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)
“Shiiiit,” he says as he spots me, and then his eyes make the same journey that Havoc's did, from my head down to my feet, and then back up again. There's a noticeable pause around chest height. “If I knew you were out here all alone, I wouldn’t be paying someone else to cut the grass, that’s for fucking sure.”
Mia’s jaw drops.
“Small ears are listening, please,” I say under my breath, looking back and forth between the men.
“Sorry, ma’am,” Sledge says with a wink that doesn’t look sorry at all.
Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. There isn’t much I miss about hanging out with their kind of crowd, but if you need your confidence boosted, you could do worse than surround yourself with guys who aren’t afraid to speak first and think later. I always loved that about bikers. They seem to just love women for being women, all shapes and sizes. They want a girl who can give as good as she takes, and doesn't mind getting a little dirty in and out of the bedroom. Teenage me, desperate to be an adult, loved every minute of it.
Until I got knocked up and my bubble burst.
Not making that mistake again.
“Thanks, but the lawn service seems to be doing just fine. I'm sure I'll be okay.” I look at Phoenix, who is standing but still looks a little green around the edges. “I’ll go get your… stuff.”
He snorts, and then winces.
Sledge picks up on it right away. “You okay?”
“I'm fine.”
“Don’t be a fu—fudging harda—lec.” Without being able to swear, Sledge’s speech stumbles around like a newborn foal. “We saw your bike. You’re lucky to be standing up and not breathing through a tube.”
Havoc nods. “He’s right. How much do you remember?”
I kneel down and tuck a strand of Mia’s long hair behind her ear. “Stay here for a second. I’ll be right back.”
She nods and slips her fingers into Phoenix’s hand. The big, bad biker jumps before carefully closing his much larger hand around hers. The look on their faces is priceless. I wish I could take a picture without ruining it.
I run into the house to get his gun while they cross the lawn to get a better look at where I found him last night. After pulling it out of the safe, I glance down at the deadly hunk of metal in my hands. It feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.
I can’t just give it to him like this. I don’t want Mia to see.
The only thing I can think of on short notice are the bags I use to pack Mia’s snacks. Which is how I end up walking out of the house with a gun barely fitting in a bag covered in cartoon animals that solve crime. Phoenix looks confused when I hand it to him, but nods as soon as he takes it.
“Did he get a cookie?” Mia asks, she looks up at Phoenix. “Mommy always gives me one but I’m s’pposed to eat my apple first.”
All three bikers look at her like they have no idea what to do with a four year old. Probably because they don’t. I take her hand and gently pull her away and back to my side. “Don’t worry, baby. I packed it special just for him.”
Sledge and Havoc narrow their eyes at Phoenix who looks a little smug and tucks the gun—still in its cartoon bag—into his belt. Men.
We stand back as Havoc and Sledge haul the bike out of the ditch. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the show.
Between Mia and everything that came afterwards, I haven’t had the time or interest to date, so the fluttery feelings I get while watching two incredibly built men use their muscles? It’s just because I need to get out more, obviously.
“What’s between the two of you?” Phoenix catches me looking.
“Who? Me and Havoc?” I look at him like he's out of his mind. “Nothing! He sees me like a little sister.” For better or worse.
“Not sure about that, beautiful.”
“Don’t—” As he’s lifting up the bottom of the motorcycle, his thick muscles straining, Havoc is looking my way, watching me closely. Is he mad about Phoenix being too forward? Or is it something else? Something inside me jumps at the idea that he might be willing to reconsider now that I’m older and definitely not just a lost teenager anymore.
They finally get the bike up into the back of their truck. Havoc pulls his shirt off and wipes the sweat off with it. Teenage me would’ve been right there to lick those droplets right off his big pecs. Honestly, adult me would love a turn at that too.
Phoenix chuckles as he looks between us. “Yeah, you’re his little sister just like Summer is Crash’s little sister.”
“Who?”
“Nobody.”
“I don’t like this,” Sledge mutters as they come over to us. “With the break-ins, and now Phoenix getting bumped off the road… maybe one of us should hang around for a bit and—”