Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69993 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“I don’t know much more than that. Ro just told me today.”
Kathy’s shoulders shake with sobs, and I feel bad for her. How could she not know? Who doesn’t watch the fucking news?
I think about Frank, naked and tied to the chair inside The Chamber. He brought it on himself, and I feel no guilt for a man of God turned evil sinner, but this woman truly cares, and her heart breaks for him.
Katie begins weeping. “Oh, poor Frankie. He doesn’t deserve this.”
As Gia comforts her mother, a few of the puzzle pieces lock into place. Kathy is the woman he’s been seeing with the allegedly addicted kid. Gia seems like a party girl, but she doesn’t give off addict vibes, which means there’s something else going on that Braden is still lying about.
I place the order for the pizza and step through the kitchen door outside to make a phone call to Ace. “There’s more to Gia than we realized until this moment,” I tell him ominously.
“What the fuck does that mean, Preacher?”
“It means that the woman Braden’s been seeing on the side is Gia’s mother, and Gia is not an addict. She’s a twenty-something who likes to party.”
“Shit,” Ace bites out. “Get her back here so we can question her.”
I nod at his orders, and then I sigh. “We’re just going to question her, right? She doesn’t seem to know shit, not even why two Kings tried to kidnap her today.”
“Yeah, Preacher, she’ll be safe. Don’t worry about that, but we need answers. You know that.”
“I do. I’ll get more intel over dinner and then get her to the clubhouse.”
“Good. See you later.” Ace ends the call the way he always does…abruptly.
“Everything good?” Gia pops her head out and smiles at me.
“Yeah. Food is on the way.”
“You’re staying for dinner?”
“I am,” I tell her with a nod. “We need to talk. After dinner.”
Her eyes go wide and round, but she nods. “I suppose we do. Want a beer while we wait?” I hesitate, and Gia rushes to add, “Mom’s interrogation isn’t over, so you might need it.”
“Sure.”
“Come inside and let the inquisition begin.” She laughs and steps back so I can enter.
“If you put it like that, I think I’ll take two beers.” Concerned mothers aren’t something I’m used to, but it’s refreshing to see that Kathy is tough on her kid because she cares, not because she resents her. “I’m ready.”
Gia slides a bottle in my hand and grins. “Or so you think.”
Chapter Nine
Gia
“I need you to come with me.” Preacher’s dark eyes bore into me as he waits for me to respond. “Gia,” he says again with a little less patience.
I can’t help myself. I’m mesmerized by his dark eyes and the wisps of curls standing out around his head after the earlier scuffle with the bikers. He is what a man should be, and on top of that, he’s a biker. A real, live, dangerous biker.
“Gia,” he says again, this time with a hint of amusement in his voice.
I blink and shake myself out of my daze. “What? Oh, right. Sorry. What do you need me to do?”
He sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “I need you to come with me to talk to Ace.”
“Who’s Ace?”
“The president of the Reckless Souls.”
I gulp. “Why do I need to talk to him?”
Preacher hesitates for a moment before answering. “I think you can help us with something.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Help you with what?”
“Just trust me, okay?” he says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
Bikers are at the very top of my fantasy list, emphasis on fantasy, at least those were my thoughts until I met Preacher. He’s hot and tough and all kinds of badass, but there’s a gentleness about him that calls to me. But I know I need to be smart until I know more.
“What can I help you with that can't be discussed here?” I say kind of snotty.
“Because we need to talk.”
“Okay,” I say, drawing the word out into about four syllables. “Why can’t we talk here?” I swing my arm around, indicating the dining room table, where we’re still sitting, littered with the remains of our pizza dinner. Not that I’m opposed to going with him, especially if it means getting on the back of that monster and wrapping my arms around his big, beautiful body, but a girl can’t be too careful.
“Because there are some things we need to discuss, and Ace needs to be the one to talk to you.”
I’m wary and lean back with my heart pounding against my chest. “Uhm, why?”
“Gia,” he sighs as his frustration grows. “Just trust me, okay?” he asks with a hint of desperation in his voice.
I'm torn. Part of me wants to trust him because I feel like he's a good guy, but the other part is scared shitless of getting involved with a biker gang.