Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
“Because she’s a dead fuckin’ ringer for Bev! That’s why! Could be Bev when that woman was younger!”
“Why’re you here, girl?” Cain turned his focus on me. My throat hurt where Sword had held his stranglehold on me, but I wasn’t about to complain. Or rub my neck.
“Not sure it matters,” I muttered. “Seems I made a mistake in coming here. I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome, but I’d hoped I could get Sword to listen to me.”
“Ain’t interested in nothin’ you got to say,” Sword snapped.
“All right, that’s enough.” The woman at Sword’s side stepped between me and him. “I have no idea what happened in your past with your ex, but I’m betting it was before this girl was even born. Your beef is with Beverly. Not this woman.”
“Magenta…”
“I mean it, Sword. I didn’t think this was the kind of club who beat up on women for the hell of it! That’s where I came from! That’s not Bones!”
“Magenta,” Cain said softly, though there was a warning in his tone. He didn’t sound mean, just… exasperated?
The woman -- Magenta -- ducked her head, turning away. She hurried out of the common room and disappeared through a door in the back.
“Angel, go check on Magenta. Make sure she’s good.”
“You sure? Seems I might be needed here more.” Angel was a beautiful woman in her late thirties or early forties. There were a few threads of gray in her hair and a few laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, but her features spoke of a woman happy with her life. She was slender and barely came up to Cain’s shoulder, but then, Cain was tall and broad-shouldered, like most of the men around me. I suddenly found myself wishing she’d stay. If for no other reason than to dilute the abundance of testosterone with a little more estrogen.
“No. I ain’t sure. Go on anyway. Magenta needs you. I can fumble my way through this.”
“Just don’t lose your Goddamned mind like you did with Calliope. You do and you’ll be in an even bigger doghouse than Sword. And for a lot longer time.” Angel lifted one elegant eyebrow at Cain before glancing over at Sword.
“Fuck!” Sword seemed torn between going after Magenta and finishing the job strangling me. He pointed a finger at me. “State your fuckin’ business, then get the fuck out.”
“Last I checked, I was president of this fuckin’ club,” Cain snarled. “Sword, you will stand the fuck down or I’ll give you a beatin’ like you ain’t ever had. And strip you of any rank you hold in this club.” He turned to me. “What’s your name, girl.” It wasn’t a question, but a demand.
“Chloe,” I said, not wanting to give my last name. Not now. It would probably send Sword over the edge. Even though I’d accepted that I’d probably die early in life, I wasn’t ready to go at this very moment.
Cain huffed out breath, rapidly losing patience. “Your full name.”
“Uh, Cain?” A man came from a room off to the side. He held back an obviously furious woman. She grunted as she struggled to get loose, going so far as to stomp the guy’s foot. He winced but held fast. It wasn’t a cruel hold, but like he was just trying to keep his woman out of trouble. He was gentle with her even as she fought him.
“Let me go, Data, or I swear I’ll sick El Diablo on your ass! Just like I’m getting ready to do to Sword!” She gave Sword a venomous look. I had no idea who or what El Diablo was, but apparently he was bad news.
Sword growled and bared his teeth but said nothing.
“Do not growl at my wife, Sword,” Data said softly. There was no “or else.” In some ways it was worse than if he’d named the consequence.
“All right, that’s enough!” Cain thundered. “You!” He pointed to Data. “Calm your wife down. You!” He pointed to Sword. “Back the fuck off. You’re Bohannon’s second-in-command but that position can fuckin’ change. We don’t treat women like you’re treatin’ this girl unless she’s betrayed one of us or the club. If she has, you come to me, and I decide what happens next. And you --” This time he pointed to me. “Start talkin’!”
I lifted my chin. I’d fought so hard to get here. Walked for five fucking days. This was what I wanted, Goddammit! But now, my stubbornness was getting the better of me. It was obvious I’d made some assumptions I shouldn’t have.
“Not a good idea to defy Cain when he’s in this kind of mood, girl,” Deadeye said at my ear. I jumped, having forgotten he was there. He placed his hand on my shoulder gently as if to calm me. The man was quiet. So still. He had been close to me the whole time and had managed to make himself vanish until he was ready for me to know he was there. “Just tell him what he wants to know.”