Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Where is everyone else?” Jade asked.
“Panic room with the women and kids,” Knuckles said. “Letting in the enemy means we keep everyone protected until this is over.”
The radio clipped to Knuckles’ belt crackled. Hannah’s voice came through clear and cold. “Bastard headed to you, Knuckles. Give him a couple of minutes.”
Knuckles pressed the button. “Thanks, baby. We’re ready.”
I pulled Jade fully against my chest, wrapping both arms around her protectively. She tucked her head under my chin and gripped the front of my shirt.
“What do you need me to do?” she asked against my collar.
“Just stay right here with me. Look scared.”
That got a bark of laughter from her. “As opposed to actually being scared?”
He grinned down at me. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you. Right?”
“Yeah.” And I did. “I trust you, Rip. And when this is over, we need to talk.”
“Sounds serious.” I tried to distract her. If she wanted to talk, I’d carry on a conversation until this was all over. “I can feel your heart racing.”
“I am scared.” She looked up at me with wide eyes. “I want this shit to be over.”
“It will be soon.”
The radio crackled again. “He’s just outside. Here we go.” Hannah’s information signaled the guys and all of them shifted, waiting for Eric’s move.
“Hannah is herding him,” Knuckles explained softly. “She can control the emergency systems from the security hub. Cutting power to Haven or our compound does very little to compromise our defenses. Having to deal with scumbags like Eric, we’ve got more backup systems than a fucking nuclear sub.”
The room went completely silent as every man waited for their prey. Nobody moved. The only sound was Jade breathing against my chest. She trembled slightly but kept her grip firm on me.
A shadow passed outside the door. Footsteps hesitated, then moved closer.
Knuckles’ radio buzzed softly. Hannah again. “He’s got his gun drawn. Just outside your door, Knuckles.” Her voice went even colder. “I can take him clean right now, baby.” Hannah actually sounded like she was having a good time. Yeah, her voice was cold, but Hannah had a vicious streak where abusive men were concerned.
Knuckles responded without looking away from the door. “We talked about this, Hannah. We need him alive. Stick to the plan.”
“You’re ruining my fun.” Though they kept the banter going, I didn’t miss the tension in Knuckles’ voice and his posture. Like the rest of us, it went against every fiber of his being to let his woman out of his sight when there was a threat. Even if his woman was as much a badass as anyone else in this place.
I heard the metallic click of a safety being switched off somewhere behind me. Normally, no one carried firearms due to the terms of parole for most of us, but the club kept weapons in the armory in the security office, locked but easily reached.
“He’ll see you first,” I whispered into Jade’s hair. “When he does, his focus will lock on you completely. That’s exactly what we want. I absolutely will not let anything happen to you, Jade.”
“Will he try to shoot me?” Jade kept her voice level even as the question revealed her fear.
“No.” I kissed the top of her head. “He will want to hurt you up close. To control you. The gun is just to clear his path. His real weapon has always been his words and his hands.” I sounded so certain when I felt anything but. I trusted Knuckles, but that didn’t mean I liked putting Jade anywhere near that bastard, Eric.
Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder. The shadow under the door grew more defined. Knuckles made a sharp hand gesture. The brothers melted farther into the shadows. Diesel and Gunnar pressed themselves completely flat against the wall on either side of the door where they would be hidden from someone entering.
I felt Jade suck in a deep breath. She looked up at me with fierce eyes. “I want him to see me with you. I want him to know I choose you. That I am not his and never will be again.”
I nodded once. “Just follow my lead. I swear I will not let you get hurt, but you have to obey me without question.” I winced, knowing how I sounded. “I didn’t --”
“Hush, Rip.” She leaned up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to my mouth. “You’re not trying to control me. You never would. I know you only want to protect me. If I’m going to be your old lady, you have to have the right to protect me.”
Had she kicked me in the balls, I doubt I’d have been more surprised. I sucked in a breath, staring down at her. “Jade…”
“I’m just saying.” She smiled up at me before kissing me once more.