Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“This is…” Lavender stood in the center of the room, turning slowly. “Not what I expected either.” Her voice held genuine surprise.
“Oh really? Brynn told me what she expected. What were you expecting? Leather couches and beer signs?” I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my mouth.
“Something like that.” She ran her hand along the back of a comfortable-looking armchair, her fingers leaving trails in the soft fabric. “This is really nice, Knight.”
Brynn had drifted toward the bookshelf against one wall, her head tilted sideways to read the spines. Her backpack hung from one shoulder, its weight nothing compared to the wariness she carried.
“Kitchen’s fully stocked,” I said, moving toward the refrigerator. “Ada made sure everything on Brynn’s approved food list is here. And the fridge has a water dispenser with a built-in filter.”
I showed them the security system which consisted of a keypad by the door with a panic button that would alert the entire compound if pressed, then led them down the short hallway off the living room.
“Bathroom’s here.” I pushed open the door to reveal a surprisingly modern setup with a large shower. “Towels, toiletries, all that stuff should be in there. One in the master bedroom too.”
Two doors remained. I opened the first, revealing a modestly sized bedroom with a queen bed, dresser, and a small desk. “Lavender, this would be yours.” The room held little personalization because I hadn’t known what she might want, but the bedspread was a soft purple, a small nod to her name.
She stepped inside, her fingers trailing over the edge of the desk. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” Her voice was soft, and when she turned to me, her eyes shone with unshed tears that she quickly blinked away.
The last door led to Brynn’s room. I hesitated with my hand on the knob, suddenly uncertain. This was the part I’d obsessed over, wanting to give her something that might crack that carefully constructed wall of indifference. Would she hate it? See it as manipulation?
“And this one’s yours, Brynn,” I said, pushing the door open.
The room was smaller than Lavender’s, but packed with more personality. Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with titles I’d noticed her reading in the hospital or that Ada had suggested for a girl her age with her interests. A desk stood beneath the window, topped with a high-end laptop I’d configured myself, loaded with coding software she’d mentioned wanting. On the walls, instead of posters, I’d hung framed vintage tech patents like the first computer, early coding diagrams, things I thought might intrigue her.
Brynn stepped inside, her carefully maintained mask of disinterest slipping as her eyes widened and her mouth formed an “O” of wonder. She moved to the bookshelf first, running her fingers along the spines.
She set her backpack down and moved to the desk, her hands hovering over the laptop. “Is this…” She opened it, and her face lit up as the screen came to life, displaying the home screen of the programming environment she’d talked about. “How did you know?” she asked, turning to me with naked surprise, momentarily forgetting her hostility.
I shrugged, trying to downplay the hours I’d spent researching what might interest her. “I noticed you reading about it in the hospital. Figured you might want to try it.”
Our eyes locked, and for a second, I saw past her defenses to the vulnerable kid underneath, smart as hell and desperate for connection despite her prickly exterior. She reminded me so much of myself at that age it physically hurt.
The moment shattered as a knock sounded at the apartment door. Brynn’s expression shuttered closed again, though not completely. Some of the wonder remained as her fingers traced the edge of the laptop.
I moved to answer the door, finding Ada and Hannah standing there, arms loaded with welcome gifts. Hannah carried a plate of cookies covered in plastic wrap, while Ada held a potted plant and what looked like a handmade quilt.
“We come bearing gifts,” Ada announced, her smile warm as she stepped inside. “Oh good, you’re settling in.”
Hannah followed, her quiet presence filling the room differently to Ada’s cheerful energy. “Cookies,” she said, cheerfully holding out the plate. “No nuts or dairy, and low sodium for Brynn’s diet.”
Lavender accepted the plate with a hesitant smile. “Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”
Hannah shrugged, but her expression softened slightly. “Listen, I know how overwhelming this can be,” she said, her voice low enough that Brynn, who had emerged from her room but hung back in the hallway, couldn’t hear. “This place is different from the MC I grew up in, but they’re both good clubs. Testosterone gets a little high for my taste sometimes. When it does, we threaten to cut them off if they don’t straighten up, if you know what I mean.”
The candor of her statement caught Lavender off guard. She laughed. A genuine sound that lit her whole face and sent warmth spreading through my chest. Just like that, she was my Lavender again. I remembered seeing that same delighted look on her face the day before my world went to shit.