Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“If you just wanna crash, it’s fine.” Jackal gestures at the bed. “But I’ve got beer, water.” He opens a minifridge under the counter. “Couple cans of soda. Oh, I’ve got some instant coffee, and some hot chocolate I picked up in case Logan came over again.”
“Hot chocolate sounds nice. I’m too strung out for caffeine.” I smile as Jackal takes out a box of instant cocoa packets with little marshmallows included. The thought of him standing in a store and picking them out for Logan is making me feel something warm and fuzzy that I’m not sure I should be examining that closely.
“I hope this is okay. Probably better from scratch with milk and all that shit.”
“Don’t judge me, but I’m not sure I’ve ever made it from scratch.” I admit.
He grins. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
I settle on the couch and watch as Jackal fills two mugs with water and puts them in the microwave. Right before the time runs out, he glances towards the bed and cancels the timer so it doesn’t wake up Logan. He pours in the powder packets and grabs a couple spoons. Sinking into the couch next to me, he hands me my mug. We don’t say anything, just stirring our mugs together in comfortable silence.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone that my big, dangerous, manly biker friend drinks hot chocolate.” The first sip burns my tongue, but it’s sweet and comforting.
“I don’t give a fuck if people know. It’s just a drink.” He shrugs. “Anyone who thinks it matters doesn’t have enough real shit in their life to worry about.”
I nod, blowing on my hot chocolate and sipping more carefully. “Am I doing the right thing? Should I just let it go? Nothing is going to bring Georgia back, but pushing might get the rest of us hurt. I don’t know if I’ll feel safe going back to my place even after the locks are fixed. It wasn’t so bad when all the weird stuff was happening… out there.” I gesture with one hand. “But someone tried to get into my home, knowing Lo and I were there. Why?”
“You think it was Jay?”
I shrug. “Who else? And the truth is, the police could be right. I’m not just responsible for myself. Logan needs me, and I was standing outside his bedroom with a baseball bat because why? I had a bad feeling? I don’t know what to do,” I let out quietly
His strong arm comes around my waist and gently pulls me closer. I snuggle into his side, willing to take all the closeness I can get right now.
“What you’re gonna do,” he says in a low and steady voice, “is take care of your boy and let us take care of you.”
“I can’t just—”
“Shh. Of course you can. Tonight you sleep here, but tomorrow we’ll figure out somewhere for you to stay. The club’s got room, but I need to check with Hellfire first. You wouldn’t be the first person to hide out behind the walls for a bit until the fires died down. That fucking cop had our name in his mouth, and that makes it our problem, too. If Jay’s the source, well, that’s on us. You didn’t make me stab him. I did that all on my own and I’d do it again.”
“You what?” I pull back, eyes wide.
Jackal looks smug. “He had it coming.”
“You can’t just stab people.”
“No, but in my experience it’s easier and more effective than you might think.”
I shake my head. “Maybe you’re the wrong person to ask for advice with this.”
He chuckles, a comfortable rumble I can feel in my bones. “Depends on what you want to happen. If you want to close your eyes, accept what they tell you and go on with your life never knowing the truth, you’re right. You wanted justice for your sister. Is that still true?”
The hot chocolate is a much more manageable temperature now. I take a gulp, feeling the sugar coat my mouth. “Yeah. I do. She deserves better, and I’m all she has. Is that selfish?”
“Fuck no. Loyalty is important. We’re all we’ve got in this world.”
“Why are you all so good to me?”
He strokes a hand down my side. “Savior complex. And you have an amazing ass.”
“Like you can’t get pretty much any ass you want, looking the way you guys do.”
“Yeah? You think so? Nice. But you haven’t seen us naked yet. Might be parts that don’t live up to your expectations. It’s important that you check before you get too excited.”
Now I know he’s teasing me, so I do it right back. “I’d need a better opportunity. We aren’t exactly alone. A little more privacy for a thorough inspection.”
He puts down his mug and hooks a finger under my chin. From this angle, mesmerizing tattoos swirl out from under the top of his shirt and around his throat. “I can probably arrange for some babysitting.”