Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
“Drinks?” Tank said somberly. Tanner got up with Tank and headed to the bar. I watched the two best friends walking together, and in that moment was eternally grateful for Tank. He had been there for Tanner when he was a beaten lost boy. Tank had been the one to save him in so many ways. He had been there when Tanner no longer wanted the Klan. And Tank had given him a home amongst these men, a refuge when he had nowhere else to go.
A flicker of peace calmed my heavy heart. Tanner wasn’t alone. He had people—people other than me who loved him.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Beauty’s voice pulled me from staring at Tanner and Tank. I turned to Beauty who was studying me. “I can see it in your eyes, darlin’. You blame yourself.”
“Diego was pissed about me.”
Beauty sighed. “The Hangmen took you, sweetie. From your home before anyone knew who you were.” Although that was correct, it was little comfort. Beauty edged closer to me. She pointed to the men in the room. “You are cartel, Lita. I know you get this life more than anyone who has walked through the doors on the arm of a brother before now. So, you don’t need me to tell you that anyone who swears his allegiance to this club, to this life, does it knowing the risks. Any brother who slips on a cut with Hades on the back knows that he might not live to see the next day.” She sighed. “It’s hard. And when something like this happens, to someone so young, it hurts twice as bad.” Beauty took hold of my hand. “But blaming yourself won’t bring him back. It’ll only cause you a lifetime of pain.”
Tanner and Tank came back over to the table with our drinks. I stood and moved to wrap my arms around Tanner. His eyes were suspicious. I kissed him. Tanner kissed me back. When I pulled away, I said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“You okay, princess? Really?”
“I will be.”
I left the bar and headed in the direction of our room. But I stopped when I passed the medical room that Edge and Rider worked from. Checking no one was around, I tried the knob. It opened, and I slipped inside the dark room. Using the light from the moon outside, I searched through the drawers until I found what I was looking for. Putting it my pocket, I went into Tanner’s room and placed it where it was accessible but out of sight.
Going to the desk Tanner worked from, I pulled open the drawer and took out one of the burner cells. Making sure the door was locked, I turned the cell on and called the number. The minute the cell clicked on, I said, “En cuatro horas nos vemos en el sur de la propiedad Hangmen. Me regreso a casa.” I hung up, turned off the cell and put it back in the drawer exactly where I found it.
I went back to the bar, and the men got drunker and drunker as the night went on. Eventually, I turned to Tanner. “Can we go to the room, mi amor? I’m tired.”
Tanner finished his whiskey, then got to his feet. Before we left, I reached down and hugged Beauty. She smiled at me when I pulled back. “Thank you for everything,” I said so only she could hear me. “And for caring for Tanner like you do. You’re his family.”
“Yours too, I hope.”
“Always,” I replied, and tried to hide the emotional hitch in my breath.
Tanner put his arm around me, and we walked to our room. We passed Phebe and Saffie, and I gave them a small wave. My chest felt full when Saffie gave a shy wave back. The minute we were back in the room, I locked the door. Tanner went to his computer and checked something. I didn’t know what. He didn’t know I was watching him. And I was glad. Because I got to commit him to memory. His blue eyes and light lashes. The stern face that lit up only around me. His lips that so beautifully kissed mine, and his hands that always sought to hold me. Always touched me and told me, without words, that he loved me more than I ever thought I would ever be loved.
When he eventually looked up from his screen, I silently held out my hand. Tanner turned off his computer and came over to me. He didn’t take my hand. Instead, he picked me up, bringing my legs around his waist. We didn’t kiss as he led us to the bed. We didn’t talk. There was nothing to be said. Tonight was for silence, and me showing this man how much I loved and adored him. How he had given me more in the short times we had managed to be together than some people got after forty years. I wanted him to know that I cherished him and what he had given up for us. And I was proud of him. Proud of the abused boy who had walked away from his aggressive and controlling father and had risen out of his darkness and into the safety of light.