead and pretend that the thought didn’t make my heart feel like it had grown two sizes in my chest.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Zoe
The clubhouse looked like a daycare the next morning.
Since Lainey had already been asleep in the borrowed playard by the time Coast made it back to the house sometime around sunup, he set her usual one up downstairs. Along with her swing and some of her toys.
The room was equally packed.
I’d been nodding in and out when Coast came in, so I woke up to the surprise of finding my clothes hanging in the closet with his and all of Lainey’s things in the dresser drawers.
Even her little bath seat and tub toys were in the bathroom. Along with my toothbrush, hairbrush, and products.
He’d moved us in.
Like it was no big deal.
Like we belonged there.
I blinked tears away as I brushed my teeth after a shower.
Lainey had been stolen by the sweet-tempered Eddie, who had her propped on his hip as he started to prepare breakfast.
I had to admit, I was more than a little excited about a home-cooked meal. It had been so long. The closest I got to home-cooking these days was adding some chopped onions or extra veggies to my ramen that I made by running water through the empty coffee pot to get nearly boiling water.
Maybe I could contribute to the clubhouse by making them some meals as well.
I’d been too overwhelmed with everything the night before to discuss details with Coast. Things like… logistics. Where was Coast going to be staying? What would I be paying for rent? What were the club rules?