Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Petal had never liked Colt. Mainly because he was the asshole that was making her best friend’s life a nightmare. To her, he’d been an asshole, but now it made sense. Colt’s sister had died at the orders of Daemon, Rosalie’s father. It didn’t excuse Colt’s actions, but seeing it as a brother, a son, holding his dying sister. That was a cruelty she doubted many could get over.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault, and you didn’t know. But I carry Hannah’s memory with me, and I know she would still want me to be a good mother, a good woman, a good person, and that is what I do. For her, I live on. Hannah didn’t have a single malicious bone in her body. My husband always said she must have been switched at the hospital, but we know Hannah was there to keep our heads on straight. To make us see the world in a different light, and that is exactly what she did.”
Kim took a sip of her coffee.
“I know it’s easy to say you must live your life, but I promise you, wallowing in the darkness is no life at all. You’re young and you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. You have family. You have everything, and I’m asking you to not turn your back on it, for your own sake.”
Petal nodded.
“I know you’re a fiery little blonde and you have attitude and all that. Don’t lose it. Rosalie is going to need you. Life in the MC is not easy, and trust me, I didn’t even want to have this life, but I fell in love and got pregnant. My family turned their back on me, and Petal, you’re the only family she has left.”
“I’ll always have her back,” Petal said. “Of that, you have no doubt.”
“Good, because I won’t turn my back on you either. You took a bullet for the club, that makes you family. No matter what.”
Petal smiled. “Thank you.”
Kim finished her drink. “I better let you go and do whatever you were doing.”
“I was doing the laundry,” Petal said.
“Ah, I don’t know if I should leave you or invite you along. I’ve got to head back to the clubhouse. I promised the guys a home-cooked dinner, and I’m not cleaning that mess. They can do it and be fed in the process.”
Petal smiled and saw Kim to the front door. The older woman turned and pulled her in for a hug.
“Think about what I said. Don’t lose yourself.” Kim held her tightly and then kissed her on the forehead. “You’re invited to lunch tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there,” Petal said. At first, it was on the tip of her tongue to say no, but she didn’t want to. Staying at home right now with the knowledge that she loved Dirty was too much.
Kim climbed behind the wheel and it was then that she saw Myth waiting in the car. The man was Kim’s personal bodyguard, and he was always there. The only time he wasn’t was when they went on that cruise.
She held her hand out to say goodbye to Kim and by extension, Myth, before closing the door. Holy crap, that cruise, where it all truly started for her and Dirty. Once they got back, she began to sneak around. She’d claim to Rosalie that she had a family problem. There was never any kind of family problem. Just her and Dirty getting every moment they could together, in private. He used to make it sound so fun, so intimate. The truth was, he just wanted to fuck without getting caught. She saw the truth now.
Kim was right, she had to start doing little things. This person, sad and filled with regret, was not her. It never had been her. Squaring her shoulders, she walked back to the laundry room and knew this was a new dawn for her. She was not going to cower down. She would rise up. What didn’t kill you made you stronger.
She was strong, and there was no way in hell she needed a man.
****
The patrols that were taken seemed pointless after all this time. There was no sign of the Evil Fuckers MC, but at least it got him out of town and away from all the bullshit that was driving him crazy.
Focusing on club business didn’t drag him down into the pit, where he knew he belonged. It would be so easy for him to fall victim to it, but not today. He was done today.
None of the club knew that every single day he drove by Petal’s place, hoping for a brief glimpse of her or some sighting that would make this okay. He got nothing. Not even a brief glimpse.
Then, of course, the diner where Petal and Rosalie worked. He only ever went with fellow club members, even though he wanted to go every chance he got, especially when he knew Petal was there. Now, he knew Kim had invited Petal to the family lunch. He wasn’t invited.