Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 83872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“Would you take your kid and run off from Cole?” Drake asked me.
“I don’t even have to think about it,” I told him. “My situation is different than Holly’s. I was born into this life. I know how to handle it, and I know I can protect my kids. Holly doesn’t look like the kind of girl that was born into this life. She looks fucking terrified just at the word bikers.” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “Drake, she did what any mother would do that thought their child needed better protection. She ran, and she got the fuck away from it all. I can’t say I blame her. This life is scary as shit to outsiders. Fuck, sometimes, it scares the shit out of me.”
Drake ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. I’ll fucking talk to her, and I promise I won’t fucking kill her or beat the fuck out of her or anything else of the fucking sort. If she runs again though, I can’t say that I’ll hold back,” he warned me.
I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. It was the most that I could ask of him. I turned to the side, and Drake grabbed my arm, stopping me from stepping forward. “What the fuck happened?” he asked me, his jaw clenched in anger as he looked down at my thigh.
“Someone in your crew happened,” I told him. “I was able to get Holly and Lilly out of the way just in time, but my thigh wasn’t so lucky.”
“Amelia—” he started, an apologetic look on his face, but I just shook my head at him.
“Shit happens,” I told him. I jerked my head in Cole’s direction, who was scowling at me for blowing the injury off. “Cole’s probably the one you should apologize to. I think he almost had a heart attack.”
I limped inside and left Cole and Drake standing where they were. Holly was curled into a corner, sobbing her heart out. “Holly, Drake gave me his word that he won’t hurt you or Lilly. You need to go with him and talk to him. He deserves an explanation. You ran off with his daughter,” I told her gently.
“I—I can’t,” she sobbed.
I sighed, squatting in front of her despite the pain flaring in my thigh. “Holly, this life is crazy. Trust me, I understand that better than anyone. I’ve been beaten and raped too many times to count, and I’ve been shot just as much. I almost died numerous times while I was in jail just for being a member of the Bloody Black Skulls. So much shit has happened to me because of this life that it’s fucking crazy.” She looked up at me through teary eyes. I sighed. “I don’t have kids yet, so you can’t take my word for it. But you can take Katie’s. She’ll be the first one to tell you that she protected her kids while they grew up. Nothing ever happened to them. Anything that happened to her three children happened because they were older and making their own decisions, and they decided not to listen to her or Travis. You can protect Lilly, but you need to give Drake a chance to prove to you that he can protect you both, as well.”
She nodded, sniffling. I helped her up. She grabbed Lilly’s hand and walked outside with me. Cole and Drake were leaning against Cole’s truck when I came outside. Drake looked up, and when his eyes landed on Holly, I could practically feel her urge to run away from the entire situation and not look back. I turned to look at her, a warning in my eyes. If she ran, Drake wouldn’t be this forgiving again. “Holly, I’m being serious. If this were any other biker that you had run from, they would have already shot you. Drake is giving you a chance. You should do the same for him.”
She took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. I walked over to Cole, leaving her standing frozen in her spot as Drake walked toward her and Lilly. Cole pulled me against him and kissed me deeply. Shivers ran down my spine and headed straight for my core. “I can’t wait to get you alone,” he groaned softly into my ear.
I moaned quietly, smirking up at him. “That came out of nowhere.”
“I’ve been wanting to fuck you since you started yelling at me earlier. It’s the most infuriating yet sexiest thing when you yell at me and defy me.”
“Hey, sweetheart, my name is Drake.” I turned around at the sound of Drake introducing himself to Lilly. “I’m your dad.”
Her eyes widened. Drake’s face was the gentlest I had ever seen him, and I swear, I had never seen something so tender and loving in my life. It was obvious that Drake loved his little girl. It really made me wonder what it would be like to see Cole hold our child for the first time. A small smile crept onto my face as I thought about it.