Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I held back, watching as Goose charged over to him. He didn’t ease into it or try to play it cool. He walked right up to him and barked, “Is it true?”
“Well, that’s quite the greeting.” Nikolai took a slow sip of whatever was in his glass, then set it down like he was completely unfazed. “What’s got you all riled up?”
“You.”
“Me?” Nikolai asked as he stood to face Goose. “What are you talking about?”
“Lila.”
That got a reaction. It was small, but it was there. Goose saw it, too, and pushed, “What the hell happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Then, why’d you ghost her?”
“It’s not like that.”
“The fuck it isn’t,” Goose growled. “You get her all wrapped up in you, and then, you ditch her. What the hell is that?”
Nikolai appeared completely unbothered by Goose’s threatening tone as he shook his head and said, “I’ve been busy. I haven’t had a chance to get back to her… You know how it is.”
“No, I don’t.” Goose took a step closer. “If you don’t like the girl, that’s fine. I get it. She can be a lot, but come on, man. Have the balls to tell her you’re not into her.”
“You got it all wrong, Goose.”
“Then explain it to me.”
A few heads turned. Goose had drawn their attention, but no one intervened. Like me, they stayed put and watched it play out, waiting to see if things went sideways.
“Lila is everything I ever wanted. Beautiful. Smart. Passionate.” Nikolai didn’t raise his voice. He just looked at Goose and said, “I just can’t…”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“Leave it, Goose.”
“She spent half the night bawling her eyes out over you, and you just can’t… That’s the biggest copout I’ve ever heard.”
“It is what it is.”
Nikolai’s jaw tightened in a way that let me know that there was more to this whole thing than he was letting on. Goose must’ve picked up on it, too, because he glared at him and said, “She deserves better.”
And without another word, Goose turned and walked off, and he didn’t look back. I gave Nikolai one last glance, and there was no missing the struggle in his eyes as he watched Goose disappear into the crowd. I didn’t know what it was, but there was something up with Nikolai and that girl.
And if I had to guess, it wasn’t good.
I went after Goose, and he was already back at the bikes. He grabbed his helmet and muttered a stream of curses as he got on his bike. “Fuck me.”
I climbed on my bike and scoffed, “Would’ve been nice to have a heads up.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that, man. I should’ve stayed out of it, but Pres…” He let out a long, defeated breath. “Pres was upset that her sister was upset, and damn, man. I love her. I can’t take seeing her all torn up, even if it’s over her crazy sister.”
“Maybe he’s got a good reason for backing away.”
“I’m sure he does.” Goose shrugged. “Lila has a way of sniffing out trouble and jumping right into it, and she usually pulls her sister into it with her. But all in all, she’s alright. She would’ve been good for Nik, and he was certainly good for her.”
“I know it’s tough, but maybe you should just trust him.”
“You’re right. He’s never given me a reason not to, until now. But I got no dog in this race. What they do is on them. Not me.”
“Yeah, it might be best to just do like he said and leave it.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” He slumped his shoulders. “Damn. Now, I feel like an asshole for coming at him like that.”
“You two are friends, right?”
“I like to think so.”
“Then he gets it.”
Goose gave me a quick nod, then announced, “We’d better get to getting. Seven will have our asses if we’re late for our shift.”
“Waiting on you.”
Goose slipped on his helmet, and I did the same. In a blink, we were pulling out of the Black Crown’s parking lot and speeding toward the Vault. I had to give it to them. It was never a dull moment with these boys.
Goose’s tense mood was written all over his face as we made our way over to the Vault, and it remained there as we headed inside and took our post. I got it. Men like Goose didn’t get involved in personal shit unless it mattered. But this thing with Nikolai and this Lila chick was a tough one. They both meant something to him, and he felt pulled to intervene.
But sometimes leaving something alone was the only move that didn’t make matters worse. I had a feeling this was one of those times, but Goose would have to decide that for himself. I glanced over at him, and he was still as tense as ever.
Thankfully, it was a slow night, and other than a couple of rowdy drunks, folks seemed to be behaving themselves. They were just looking to have a good time, spend money, and forget about whatever they had waiting for them outside those doors. That was something I understood.