Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“How did you end up adopting Anne,” I ask Bonnie, curious. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”
“Mind? Nah. It’s not a secret. Anne’s mom died when she was young, and her father was an evil son of a bitch. The club crashed with him a while back and Anne came as a package deal with Jessica, one of the other old ladies. She and Jess are still real close, but they work better as sisters than mother daughter, you know?”
Not really, but I nod.
“Anne and I clicked right from the start. We played a lot of video games together.” Bonnie’s smile is infectious. “Anne was about thirteen, so she didn’t need someone to be a normal sort of mother, and I was too old and been in this life for too long to even try. It works for us. After General died, I was living on energy drinks and spite. Having Anne around was the kick in the ass I needed to realize I had too many years ahead of me to sit and rot my life away.”
Even before Mom passed away, our family was never like this, so friendly and willing to talk. It could be really easy to get used to having a built in support network. I suddenly realize I’m not exactly looking forward to finding a new apartment and starting over when the danger is past. Is that crazy?
“You look real thoughtful, honey.” Bonnie sips her coffee mug with both hands.
“Nothing here is like I expected.” I gesture around me, meaning the whole club. “This place is like its own separate world. Like the front gate is the closet into biker Narnia or something.”
“It’s not paradise if that’s what you’re thinking,” she says with a tone of warning in her voice. “The good parts come with the bad. I won’t speak a bad word against these boys, but if you’re getting hearts in your eyes, then you need a dose of reality, too. My old man took a bullet to the head because someone decided they’d do a better job of leading this place. Now he’s dead, and when all was done, Hellfire gave me the honor of avenging it. Every happy ending you see here was paid for in blood. Anne’s included.
These men are criminals, thieves, murderers, violent and packed with way too much testosterone for their own good, but when the world threw them away, they found each other and they’ll fight tooth and nail before they give that up again. I wouldn’t trade any of this for the world, but it’s not for everyone. It’s like being adopted by a pack of wolves. If you can’t handle getting nipped occasionally, it’s not the spot for you.” Bonnie leans in closer and grins conspiratorially. “But it’s worth it for the sex.”
I almost choke on my bear claw. Instinctively, I check over my shoulder to make sure Logan isn’t listening. It’s bad enough that he’s started pointing at everything with his middle finger. I should probably expect the first F-bomb out of him any day now, but if that’s the worst thing that happens, I’ll live with it.
“You okay, Honey?”
I clear my throat, then swallow what’s left. “Yep, fine. Just went down the wrong way.” A sip of the coffee washes the last crumbs down. “Actually, can I ask you something? It’s a little personal.”
She rubs her hands together. “This sounds good, fire away.”
“The guys seem to do a lot of… sharing. In bed I mean.”
“Or out of it, go on.”
I’m pretty sure my face is the color of a ripe tomato. “And not that I mind, but the other day, I saw a woman at the bar with a jacket from here, and it said Property of um… three different names, I think. Tex maybe? And Ghost? Like, is this just normal?”
Bonnie laughs. “You saw Jessica. Yeah, she managed to wrangle Tex, Ghost and Riot. And no, it’s not usual.” She stops to think. “Well, didn’t used to be. But now there’s Paige, with Crank, Savage and Poe, and just a few months ago, Willow managed to wrap Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout around her little finger. Maybe it is becoming normal. Wasn’t like that when General claimed me, but I can definitely see the advantages. There’s another club called the Screaming Eagles, know them?”
I nod. Who doesn’t? They’re known across the region, if not the country.
“They came in clutch a few years ago when Hellfire took over the club. Sinner’s little sister Mila is one of their old ladies. Anyway, it’s a whole thing there, so maybe it’s contagious.” She shrugs.
“What about the property thing? It seems a little…”
“Sexist?”
“Kinda.”
Bonnie chuckles, not looking offended at all. “Oh, it is. This is a man’s world, but they don’t ask anything from us that they don’t expect from each other. Every man here who is a blooded member of the Sons has sworn a loyalty oath on pain of death. You? Me? The other old ladies? We’re all potential weak spots. A man can be loyal to his brothers, but if the person sucking his dick starts whispering the wrong things, it’s hard not to hear.