Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
I beamed a smile up at him. “That plan sounds awesome to me, but we’re going to need to come up for air sooner rather than later. Keeping my dad in the dark about where I am hasn’t been easy. It’s a good thing you came back today because I think our time has just about run out.”
“We’ll figure out the shit with your dad together, princess.” He gave me another quick kiss. “I’m so fucking lucky you grew up in the life and aren’t pissed I was gone longer than planned. I hate that you had to deal with putting your dad off while I wasn’t here to help.”
“It’s okay,” I reassured him. “My mom and sister pitched in to keep him distracted.”
“It’s a good thing your man is back,” Jake called as he strode toward us with something clutched in his fist.
As he neared, I realized they were flowers. And that I had run out of time to tell Maverick what had gone down while he was gone.
Maverick set me on my feet as he turned toward Jake. His eyes narrowed and a muscle jumped in his jaw as his gaze dropped to the flowers. “You bringing those to my woman, prospect?”
“Yeah, but it’s not what you think.” Jake tossed the flowers on the ground and held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “They’re not from me.”
“Who the fuck are they from then?” Maverick growled as he leaned down to grab the bouquet off the ground.
“I wish I knew,” Jake muttered. “If I figured that shit out, I’d get patched in for sure.”
“You’re a long way from being voted on.” Maverick yanked the small white envelope out of the flowers, his brows drawing together as he read the note. “What the fuck?”
“If you’re going to be angry with anyone, it should be me.” I gripped his biceps to stop him from doing something he would regret—like throw a punch at the poor prospect who was in striking distance. Or go hunt down one of his club brothers for keeping this from him while he was gone. “I begged Whiskey to let you focus on club business while you were gone because I was scared you’d get hurt if you were distracted by this whole mess. And it’s not like it’s a huge deal or anything. Just some flowers and gifts from a random secret admirer.”
“How many gifts, and when the fuck did this start?” Maverick snarled.
“Two bouquets of flowers, a box of chocolates, and a card,” I rattled off with a sigh. “The roses were first and came to the tattoo shop the day after you left. The chocolates were a couple of days later. Then the card came to the clubhouse yesterday. Now these flowers.”
“The guy switched from leaving you shit at Iron Inkworks to here, and my club still doesn’t know who the fuck he is this many fucking days later?” Maverick growled.
I was worried for Whiskey’s safety since he chose that moment to walk through the gates. But he didn’t make it to us before he looked over his shoulder. My gaze followed…and I realized a bad situation had just gotten a hell of a lot worse.
9
MAVERICK
The roar of a motorcycle interrupted me before I could decide whether to put a bullet in Whiskey’s or Jake’s skull or just cut off their balls for not telling me about the “gifts” Molly had been receiving.
“What the fuck?”
Whiskey’s exclamation drew my attention as he stalked toward the newcomer. I glanced over and cursed when I saw Cash Gannon—a fucking Silver Saint—climbing off his bike. He was holding an arm across his middle, and I could see blood darkening his gray T-shirt beneath his hand.
“Blade around?” he asked as if he just wanted to visit.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered. As if shit wasn’t complicated enough finding out there was a motherfucker stalking my woman, now I had to deal with this. I’d been banking on being able to handle the “admirer” before shit went down with Mac and his club. I pointed at one of the prospects hovering near the entrance to the garage, smoking a cigarette. “Find Blade. Tell him to bring his medical shit.”
A female gasp made me grimace as I watched Cash’s gaze swing in Molly’s direction.
“Are you okay?” she asked, rushing toward him. I grabbed the belt loop of her jeans and hauled her back against me. I could feel her glaring up at me, but I didn’t take my eyes off Cash.
“Molly?” Cash gaped. “What the fuck are you…?” He trailed off when he spotted my arm curling around her, keeping her in place. Then his expression darkened and fury burned in his eyes. “You’re a fucking dead man, Maverick.”
Molly startled at Cash’s statement, and I knew she was going to speak up, but that wasn’t how this world worked. Apparently, she needed a reminder that her man would fight for her. I gave her a gentle squeeze, and she huffed but stayed silent.