Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
I sat for a moment in her torment, trying to figure out if I should press for details or if she just needed quiet, undeterred support.
“Did they…” I finally managed, though I couldn’t bring myself to fully say it.
She sniffled and gave a tiny shake of her head, clearly knowing what I was implying. “They beat me up. Taunted me. Laughed at me for being so stupid. But they didn’t do that.”
I couldn’t help it.
Relief heaved out of me.
What had happened to her was appalling, but…
That time she was squeezing my hand. “I’m still afraid sometimes, but I’m okay. I promise. I just feel ignorant and embarrassed. Devastated that I put my brother and the rest of the guys in that position.”
My nod was frantic. “I think it can be really easy to put ourselves in risky situations when we’re trying to find ourselves.”
Then my voice turned urgent. “Most of the time, those risks are worth it. They are life-changing in the best ways. But it is also true that sometimes those risks backfire in such a catastrophic way that we think it will ruin us.”
Another tear slipped down her cheek, her eyes bright in the dim light of Silas’s room.
I edged forward another inch and set my other hand on her opposite cheek.
Framing her face.
“But without those risks, we aren’t going anywhere. We aren’t discovering what we really need or who we are meant to be.”
I angled my head with significance. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for taking one of those risks. The blame lies on those who take advantage of you taking those risks.”
I really hoped I wasn’t giving horrible advice. God knew all the advice I attempted to beat into Dereck’s brain hadn’t worked.
But it wasn’t like he’d actually listened.
Hell, most of the time he’d run out and done the opposite.
Elena nodded frantically as if she were trying to draw the faith I had in her deep down into her spirit before she suddenly threw herself at me.
For a second I was shocked, then I gave into the embrace.
Let her hug me so zealously I thought she might squeeze the life out of me.
Eager gratefulness rolled out with her words. “I won’t, Brinley. I promise, I won’t.”
I hugged her back with as much fervor. “Just be careful doing it, okay?”
I tacked on the last because I couldn’t stand the thought that she might run out and do something reckless.
Because it wasn’t about taking unnecessary risks. It was about taking the ones that meant something.
I guess maybe it was time I started to listen to my own advice.
“How will I know?” she asked. Desperation poured out of her.
I curled my arms even tighter and whispered, “Your heart will know.”
She nodded in my hold, both of us hugging the crap out of each other before we broke apart when we heard a throat clearing from the doorway.
Caught off guard, Elena whipped around.
I guess I wasn’t so shocked to find Silas there, leaning against the jamb like the crooked king that he was, a paper bag dangling from a big hand.
Maybe somewhere deep inside myself, I’d felt him coming.
A shockwave that blasted my senses.
“What the hell, Silas?” Elena hissed. “That was mean, sneaking up on us like that.”
The arch of his brow nearly touched his hairline. “You’re in my room.”
Elena sent him a scowl. “Well, this is where Brinley is.”
I guess it was probably that second he noticed that she’d been crying, because his bare irritation flipped.
In a beat, his features were gripped by dread and worry.
An instant ball of simmering rage. His eyes darted to me.
Demanding to know what was going on.
If I was the one who was responsible for it.
Without a doubt, if he disliked me before, he’d hate me if I’d harmed her in some way.
I’d end up on the chopping block out back. I imagined there had to be some sort of torture chamber on the property.
You’ll have to find a better reason to off me, buddy.
Because I really wanted to wrap Elena up and protect her, too.
Crap, I guess Silas Mercer and I had something in common, after all.
Well, that and the scorching energy that blistered through the air whenever he got within a hundred-mile radius of me. I doubted something so powerful could be one-sided.
And okay, I really liked his little boy.
And Meems was pretty freaking great, too. I might have even developed a little soft spot for Brody.
Silas crossed his tattooed arms over his chest.
The man all sinewy strength and concern.
The expression he wore right then made it exponentially worse.
Being in his space and thinking he might be something different than the treacherous biker who’d wrangled my brother into a position he hadn’t intended.
“What happened?” Silas glanced between us with the demand.
Clearly, he thought whatever it was, he had to fix it.
Elena huffed as she slipped off the bed. “Am I not allowed to have a private conversation with my best friend?”