Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Through smart decisions with my money—and a lack of bills while in the service—I had enough for my children and my children's children to live comfortably. Which made it slightly easier to be away because I made sure her foster family had plenty of money to care for her. And if the reports filed were anything but glowing, they’d not only lose what I was sending them but I also made sure they knew I’d burn their lives to the ground.
I left the Army two years ago, and my first stop was to see Blakely. When I pulled up to the house, she ran out the door and threw herself into my arms. It was the first time I’d seen her in person for nearly a year, and somehow, despite our video chats, it had escaped my notice that she had grown into a woman.
But when my arms closed around her, and I felt her soft curves and her cinnamon scent wafted to my nose, I became instantly aware of what I’d missed.
Blakely was too young for me to be having the kind of thoughts that started sifting through my mind. And I knew that if I didn’t keep my distance, I was gonna do something monumentally stupid. There was no way in hell that I would risk anything taking me away from her. She’d already lost too much.
So I took her to dinner, then made a hasty exit. The hurt in her eyes as I said goodbye almost broke my resolve.
The next day, I went to see her dad in prison. I gave him every excuse I could think of—that didn’t involve my attraction to his daughter—and asked him to let me find someone else to watch out for her.
He’d listened quietly, observing me in a way I couldn’t figure out.
Then he shook his head and told me he didn’t trust anyone else. He reminded me of my promise and suggested I protect her from afar. Stay around her life, but not in it.
I almost said no…but when I thought about Blakely being taken care of by anyone other than me, fury burned inside me.
I decided if he wasn’t going to let me out of my oath, then he would have to deal with the consequences.
I left the prison, and while it nearly tore my heart out to stay away from Blakely, I reassured myself that I would come for her in two years.
And that day was finally here.
We parked our bikes around the back when we arrived at the Westland Riders MC. The MC was less than a third of the size of the Iron Rogues, so they didn’t have a secure compound like we did. Their clubhouse was a former boarding house in the small town's downtown area.
After securing my hog, I bounded up the three steps to the entrance and shoved the door open.
The lighting was low, but I could see every detail as my eyes swept over the room. It was long and narrow, with multiple seating areas along one wall. On the other were pool tables and arcade games, as well as a long bar. A couple of guys were lounging on couches and watching a mounted television. Their heads whipped in my direction, their hands reaching for weapons. But when they saw me, they slouched back into their seats.
Jagger walked in through a swinging doorway, and when he spotted me, he jerked his chin toward the direction he’d come from. “Kitchen,” he muttered, then hastily stepped to the side so he wouldn’t be knocked over when I stalked past him.
The door led to a decent-sized industrial kitchen, and two women stood near the appliances, chatting and drinking from mugs. I dismissed them immediately and looked at the long table across the room.
My breath got caught in my throat, and my heart thudded so hard it was painful.
Silky blond curls were tied up in a cute ponytail, but little tendrils had escaped and framed Blakely’s heart-shaped face. Her big blue eyes widened when she caught sight of me, and her coal-black lashes fluttered as her pink lips formed a little O.
She stood, and my eyes continued down, slowly perusing her body now that I had given myself permission to appreciate it. Blakely had a slender build but with curves in all the right places.
Her tits were on the smaller side, but they were round and perky, and I knew they would fill my hands perfectly. A narrow waist led to the sweet flare of her hips, and I swallowed hard when I saw her seemingly endless legs. She wore shorts, and with all that skin on display, I hardened at the thought of how it would feel to have all that softness wrapped around my head.
When my gaze finally returned to her face, the surprise had been replaced with wariness. Her eyes were narrowed, and her lips pursed as she cocked her head to the side.