Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
I turned and surveyed the room again, seeing it with new eyes. This wasn't just a bedroom, It was the inner sanctum of a man who lived by violence. The weapons on the wall weren't decorative. They'd been used. By the same hands that had touched my face. By the same man who’d declared me his.
The worst part wasn't the fear, though there was plenty of that.
The worst part? My stomach fluttered when I remembered his lips taking mine in that hard, possessive kiss, his chest pressing against me like a brick wall, his fingers tangling and tightening in my hair.
I sank down onto the edge of his bed, the mattress surprisingly soft beneath me, and buried my face in my hands. What the hell was wrong with me?
Chapter 3
Jack
Istalked through the compound, the blood on my knuckles dried to a rusty brown. My shirt was splattered with more of the same, not all of it mine. I was done with this shit. If that met we cut the heads off some fucking Copperheads, then that’s what the fuck we’d do. Behind me, the sounds of cleanup from the attack faded as I headed to the basement meeting room where we held church. I had some explaining to do about the little blonde I'd claimed as mine. The door stood open, my brothers already filing in, their faces grim in the harsh fluorescent lighting as they took their seats around the scarred wooden table.
"Anyone know how this fuckin’ shit show started?" I growled, taking my seat at the head of the table. The heavy wooden chair creaked beneath my weight as I leaned forward, placing my palms flat on the worn surface. "Tonight was a fuckin' declaration of war."
Murmurs of agreement rippled around the table. Thirteen men, all with the Bound in Blood patch on their backs, all ready to kill or die at my command. The responsibility sat on my shoulders like a familiar weight. Ghost slid into the seat to my right, his movements fluid. Unlike me, he'd somehow managed to avoid getting blood on his clothes. Even his knuckles were clean, though I knew he'd put down at least three Copperheads himself. The bastard was weird like that.
"Before we get to the Copperheads," I continued, "I need to address something. The little blonde. Honey. She's under my protection now. I’ve claimed her as my old lady and expect her to be treated as such." The silence that followed was heavy with surprise. I’d never claimed women. Hadn't had an old lady in close to ten years. She’d left to take up with the president of another club and it had been the happiest day of my fucking life. Preferred to keep it simple and club whores suited my needs much better anyway, and with fewer complications.
"She with the Copperheads? We makin’ peace by takin’ women from our rivals now?" One of the younger members asked, his face twisted with suspicion. I understood his feelings but he didn’t get to judge my decisions. No matter what. Especially not with something like me taking an old lady.
“You got a problem with my decision, Blaze?” I gave the man a hard look. I was glad this started off with the young officer. He was trying to prove himself and tended to mouth off from time to time, asserting dominance, and it was far easier to make my point with him than a more seasoned member. My VP gave me a hard side-eye, and while we’d worked together long enough I knew we’d be having a conversation in private later, I also knew he’d seize Blaze’s SNAFU so no one else would and I could control the narrative.
To his credit, Blaze’s eyes got wide in surprise, like he hadn’t realized the implication of his words. "I--" Blaze swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "No, Prez. No problem."
"Good," I growled. "She's not a Copperhead. She's Wren's friend from that coffee shop. Ghost approved her visit." I leveled my gaze at each man around the table, making sure they understood. "And now she's mine. End of discussion."
Ghost cleared his throat beside me. "That gonna be a problem? Girl looked scared shitless."
I clenched my jaw. "We'll work it out." I didn't need to explain myself, but I knew the concern was a valid one.
Ghost shifted beside me. "You sure about this, Jack? Taking an old lady's a big step. Especially some civilian who doesn't know our world."
I fixed him with a look that would have made most men piss themselves. Part of the act. Ghost just raised an eyebrow, waiting for my answer. Loyal bastard, but he never hesitated to question me when he thought I was making a mistake. It's why he was my VP, and how we made controversial decisions work inside the club. To be fair, though, I usually discussed things with him first.