Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Konrad, who still worked for the government doing undercover-type jobs, had gotten a call, and as far as he knew, he would be gone for a few months. It was a shit time for him to have to leave, but Shaw had apparently already come up with a game plan to still keep everyone protected while Konrad was gone and we couldn’t utilize his connections.
“Anything I can do to help?” Ace asked, coming downstairs with a protein bar in his hand. His hair was currently bright pink and buzzed on the sides. The only makeup he was currently wearing was black eyeliner, but his fingernails were painted the same color as his hair.
“Can you begin making the cupcakes?” I asked him. I’d taught Ace how to bake, and he loved it. We were always coming home from the shop and finding baked goods in our room. Jax had put on a few pounds and was now working out to try to keep the weight off.
Me? Well, I was just fine with my ass getting bigger, especially since Jax couldn’t get enough of it.
As proven by the bite marks on my ass cheeks that stung every time I moved and my loose shorts rubbed against them.
“Why does my clubhouse look like a party is throwing up in it?” Shaw grumbled when he stepped out of his office.
“Stop being a grump,” Ace told him as he began mixing the cupcake ingredients on the bar instead of utilizing the kitchen.
“It’s too early for your brattiness,” Shaw muttered. He looked at Jax. “Shit’s quiet. Even on the Pakhan’s end. Watch your back. Silence usually means trouble is coming.”
Jax grunted. “Trouble is my middle fucking name.”
I rolled my eyes. “Trouble is not your middle name,” I told him. He arched a brow at me, an amused smile playing at his lips. “I won’t allow it.”
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Sure, sweet girl.” He stroked his thumb down my cheek. I shivered. I couldn’t get enough of how much he touched me. One thing was for sure—he’d never leave me touch-starved. “What now?”
I grabbed balloons off the counter and handed them over. He frowned at them, looking grumpy once again. I bit back a snort. He would never voice it aloud, but I knew this was annoying the fuck out of him. “The helium machine is in our room. Can you blow up twenty of these, tie ribbons on them, and then bring them back down to me?”
He sighed but turned on his heel, heading up the stairs. Ace winked at me. “You have that man so pussy whipped.”
I laughed and walked over to see how he was doing. “The batter smells fucking good,” I told him. He dipped his finger into the batter and popped it into his mouth, nodding in agreement. I rolled my eyes. No matter how much I told him we didn’t want his germs in the batter, he did whatever the hell he wanted anyway.
“Think Konrad’s bosses would be mad if I added weed?”
“Very,” Shaw answered as he moved behind us to grab a beer out the fridge.
“Little early to be drinking, isn’t it?” I asked.
He grumbled something I didn’t catch and walked back around the bar, settling on a stool to watch Ace make cupcakes. “If I have to see this bullshit, then no. It’s not too damn early.” He popped the top off his bottle, letting it clatter to the bar. Ace grabbed it and tossed it into the trash.
“Are we throwing a party for Konrad?” Arlo asked as he stepped down the stairs, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed. He pouted. “Does this mean there’s no breakfast?”
I snorted and jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “It’s cold, but there’s bacon, sausages, and pancakes. Coffee is in the coffee pot.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “You’re a Godsend.”
Wasn’t sure if I was all that, but eh. I’d let the praise go to my head anyway.
Jax wrapped his arm around my waist as we watched Konrad set his bags by the door. Ace, who hated being touched, was clutching my hand and sniffling, trying his damnest not to cry.
“I need to head out of here in a minute,” Konrad said. He smiled at me. “I appreciate everything you did, Blakely. It’s made leaving a little easier to bear.”
“Can you stop making this so emotional?” Ace croaked, a tear running down his cheek.
Konrad opened his arms to the boy, and after a moment of indecision, Ace released my hand and walked into Konrad’s arms, letting the older, bigger man wrap the boy in his embrace. Ace broke down, crying earnestly, ruining his makeup.
“Please don’t die,” Ace begged.
Konrad sighed and ran his hand over Ace’s pink hair. “I’ll do my best, kid. You be good, you hear me? Focus on school. You’re almost done.”