Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“You gonna shoot me?” She looked from me to the downed rider who had now rolled to his knees. He groaned in pain and collapsed back onto his uninjured shoulder. Then she shook her head. I gave her a crisp nod before turning my back to her to assess the downed bike and the rider, along with the pool of gasoline surrounding him.
The Steel Serpent prick finally managed to sit up, bracing his back against the downed bike. I have no idea why he hadn’t already gotten to his feet, but then I saw blood caked on one side of his face and the guy looked more than a little dazed. Also, the shoulder wound I’d given him bled more than I thought it should. I’d probably gotten a major artery close to his armpit. Stroke of luck, but I’d take it.
The rider groaned once, low and pained, then went quiet again. Sweat beaded on his face. I knew the guy was probably close to passing out from blood loss. Sucked for him.
“You killed him?” The woman looked more than a little shell-shocked, but not like she’d run screaming into the night.
“Shot him. He might live.” I shrugged. “Or not.”
She processed that, her jaw working. Then she watched the street, scanning for more headlights. Her grip on the gun never loosened.
“Look.” I crouched down beside her, still keeping an eye on the bleeding man, but needing to get some information from the girl. “I know this is extreme. But I took you with me. Which means I’ll keep you safe until you prove you’re a deplorable human being. Are you?” She shook her head. “Good. Then you’re safe with me and my club. Now, will you tell me your name? I don’t like calling you ‘woman’ in my head.” I tried to give her a small smile, but my usual easy-going nature deserted me.
“Veda. Veda Garrison.”
“Colt Mercer. But everyone calls me Griffin.”
“You’re like him?” Veda nodded at the Steel Serpent who had stilled.
I studied her, trying to read her. For some reason she kept rubbing the center of her chest and I was afraid she might have been hurt more than I’d originally thought. If I lied to her now and she found out, I’d have a hell of a time getting her to the compound. I had the feeling we desperately needed to talk to this woman.
“Ain’t gonna lie to you, Veda. There is a strong possibility I will kill him later. But not just because. I’d kill him because I know what he represents and what he’s capable of. I’m not a good man, but I have morals and principles. I don’t hurt people who don’t deserve it, and if I have to kill a woman, I make sure it’s a clean, quick death. And only if my president tells me to.”
“That’s not exactly reassuring.” Her eyes widened and she still held the gun, but she’d clutched it to her chest with her arms trapping it against her instead of pointing it at me.
“I’m just trying to give you the strict truth, honey, because I really need you to come with me back to our compound. If I lie to you, the less likely you are to trust me.”
“Why do you want me to come with you?”
“Because you were in the building.”
She shook her head. “I’m not with those people.”
“Didn’t say you were. But I was sent there to shut that place down, which I suppose was accomplished, but I’d planned on being a little more subtle about the whole thing.”
The night air carried the river’s smell stronger now, mud and diesel and something organic rotting somewhere nearby. Crickets had gone quiet when the gunshots rang out, and they hadn’t started up again yet. The silence felt heavy, like the neighborhood was holding its breath. Thankfully, I heard the Bronco Tiny favored headed our way. A few seconds later, Tiny rolled around the corner and pulled up next to us, killing the engine before climbing out. Knight followed suit on the passenger side.
Knight stood maybe six-two, heavy beard and shaggy hair, tattoos covering every visible inch of skin including his face. The whites of his eyes looked like they’d been tattooed black, making his glacial blue irises stand out like something unnatural. He looked eerie as hell on a good day. Tonight, covered in shadows and backlit by the truck’s headlights, he looked like something that had crawled out of a nightmare.
Tiny was… anything but tiny. Standing over seven feet tall, the man was thickly muscled and had a heavy beard. As eerie as Knight looked, Tiny was absolutely terrifying. The woman took one look at the two men and raised her gun with a little cry and a wobbly hand.
“Easy,” I said. “They’re with me.”
Knight stopped, hands visible and empty, and looked at her with those unsettling eyes. Tiny raised his hands and settled back inside the Bronco with his hands on the wheel and the door open. After a long moment, the woman lowered her weapon. Probably just as well. She trembled like a leaf.