Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
I smile and tap my shot glass against his. “And the start of another, more lucrative fucking chapter.”
“A-fucking-men, brother.” He knocks back his shot, sets the glass down, and pushes away from the bar. With a smile and a nod, he strolls away in his lazy gait, stopping to chat with Coop. He sits next to a visibly very pregnant Kelsey, both of them chatting with her sister and Ace’s woman, Kenna. Ace hooks an arm around Kenna and kisses her head before he turns his attention to Coop.
I watch everyone, all of my brothers, wearing proud smiles, many of them with a woman on their arm, some with babies hanging from their hips. That’s the way of things around here lately. Brothers are falling in love and settling down, giving us more to fight for, more to protect.
In another corner, Dix and Shades are chatting, each holding their woman. Preacher and Gia are cuddling up in a corner, smiling and probably whispering filthy things at each other. Wild Man and Lucky play pool while Maven and Aria laugh over what looks like glasses of margaritas. I join them at the pool table with an easy smile, allowing myself to enjoy the peace.
For now.
It won’t last long, but today, we’re all happy.
All in heaven, all hoping for an extended moment of peace.
For however the fuck long it lasts.
CHAPTER ONE
Cassidy
“Son of a fucking bitch!” My whole fucking truck is shaking like an earthquake rumbling underneath me, and I stroke the steering wheel in soft, gentle strokes. “It’s okay, girl. Just a few more miles.”
My load, thankfully, was dropped off at a warehouse twenty minutes ago, and I’m headed to the truck stop just north of here. But I don’t think I’ll make it. I can’t afford to get stuck on the side of the road between Angel Harbor and Los Angeles. My plan was to turn in at the truck stop and see about getting another load ASAP, but now the truck is my priority.
At the first red light, I Google the closest repair shop with the ability to handle my big rig because of the way she’s chugging and vibrating. “Call Ace Motors,” I say to the phone as an asshole in a red convertible cuts me off the minute the light turns green.
“Ace Motors, what can I do for ya?” The voice that answers the phone startles me because it’s not as professional as I expected. “Hello?”
“Yeah, sorry,” I say and shake my head. “My truck is making some weird noises, and I need to get it looked at. Do you require an appointment, or can I just roll on in?” I hold my breath, waiting for an answer.
“What kind of truck?”
“A 2018 Kenworth.”
“Ooh. I’m sorry, but we don’t have anything big enough here for that,” he begins. “But if you can limp it over to Morgan International on Harbor Way, they can get it looked at.” He rattles off an address, and I try to tap it out on my phone as quickly as possible.
“You there?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s a repair shop?” I ask, panicking now about the vibrations.
“Yes and no. But our mechanics are there, and they can fix you right up. It’s right in the middle of Angel Harbor. You need directions?”
“No, my Navigation says it’ll take twenty minutes.”
“All right. We’ll see you then. Call me back if you have any more questions.”
“Thanks,” I say and tap the screen. I follow the directions while my truck coughs and chugs along the road, and I spot the gleaming building sitting right on the water. The sign above it reads Morgan International in plain black lettering, and I roll through the gates with relief pounding through my chest.
A man strolls out of a work bay with a slow, lazy gait and a smile that can only be described as sexy. His thick brown hair curls at the edges because he’s at least a month overdue for a haircut. His eyes sparkle in the afternoon sun, and his broad shoulders are the kind that tell every woman in a ten-mile radius that he’s a strong, capable protector. He’s good-looking in that bad boy way that might’ve gotten my panties wet when I was younger, but now he’s just a beautiful man.
He bangs on my door with his palm to get my attention, and I open the door, jumping out and landing right in front of him.
“Hey.”
His dark brows quirk, and his lips tug into a crooked grin. “Need some help?”
I sigh and nod, motioning toward my truck. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure something electronic is causing the problems. Dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, and it’s got a rough idle. Thought I was gonna have to leave it on the side of the freeway a few times.” I let out a long breath, and add, “A diagnostic should confirm it, so we can order the replacement part as soon as possible.”