Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54343 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Her gaze jolted up from the treat in her hands to meet Street’s. Instantly, she suspected he had followed her thoughts. Rosa opted to change the subject. “This is really good. You could make sandwiches for a living.”
“The warehouse might miss me. I run a forklift there.”
She could see him driving a large piece of equipment. Those arm muscles hadn’t come from chopping tomatoes. Rosa took another big bite and chewed happily. Street didn’t make idle talk. He allowed her to eat in peace. To her surprise, being here calmed her nerves. Sitting with him in the fresh air, she couldn’t remember a time she hadn’t needed to be alert and wary.
“Do all the Devil Daddies have jobs at the warehouse?”
“Not everyone. But a lot of us. Every member supports the club.”
“What’s the club like?” Rosa asked. Working in the dives she’d landed jobs at without an ID or a phone. She figured the MC’s place would be a step above the squalor she’d never gotten used to.
While Rosa had been young before taking off from home, she did remember how the rooms had looked. Maybe that had made it worse. Bugs didn’t always infest rooms, and trash didn’t pile up in all hallways. Rosa couldn’t see the Devil Daddies putting up with sticky floors and overflowing toilets.
“Wraith controls the door. He’s got an expert eye for screening people as they come in. He welcomes everyone as long as they don’t make trouble. The number of men and women who come to live on the wild side always amuses me. Scythe’s Little girl is a teacher. We’ve banned a few of the district’s leadership team, much to her amusement.”
“What’s her name?” Rosa asked, reluctantly putting down the last two inches of her sandwich. Her stomach pouched out against the T-shirt. Another bite wouldn’t fit in there.
“Winnie.”
“She sounds nice. It’s hard to imagine Wraith with a teacher. What grade?”
“Second grade. She loves the kids. I’m sure they treasure her,” Street said. “Ready for a nap?”
“I don’t nap.”
“You do while you’re here. Go brush your teeth and let’s get you in bed.”
“Really, Street. I don’t sleep during the day. I guess I don’t need the same amount of rest as others,” Rosa lied. Her apartment was loud, thanks to the neighbors. She’d gotten used to a few hours each night or morning.
“Then you can stretch out and read,” he said. “Choose any book from the shelves.”
The thought of her few tattered Little books popped into her mind. She was sure the Ravagers had ripped those apart when they’d ransacked her apartment. Hiding her sorrow, she wondered how she could repay Street’s kindness.
“If you have something to do, I could clean your house to repay you for my stay.” When his expression turned stern, she added, “I mean your house is already tidy, but I could dust or scrub the kitchen. No one has time to do everything.”
“Lucien made me take the day off today. If I have to be lazy, so do you.”
“Oh, definitely. You can nap. I’ll be quiet.”
“Go brush your teeth and lie down. If you’re still awake when I check on you, I’ll have an alternative plan. Okay?”
How could she argue with that? She’d definitely be alert. “Okay.”
He hadn’t allowed her to help with the dishes and had shooed her down the hallway. Rosa stopped in the bathroom and used the toilet. Trusting that Street meant for her to use the things in the drawers after he hadn’t said a word about her long shower, Rosa chose a yellow toothbrush. The new bristles were crisp and efficient, along with the cinnamon toothpaste she’d selected. She hadn’t tasted that kind since childhood. Her mouth tingled with happiness when she finished.
Returning to the room Street had designated as hers, Rosa then climbed between the crisp sheets and relaxed on the pillows. She couldn’t remember ever sleeping in a bed this comfortable. Surrounded by the silence of the beautiful space, her eyes drifted shut after a few minutes, and Rosa tumbled into sleep.
Chapter 5
A half hour later, Street stood in the doorway. Her relaxed face fascinated him. The stress lines around her lips had evaporated along with her usual guarded expression. With her stuffie tucked under her chin, she looked younger. What had happened in her life to land her in a bar that drugged customers and God knew what else?
He’d called Wraith to ask about her room. According to his MC brother, Wraith barely had space to turn around inside. A toilet and sink occupied one corner. She had strung up bits of rope knotted together to make a clothesline. The Ravagers had sliced up a pair of jeans and a bar employee’s T-shirt left to dry. Wraith had found one other pair of jeans and two more T-shirts undamaged. No underwear. No socks. Not even an extra bra.