Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
“It ain’t been nowhere,” I growled at her. “Even if it was, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“You’re right,” she said, still not meeting my gaze but digging through her bag for clean clothes. “You don’t. Just like I don’t have to explain where I’m going or why.”
“You do when I have to kill a man to get you out of the situation you’re in.”
“No one asked you to do that, Brick. In fact, I don’t want or need your help any longer. I’ll have Rycks send someone for me. Black Reign will compensate you for this room.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. Serelda was the delicate one. I’d always treated her as such, but the terror I’d experienced knowing that fuckhead had a knife on her had my hackles rising. I’d killed the bastard too quickly and was spoiling for a fight to relieve some tension. The last thing she needed was for me to take out my anger on her when it wasn’t her fault. Sure, she’d left, but I was angry at myself for caring she’d left. Sting was the only person I’d ever concerned myself with protecting. He was not only my president, but my best friend. The one man who’d stood by me since I’d gotten out of prison six years ago. Now, I’d gone and attached myself to this woman and had no idea how it had even happened.
“You seem pretty sure you can get another club to pay your tab. Is that what you do? Run from club to club looking for someone to take care of you?” The second I uttered the words, I knew I’d fucked up. Serelda’s expression shut down. She turned her back to me. When she whipped back around, it was with a Taser in her hand. She pointed it at me and fired without a moment’s hesitation.
The darts hit my chest with a little sting. Then my whole body seized, my muscles stiffening as the electric shock scrambled my nervous system. I tried to power through it, but there was no fighting the effects. Lord knew I’d gone through this more than once in prison. The best thing I could do was to let it have me. The more I fought, the more my body would hurt later.
Serelda yanked at the wires coming from her Taser, pulling the attached darts from my chest. As she passed, she kicked my stomach. Hard. Backpack slung over her shoulder, she stomped past my sorry hide and to the door.
“Serelda, stop!” My voice wasn’t nearly strong enough to give that kind of command and expect her to obey me. And, of course, she didn’t. Unlocking the door, she flung it open and hurried outside.
It took me several seconds to gather myself. My muscles ached like I’d been run over by a fucking truck. Finally, I managed to stumble to my feet and outside. I saw her form rounding the corner of the building and hurried off in that direction. Well, I moved as fast as I could. Which wasn’t saying much. My legs still didn’t want to work. Sheer force of will was all that kept me going.
I found her in the lobby, where she’d ducked behind a plant. She had her phone to her ear, and I heard her telling someone where she was and promising to keep her phone on so they could track her. When she saw me, she gave a little squeak and scrambled back farther. I reached out and snagged the phone, putting it to my ear.
“Who the fuck is this?” I was in no position to demand anything, but it went against my nature to do anything but demand in certain circumstances.
“Rycks. Who the fuck is this?”
“I’ve got everything under control,” I bit out, not answering his question. “I’ll take her back to Iron Tzars and everything will be fucking fine.”
“Brick? What the fuck, man? You sound like you’re ready to throttle someone. What happened?”
“None of your Goddamn business. I got this.”
“I’m making it my business.” The other man went from mildly irritated and slightly disbelieving to pissed the fuck off in two point three seconds. “Now tell me what the fuck happened.”
“Your girl went and got herself in some trouble. I rescued her.” That was all he was getting over a questionable connection. I didn’t think they’d put me back in prison for killing a guy in self-defense, but I wasn’t going to admit to anything on my own.
“So why do you sound so surly?”
“Rough fuckin’ day. She’s fine. I got this.” I ended the call before he could continue. Then I snagged Serelda’s hand again and marched her out the door. “You do that again, you’re goin’ over my knee. After that, I promise you won’t ever do it again.”
“Are you threatening me? Because I warn you, you may get the better of me now, but you have to sleep sometime.”