Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 173392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 867(@200wpm)___ 694(@250wpm)___ 578(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 867(@200wpm)___ 694(@250wpm)___ 578(@300wpm)
I hear Trace’s laugh, followed by Dallas’s cursing. There’s at least one other person in there, cooking. I groan, smoothing out my clothes and hair as I inch around the corner to look in the kitchen.
Army stands at the stove, flipping bacon with a dish towel hanging out of his back jeans pocket, the sun making his dark brown hair and the skin on his back look golden. The tentacles of the octopus tattoo drape over his shoulder blade.
His one-year-old son, Dex, jumps up and down as he stands on Trace’s lap, the half-eaten Cheerios and banana left at his high chair. His new white sneakers with the black Nike symbol are always on his feet because he’s just learned to walk, and his uncles couldn’t wait for all the new doors that was going to open. Soccer, climbing trees, walking dogs … But I think it’ll be a few years before he’s ready for any of that. Doesn’t stop them from buying him shoes, though.
My keys sit on the counter, and I can feel Dallas’s eyes on me as he takes a seat at the table. I move toward Army, reaching around him at the stove. “Excuse me.”
He glances over his shoulder, seeing me as I snatch my keys back and turn to leave. I don’t know how they ended up in here.
But Trace pulls me to the table. “Sit.”
I pull away. “Stop.”
“I’ll fix your tires after breakfast,” he says. “Stay and eat.”
“I can handle it myself.” I head out of the kitchen. “I don’t need your help.”
“I fixed her tires already.”
I look up, seeing Iron head into the kitchen. He meets my eyes, sweat covering his neck and chest, and I don’t realize I’m frozen until my lungs ache from no air. He walks around me, to the table, and I stand there for a second.
How did he know I had a problem with my tires? I guess that explains how my keys weren’t where I left them.
But before I can say thank you, I hear Dallas.
“You fixed her tires?”
I can hear the disgust in his voice.
“Her grandfather is sending you to prison for forty-two months, Iron. Forty, if you behave yourself, which you won’t.”
“Maybe fixing his granddaughter’s car will win him some points,” Trace jokes, and grabs my arm, hauling me over.
I fall onto the seat next to him but immediately pop back up.
I’m not staying.
“This isn’t funny!” I hear Dallas yell. He glares at me from the other side of the table. “Get the fuck out of here. Macon says no girls at the table anyway.”
“Clay eats at the table,” Trace points out.
“Clay’s more to Liv than just a piece of ass!” Dallas cocks an eyebrow at me. “Unfortunately.”
“Jesus, enough,” Army growls at him. “Goddammit. I’m sick of your shit.” He dumps the plate of bacon on the table. “I want some peace at this table for once.”
Dallas opens his mouth.
“Shut up,” Army barks again before Dallas can argue more.
The table falls silent as Army puts his kid back in his high chair and everyone starts loading their plates. It’s almost comical how they fight nonstop, and Dallas just insulted me several times in the span of thirty seconds, but I still see them as more of a family than I’ve ever witnessed before. I’ve seen them eat more meals together in the six months I’ve known them than my family has in my entire life.
I look across the table where Iron has taken a seat next to Dallas. I know I told Trace I could take care of the tires, but it wouldn’t have been that easy. “You didn’t have to do that,” I tell Iron. “I appreciate it, though. Thank you.”
“We can be gentlemen from time to time,” Army adds next to me.
I look up as he holds a loaded plate out for me, his smile unusually soft. “Sit.”
A hickey mars the skin under his ear, the red-purple mark fresh. My heart kicks up a beat, and I stare at it, trying to remember if I kissed the man’s neck last night. I absently take the plate and sit down in the empty seat at the foot of the table.
“Eat,” Iron tells me. “The car has a few issues you need to have a mechanic look at. I’ll walk you out when we’re done.”
I nod, but I can’t eat. My stomach is doing somersaults. No one speaks, and I look over, seeing Dex smiling at me. I wink at him, remembering my brother and sister. Pulling out my phone, I tap out a text to Mars, letting him know I’ll be home soon.
But when I look up, I see Trace watching me. He looks away when I meet his eyes.
Then I spot Dallas casting a sideways glance, followed by Iron and Army. Their bracelets catch the sunlight coming in from the windows. Leather and iron. With the same symbol that’s tattooed on Iron’s neck and on the left side of Dallas’s chest.