Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“Blythe is my cousin,” Hannah said. “She’s family. It isn’t like the club is 1-percenters. You don’t see that anywhere on their cuts, do you?”
Jonas gestured toward the back office. “Onetime deal,” he stated firmly. “One time, Hannah. The only time.”
“I got you,” she said.
“More than reasonable,” Czar agreed and disappeared.
Jonas swore under his breath and turned back toward the street, taking Hannah with him as he went outside. Lyric didn’t turn around to try to catch that conversation. She had the feeling Jonas didn’t lay down the law to Hannah often, but when he did, he meant every word.
The day had been eye-opening for Lyric. She’d learned more about herself and her relationship to others and to Keys than she’d thought possible. She didn’t know what she was going to do with that information.
Keys loomed over their booth, his fingers settling around her arm. “We’ve got a small table on the other side of the room, Wildfire.”
Her heart skipped a beat. That meant Sid would be walking in any moment. As she threaded her way through tables—and now there were a few empty, but more people milled on the store side—she glanced out the window in an effort to locate Hannah, the sheriff, and his deputy. They were nowhere in sight.
She followed Keys to a very small, intimate table in the corner of the tea side of the shop. The scents and fragrances from the products for sale, the lotions and soaps and massage oils, enveloped the two of them. It should have been overpowering, but instead, the combination of scents added to the intimacy.
The table was set up with two plates and cups, a steaming pot of tea and a three-tiered stand with savories and scones on each tier. Keys poured the tea and added honey to his cup. He placed a scone on her plate and took a bite out of another scone and put it down on his plate. Setting a scene, she realized.
“Are you okay?” Keys asked, reaching across the table to take her hand. “The conversations with the women seemed intense at times.”
“The world you live in is intense, Keys.” She took a sip of her tea, allowing the flavor to soothe her. She hadn’t even known she needed soothing. It seemed to her that there was one drama playing out after another within minutes of each other. It was very overwhelming for someone who was neurodivergent. More than overwhelming.
He was silent a moment, his amber eyes moving broodingly over her face. “Babe, there just happened to be a situation today, mostly because Savage insisted Seychelle should stay. He knew she was going to protest leaving, and he asked Czar to change the meeting place. Savage has never asked for anything. If a brother considers something so important he’d change an important meeting venue, the rest of us are going to accommodate him.”
“But this is Hannah’s place of business. Her husband is in law enforcement. Another club might think he’s a dirty cop. I would. In my opinion, Czar shouldn’t have asked Hannah. And why would she agree? Did she feel threatened?” She just put it out, what she’d been most afraid of. Had Torpedo Ink frightened Hannah into allowing them to use her place of business?
To her astonishment, Keys burst out laughing. He leaned closer across the table. “The Drakes have the most extraordinary gifts. They are powerful. Some say witches. We’re not stupid enough to go up against the Drakes for any reason. We’ve seen what they can do. What Blythe can do. If I told you some of the things I’ve witnessed, you would have me locked up. Hannah and her sister Elle are insanely powerful.”
“How did you get their family on your side?”
“When we first came to this area, we aligned ourselves with that family. Jackson and Elle were being targeted, and Czar did his best to protect them. Blythe and Hannah are cousins. Family is everything to us and to them. What I’m saying is, in our world, we share everything. When one business needs something, everyone pitches in. Czar wouldn’t have considered that Hannah would say no. My guess, he explained everything up front to her. Seychelle is a particular favorite of Hannah’s and Sabelia’s. Hannah isn’t a judgmental person. She has never looked down on any club. It does put Jonas in a bad position, and that showed today. I doubt if we’ll ever repeat the request. Jonas made it clear to Czar and Hannah that it wasn’t happening again. Czar respects Jonas, so he wouldn’t put him or Hannah in this position again.”
“This is really all over a woman and the fact that she wanted to be here with friends?” That was difficult for Lyric to believe. Would Keys be like that with her? Risk his club’s wrath to give her something she wanted? Especially when it seemed a silly thing?