Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91361 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Somewhere along the way, between despair and anger, between grief and bitterness, I had made myself believe that everyone was like Amelie and Dan.
Selfish.
Murderously selfish.
Until this guy outside.
If this guy had been there—-
If this guy had seen Ashton inside the car, had realized what was happening—-
My baby brother would still be alive.
It was a...comforting thought.
Outside, the guy was still speaking. “Don’t forget. Me, in your corner.”
I touched my lips, and I started to cry, really cry, when I realized that my lips had curved into a smile.
Ashton, you got my letter, didn’t you?
Love you.
Thank you.
Chapter Two
Dear Ashton,
You wouldn’t believe what happened tonight. Well, actually, I think you would. Because I bet you had something to do with it. Didn’t you? Prankster!
Love, Your Big Sis
KC: WAS HE CUTE?
Me: I told you. I didn’t look at him.
KC: You are so HOPELESS.
Me: Oh, you’re one to talk.
KC: Let’s change the subject.
Me: Thought you’d say that. Gotta go now. Eddie’s back and we still need to pack up our stuff.
KC: Don’t forget – lunch tomorrow with Lace.
Me: Yep.
I let my phone fall back against my hip. It was chained to the belt loop of my uniform, my only recourse since my waitress uniform didn’t come with pockets.
Again, I cursed Bobby inside my head. Evil redheaded queen. I was pretty sure she had chosen the uniform with me in mind. Not only was it super tight, the lack of pockets also meant I couldn’t have my portable whiteboard with me.
My teeth gnashed at the thought. Super evil redheaded queen. She always did the most outlandish things just to get me to talk. Thankfully, just blinking my lashes had done the trick for the guys while playing dumb did it for the girls. Take that, queen. I managed not to utter a single word the entire night.
“Aria?” Eddie was looking at me questioningly. “You need me to do something?”
I pointed at the crates at the other end of the industrial-sized kitchen.
His brow furrowed. “Yeah, I see them. So?” Aside from being one of NH’s beneficiaries, the eighteen-year-old also suffered from a learning disability, one that prevented him from processing information as quickly as others.
Realizing that I had to elaborate, I pointed to the crate again and then tried acting my message out by squatting down halfway and clasping my arms over my shoulder.
Eddie’s eyes lit up a few moments later. “Heavy! You’re saying it’s too heavy for you to carry on your own, so you’d like me to help you with the crates?”
I gave him a thumbs-up.
Eddie gasped. “You’re smiling.”
It was my turn to gasp, silently, and I hastily covered my mouth. I was? That wasn’t good!
He said cheerfully, “You should smile more often.”
I tried not to frown. It was only because this was Eddie that I didn’t. I pointed to the crates again.
“Yes, I got it. I’ll get them to the truck.”
I nodded. Good.
“Do I wait for you?”
I shook my head.
“You’ll go home alone?”
Yup.
“Is that okay?”
I curled up my arm. I’m strong.
Eddie grinned. “Okay.” His brow furrowed again, and I waited patiently, knowing he was trying to remember something. “Oh!” His eyes lit up again. “Bobby says please wait for your paycheck.”
I nodded. Got it. As he loaded the crates on a trolley and headed for the exit, I waved at him.
“Bye!”
When Eddie left, that was the only time I allowed myself to frown. I had smiled. For the second time in the day, I had smiled.
I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it. Ashton, if you’re the one making me smile...I don’t like it.
Behind me, I heard the kitchen’s main door swing open. A second later, someone was tapping me on the shoulder, and I turned around, expecting it to be Bobby with my paycheck—-
But it was not.
The guy standing in front of me was easily recognizable since he figured in a lot of MJ and Bobby’s photos.
Kellion Argyros.
He was the Vice President of the Afxisi, and as with virtually all members of the bike club, his every feature reminded me of a Greek god. Tall. Shiny black hair. Fierce green eyes. Bronze skin. And, I thought uneasily, a body that was hard all over, a body that strangely made my throat dry.
I badly wanted to wet my lips but I didn’t since he was still staring at me. Usually, the way he was staring at me would have been repulsive, but when it was Kellion Argyros doing it—-
I mentally shook my head. Vigorously. No, no, no. I had to stop thinking about the biker that way. Men like him were jerks. If there was one lesson to learn from everything that my friends had gone through when they fell in love with bikers, then it was that.
Bikers were trouble on wheels. Period.
Intent on saving my sanity, I started to turn away—-
But then I saw him do something I had never imagined he’d do.