Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“I’m not nervous.”
“Who are you expecting to walk through that door?” Lidia asked, perching on a barstool.
“No one.”
Lidia laughed. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re a bad liar?”
“They wouldn’t dare.”
“I have to wonder if this is a certain Beckett woman you’re waiting for?” Lidia asked.
Pat lifted the beer he’d been holding to his lips and took a swig.
Lidia laughed. “It is. You invited Ava, didn’t you?”
“I hinted at it.”
“Do you think she is going to be a no-show?” she asked.
“I have no idea.”
“Have you ever been stood up before?”
Pat looked at her, and Lidia held her hands up as if in surrender. “It is a perfectly reasonable question. Yes or no?”
“I never cared or asked anyone before,” Pat said.
Lidia frowned. “You know, not a lot of guys talk about what you were like before I met you.”
“Why are you asking?”
“So, I can help play Cupid for you. Clearly, you’re a guy who knows what he wants, but you’re not entirely sure how to go after it. I want to see you happy, Pat.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough to know you’re a good guy.”
Pat laughed. “You see, that just goes to show you don’t know enough about me.”
Lidia chuckled. “You think you’re a bad guy?”
He leaned in close. “Do you see any of the pussy coming close to me? I’m not a good man, Lidia. I never claimed to be.”
Pat didn’t know why, but he felt something—a connection, a second sense—something that told him to look around. When he did, he came face to face with a beauty.
“Wow,” Lidia said.
He had no words, but he saw several of the club brothers had noticed fresh meat, and he was on his feet, heading toward her. Ava was looking around the clubhouse, not noticing the attention she was getting, and the moment she caught sight of him, he saw the smile on her face.
“Hey,” she said. “I made it.”
Her hands were clenched. Ava was dressed as a sexy, tempting witch. Her hair was black, and he saw she must have dyed it. Her long, blonde locks were gone. The dress she wore pushed her tits up, showing off the delightful round globes of her breasts and seemed to enhance the fullness of her cleavage. He rarely saw her in such revealing clothes, but he didn’t have a problem with it. As long as every other male in the room kept their gazes to themselves, he was fine with it. The dress was curved in at the waist but flared out across her hips, and he spotted the large slit up one side of her thigh. She looked like one tempting witch.
“You dyed your hair?” he asked.
She touched a curl and smiled. “It’s not permanent. It should come away with a few washes.”
“I like it, but I like your blonde hair as well.”
He loved the smile on her lips.
“You do?”
“Yeah, I do. You want to get a drink?”
“Yeah, but ... not alcoholic. Just a soda or something.”
He nodded his head and saw she’d nibbled her lip. “Good call.” He went to the bar, and rather than order himself another beer, he got them both two cold, fresh orange juices.
So far, the party was not heading in a crazy direction. Most of the women had their clothes on, and the guys were behaving themselves. It was still early though.
“Where’s Bernice?” Pat asked.
“Violet is taking care of her for me tonight,” Ava said.
He handed her the bottle of fresh orange juice, and he watched as she took a delicate sip.
“Can I admit something to you?”
“Sure.”
“I’ve never been to a Halloween party,” she said.
“Not ever?”
“No. Mom’s gone to one this year. She opted to go the bar, and Violet offered to babysit Bernice for me. It’s the first time we haven’t spent Halloween together. Mom is like a big fan of horror movies. Violet and I, not so much.”
“You don’t like to be scared?”
“Not at all.”
“Why do you watch them, then?” Pat asked.
“Our dad used to watch them with her. We picked up the tradition after he passed.”
Now he felt like an asshole. Pat looked at her. Any other woman and he didn’t care about her history. He had no interest in learning about her past, or even knowing what she wanted to do with her life. Ava was different, and had been right from the start. He wanted to hear more. Know more.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“It was a long time ago. Did you ever meet my dad?”
Pat shook his head. “No, I can’t say I have.”
She looked at him with such amazing blue eyes. They were stunning. “He was a good guy.”
“I can imagine. He helped bring an amazing woman into this world,” Pat said.
He knew they were completely different. Ava was young, she had her whole life ahead of her, while he had nothing. The club was his life, and the truth was, he expected to die serving the club. He’d gotten lucky when serving his country, but he would bleed and give everything for the club.