Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“I know. I love you, too.”
30
SLEDGE
“I don't know if she wants to talk to you, Sledge,” Alessa says at the door. “She didn’t say what happened, but it’s pretty clear at least one of you fucked up. Big time.”
I grimace. The way things are at the club means we haven’t been able to focus on her the way we want, and both Havoc and Phoenix think she needs space. Well, Havoc does. I think Phoenix is just waiting for her to tell him to go to Hell. I might be wrong, I usually am, but something tells me too much space is just gonna make it harder in the long run.
Bear comes up from behind Alessa and nods at me. “Go ask her, baby. It's not our place to sort out their shit for them.”
Alessa huffs at him, but she nods. “Fine. But if she doesn't want to talk, then she doesn't have to.” She goes into their house, leaving me with her old man.
“You fucked up, didn't you?” he asks with a laugh. “Man, you three really are the misfits. She's only been here what, a couple days?”
I glare at him which just makes him laugh harder, but it doesn't fucking matter because Shelby appears from inside the house and gives me a tiny smile. Just enough to make me think maybe I've got a shot. Which is kind of fucked up, because if our chance at keeping her relies on me, we're screwed.
“Hey,” she says, licking her full, pink lips nervously.
Bear pats her on the shoulder. “Go easy on him. We're simple fuckers but we usually mean well.”
“I know,” she says, and her cheeks turn the same color as those pretty lips.
“Come with me.” I take her hand and tug her out of the door.
She throws a look over her shoulder. “Okay, but I don't want to leave Mia for long without letting her know.”
“We won't, I promise.” I lead her into the clubhouse, but instead of taking her to my room, I avoid the common room and guide her through the maze of hallways and stairs up to where the roof access stairwell is.
“Where are we going?”
“I wanna show you something. This is where I go when I need to think.”
Shel laughs. “I don't want to think, Sledge. I've done nothing but think all morning and it's not helping.”
I push open the door to the roof and lead her out. It's nothing fancy, but there are some chairs set up under a makeshift cover, and from here you can see out over the walls and into the city. The clubhouse is no skyscraper, but we can see most of our territory from here. “Then just listen for now, okay?”
She nods. I can tell she's still feeling raw, but I want to fix this before she gives up on us. I don't wanna lose her. I don't think Havoc and Phoenix wanna lose her either.
I take her to one of the chairs and sit down. I pull her onto my lap so that she's sitting between my legs, facing out. Her back’s against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her. She sighs, but it's not a sigh of contentment. It's a tired, frustrated sound. I put my hands on her shoulders and work on the knots I find there, digging my thumbs into her neck to do the same.
Shelby groans. “God, that feels good.”
“We're gonna figure this out, baby.”
“What’s there to figure out? You guys all lied to me.”
“We didn't lie. We just didn't tell you everything.”
“Funny. It kinda feels like the same thing, Sledge.”
I sigh. “I know. Look, Havoc and I have always known Phoenix was in the Pit Vipers. He's not the only one. Eagle-eye himself was a Pit Viper from way back. Ask Faith to tell you the story of how she ended up here. And Razor? I don't know if you know him, but he's known Phoenix since he was a fucking baby. When we first met you, Havoc warned us you'd dealt with Pit Viper shit before, but they’re dead and gone. Most of them, anyway. So what was the point in bringing up the past?”
She leans back into me. “I know, and if I were you? I might even have done the same, but we had sex. No, you know what, it was more than that. At least for me. Part of trusting you is knowing that you'll tell me everything I need to know to make good decisions, and now I don't know if I can or not. That makes it hard to trust you.”
She turns slightly so she can look up at me, and I can't stop myself from kissing her. She hesitates for a moment, but then gives in, turning her body into mine and sliding her arms around my neck. I'm not sure if I should take it further, but I can't resist flicking my tongue against her lips, asking for entry.