Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“I want to stay with Mom,” Zelda protested immediately, her expression mulish.
Knight knelt down so he was eyelevel with her. “I need you to help me keep an eye on your sister,” he said quietly. “And Tiny needs your mom right now. Can you do that for him? After what he did for you today?”
Zelda’s eyes flicked to Tiny, who was still leaning heavily on Pain’s shoulder, then back to Knight. After a moment, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But I get to ride with Riot.”
Knight’s lips twitched. “Sure thing, Z.”
Kira hesitated, looking uncertain until Griffin approached her, his usually stern face softening into a gentle smile. “Want to see how fast my bike can go?” he asked, and Kira’s eyes widened with a mixture of fear and excitement.
“Is it scary?” she asked in a small voice.
Griffin shook his head solemnly. “Not when you’re with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
After a moment’s consideration, Kira nodded. “OK.”
As Knight led the girls toward the bikes, Pain guided Tiny toward the Bronco, which had somehow survived the entire ordeal with only a few new dents. The tire tracks in the gravel where we’d been forced off the road were still visible, a reminder of how quickly our simple shopping trip had turned into a nightmare.
We were passing the man who’d hit Tiny with the crowbar when Tiny suddenly stopped, pulling away from Pain’s support to stand on his own. Blood still streaked his face, but his eyes were clear and cold as he stared down at the man who’d knocked him to the ground.
“Next time,” Tiny said, his voice carrying easily in the sudden quiet, “make sure your fuckin’ swing counts. Any bitch-ass motherfucker who can’t kill a man with two blows to the head with a crowbar has got to be a fuckin’ pussy.”
The man glared up at him but flinched when Tiny took a step closer. One of Andy’s other men actually chuckled, earning himself a murderous look from his compatriot.
“He’s right though,” the man said with a shrug. “You hit a man in the head with a crowbar, he oughtta be dead.”
Pain stepped forward, placing a hand on Tiny’s shoulder. “Save it for later, brother. Need to get your girls.”
Tiny held the man’s gaze for a moment longer before nodding once, a gesture so full of contempt that the man looked away first. I couldn’t help but feel fierce pride at the sight of Tiny standing tall despite his injuries, unbroken and unbowed.
Pain helped Tiny into the passenger seat of the Bronco, then turned to me. “You OK to drive?” he asked, his shrewd eyes assessing me for any signs of shock or injury.
I nodded, surprised to find my hands steady as I took the keys he offered. “I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt at all.”
“I’ll follow behind,” Pain said, already moving back toward his bike. “We’ll have him patched up in no time.”
I climbed into the driver’s seat, stealing a glance at Tiny as I started the engine. His head was tipped back against the headrest, eyes closed, the harsh winter sun highlighting every bruise and cut on his face. The sight of him so battered made my throat tighten, but I swallowed hard against the emotion. He needed me steady right now.
“You sure you’re OK to drive?” Tiny asked without opening his eyes, his voice roughened by exhaustion.
“I promise,” I assured him, reaching across to squeeze his hand gently. “Just focus on breathing through the pain.”
He turned his head slightly, opening one eye to look at me, a small smile on his face. “Not in pain when you’re next to me.”
The simple statement, delivered in that deep, matter-of-fact rumble, unraveled something in my chest that I’d been holding tight since the moment Andy’s car had rammed us. I managed to put the Bronco in gear and pull back onto the road, following Knight’s bike as he led the way back toward the compound. The girls were secure, perched behind Riot and Griffin, their small arms wrapped tight around the bikers’ waists.
We’d only gone a mile when a sob escaped me, so suddenly I couldn’t hold it back. I quickly pulled onto the shoulder, putting the Bronco in park before I lost control completely. Tiny’s arm came around me immediately, pulling me across the console and onto his lap despite his injured ribs.
“Hey,” he murmured, his hand coming up to cradle my face. “It’s OK now. We’re all OK.”
“You almost weren’t,” I choked out, clinging to him as the tears I’d been fighting finally broke free. “You almost died protecting us, and I just left you there. I just ran --”
“You did exactly what you were supposed to do,” he interrupted firmly. “You got the girls to safety. We both had to keep them safe. They’re what mattered.”
“You mattered too,” I whispered fiercely, pulling back to look at him through my tears. “You matter to us. To me.” I took a shuddering breath, suddenly needing him to know, needing to say the words in case I ever lost the chance again. “I love you, Tiny. I love you so much it terrifies me.”