Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“What do you want?”
“A beautiful trespasser with soft jet black curls, stars in her eyes, a smile bright as the sun, and an ass like a full moon.”
Her cheeks plumped, and she couldn’t help but laugh. She shuddered when he ran his long, tattooed fingers along the side of her face. So slow… so gentle.
“Kage, I’d be a big liar if I said… if I said that I wasn’t attracted to you. Attraction isn’t enough though, honey. As you said, I’ve got a lot on my plate, and I can’t deal with—”
Heat flared within her when he crushed her lips with his. The power yet gentleness of his touch sent her whirling. That kiss tore her apart and stitched her back up again. The rifle slipped from her hand, crashing to the wooden boards of the small back porch as he deepened the kiss. Dense beard hair that smelled like him filled the air. Long, lean muscles surrounded her waist and pulled her near. And then, just like that, it was over…
He walked into her galley, and she watched in shock and humor as he washed his hands in her kitchen sink, opened her refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of water. He stood there until he’d chugged the entire thing down.
“Did you get enough?” She grimaced.
“Of water? Yup. Of you? No.”
He walked right back out of the house, slipped his hood back on, and started swinging the hammer. Whack! Whack! Whack!
“Just two more minutes… let me wrap this one post up.”
Her mouth was on fire with the taste of him, her body limp and in need. It was surreal—the way the stars sparkled above him, and the grunts and groans he made as he worked. Moments later, he packed up some tools, then pointed to the boards.
“Next week, all of the glass will be delivered. I got a couple of my crew members that’ll help me when it does. In the meantime, it’ll be just me. I’ll be back in a day or two to finish this. And work on you, too…” He began to walk away. She quickly closed and locked the door, her nerves a wreck as she raced through the house, making a beeline towards the front door. She flung it open, and was met with the horrid red gaze of the huge white skull on the front of his gleaming black truck.
He’d gotten into the vehicle and started the engine, then turned on his music. ‘Y’all Motherfuckers Need Jesus,’ by 7 Devils bellowed, slashing through the air. Blowing her a haunted kiss, he then drove away…
…The following day
Kage jingled the chain that hung from his jeans as he walked across the lot towards Mama’s estate. Pebbles crunched and rolled beneath his brown work boots. Ahead sat the home where he’d grown up. Mama’s music poured out of the open windows of the three story home: ‘One of these Nights,’ by the Eagles. Several motorcycles were parked nearby, and the scent of marijuana and incense gathered around him and hugged his childhood memories tight.
Before he could even knock on the door, Mama appeared at the door wearing a long beaded vest, a maxi blood red dress, and sandals. Her salt and light wheat hair was pulled back in a braid, draped down to her backside.
“So good to see you, son,” came her raspy voice.
He wrapped her in his arms, kissing the top of her head. Moments later, he was in her living room, slapping hands and hugging some of the folks he used to call his aunts and uncles. Mama had a big, nice house, and so these folks used to always come by with their kids eons ago to drink, get high, dance and play cards. He looked up at the gold framed photo of his parents sitting on his father’s infamous Harley. It had hung there for as long as he could remember, with colorful feathers all around it and candles below it, like some shrine.
“Kage, man, just when I think your ass is done growin’, you pop over with another inch!” Micah cackled, an old head with prison tattoos on the side of his face. Kage enveloped the old man in a big bear hug. Clad in a worn biker vest, Uncle Micah sat at a makeshift bar, downing a beer. His thinning dark brown hair was pulled into a short ponytail, and his handlebar mustache was now mostly gray.
“It’s good to see ya, Micah.”
“Mmm hmm, ya mama still hosts the monthly meetings, and she was kind enough to let me crash here for a few weeks.” Micah was known to bounce around between his jail stints. He and his ex-wife, Alley, used to babysit him every now and again. Uncle Micah was always fun—the one that had taught him how to ride a bike and roller skate. He was a great mechanic, but was known for having a violent streak, especially when it came to folks he considered his enemies. Despite the man’s gruff and rugged appearance though, he’d always been kind to Kage, and good with children.