Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“This is a mistake,” Blade grumbles, but with a flick of his wrist, his knife disappears up in his sleeve.
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” I yell after them with a burst of false courage as they leave. They’ll be back, and that actually feels a teeny tiny bit comforting.
“You going to be okay?” Nicky’s trembling, but she hugs me tight. She’s a romcom girl thrown into a dark romance, and it’s a little more exciting than she’s ready for. Not that this is any kind of romance. Not with those jerks. “Do you want me to stay over tonight?”
For a moment, the memory of Alpha wrapping himself around me to keep me safe as he rolled us over the fence makes me wish he was the one that asked that question. He saved my life. I should’ve thanked him for that. Would it be safer to have them in the house with me?
No, there’s no guarantee that they aren’t targets as well. Maybe even more so than me. For all the Pit Vipers know, I’ve already handed everything over. The shots were just a warning. It’ll be fine.
“Thanks, but I’ll be okay. I think I’ll close up shop for today, though. You should go home.”
“What? Faith, if those guys come back—”
“Go home. I’d never forgive myself if you got dragged into this, okay? Sorry about ruining the biker fantasy for you.”
Nicky snorts. “I’ve always been more partial to cowboys anyway. But seriously, maybe you should have them stay over, and I don’t even mean so they can take turns keeping you entertained, if you know what I mean.” She produces a little smirk. “They might be more trouble than they’re worth, but those guys are sex on legs.”
She’s not wrong. My very first crush was one of the youngest prospects back before everything went to hell, and there’s something about the intensity of those pre-teen emotions that sets something in your brain. I might’ve spent the past ten years pushing it down, but I’m not blind.
What I am, is too smart to forget.
6
RIPPER
“So what the fuck’s the plan now?” I duck around the corner of Faith’s building where we have our bikes stashed, and turn on Blade and Alpha. “Keeping her breathing would be a hell of a lot easier if she’d let us stay close. Did you get a look at the assholes who shot at you?
Alpha shakes his head. “No, but we know it’s the Vipers. The question is, were they aiming at me, or her? Either way, we can’t let that shit fly.”
“The Prez might not like it, but you heard what he told us. He’d rather piss Faith off than bury her. Our number one priority is her safety, then the tape. I say we throw her ass on the back of a bike and get back to the compound.” Blade crosses his arms over his chest.
“It is a nice ass.” I grin, only to have Blade glare daggers at me. “What? I’m just saying what I know you’ve both thought.”
He shoves me up against the wall. “This is Eagle-eye’s fucking daughter, remember? She’s not just a piece of ass. Can you fucking imagine what he’d do if he found out? He’d take our fucking cuts, then keelhaul us.”
“Because he’s a dad. In his head she’s still a kid.” I push his hands off me. “I like her. She’s jumpy, but she’s got guts.”
Blade growls and turns to Alpha. “Talk sense into him.”
“She’s off limits,” Alpha agrees, but he doesn’t look as uptight about it as Blade.
“Just saying, if she happens to show some interest, I’m not against the idea of providing a little bedside service.”
“She’s not fucking interested. She’s made that pretty damn clear.”
“Has she?” I lean against my bike. “Something put a bug up her ass about bikers, that’s pretty fucking obvious. But us personally? I’m not convinced.”
Blade shakes his head. “Sometimes I feel a lot more than a couple years older than you dipshits. Faith is Eagle-eye’s fucking daughter and I don’t care if she wants to dress you up and put a bow on your cock. We’re here to do our job and then leave. Besides, she might look like a mouse, but she grew up with assholes like that guy who shot at Alpha. She’s seen life from the inside and got the fuck out. What part of this shitshow do you think will make her change her mind?”
“Assholes like you, you mean? Weren’t you in the Vipers back then?”
“Exactly,” Blade snarls. “Assholes like me.”
“Easy, brother,” Alpha says, putting a hand on Blade’s shoulder. “We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t loyal to Eagle-eye. You know that. Faith’s a sexy little spitfire, nothing wrong with acknowledging the obvious. Doesn’t mean we’re going to fuck around.” He fixes me with a serious glare. “Right?”