Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“Thanks…”
“Beth,” I remind her. “Hope to see you soon, Brielle.”
She nods at me before turning back to her computer to finish the last of her assignment.
Victoria is all smiles when I walk back across the room. Em joins us a moment later, after helping one of the younger students.
“I miss being in the classroom,” she tells us.
“You didn’t tell me you were a teacher,” I say to her.
She just smiles and shrugs. “We weren’t talking about me at the time.”
“Elementary?” I ask, indicating the little boy she just helped.
“Middle school.”
I cringe, pulling a chuckle from both her and Victoria.
“It’s a rough age, but I liked being there for them,” Em says. “I’ll get more of it once Amelia gets a few years older.”
I know Amelia is Hound and Gigi’s oldest daughter. She’s the oldest kid connected to the club.
“What do you think? Want to help us out?” Victoria asks, hope in her voice that makes me feel like I was the one giving the test rather than the one taking it.
“I’d love to help out here if I can,” I tell her, looking back over at Brielle, who I can tell is paying attention to us more than focusing on her classwork.
“We have a little paperwork to complete to make that happen. Let’s go to my office.”
I give Brielle a final wave before following Victoria out of the room. I feel as if purpose and life has been breathed into me, and I’m damn near giddy when I’m done with the paperwork. My first thought when I walk toward the front door is running to Derrick and telling him how much of an amazing time I had.
Chapter 21
Oracle
I don’t know what happened inside that house, but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a smile so wide on Beth’s face when she comes back out the front door.
She doesn’t hesitate to run across the lawn to get to me on the street. I open my arms for her, having to take a step back when she launches herself at me.
“That was amazing, and I want to tell you all the things, but I signed an NDA.”
I grin, brushing some of her hair from her face so I can revel in her smile a little better.
“I’m glad you had fun, sweetheart,” I tell her before pressing my mouth to hers.
I’m a little obsessed with the way she chases my mouth with hers when I pull back after managing a mostly innocent kiss. It feels a little weird to be kissing her in front of a house filled with women who suffered some pretty horrific abuse by the men who were supposed to treat them like queens, be it a spouse, partner or even their fathers and stepfathers.
“We need to get inside the vehicle, sweetheart. Kincaid and Em have plans for this afternoon.”
She looks mildly disappointed as she lowers back to the ground, and I hold on to that as I open the back passenger side door of the SUV.
I don’t hesitate to take her hand in mine once I climb inside and pull my seatbelt on.
Wishing I was ten years younger so I could throw maturity and responsibility out the window and make out with her like a younger man would, I settle for lifting her hand to my lips a couple of times on the drive back to the clubhouse.
I stop her from heading back inside once we’re parked, pressing her body to the side of the SUV, while Em and Kincaid head around the far side, following the sidewalk to their house that’s situated behind the clubhouse along with Kid’s, Shadow’s, and Itchy and Snatch’s homes.
“Aren’t we going inside?” she asks after a kiss that leaves me a little more than breathless.
“If we go inside, I’m going to fuck you against the wall.”
“I don’t have any plans that interfere with that,” she tells me, her voice sultry and more than a little tempting.
“We have to talk.”
“We can talk.”
I pull her from the side of the SUV and guide her to another one a little further down the lot. With the number of Suburbans and Tahoes lined up here, I don’t doubt the property looks a lot like a damn car dealership.
“We’re leaving?”
“Late lunch,” I tell her, opening the passenger side of the vehicle for her.
She doesn’t hesitate to climb inside, but she doesn’t spin all the way in the seat so I can close the door.
“I’m going to take you to the diner. They make my favorite meal.”
“And here I thought I was your favorite meal.”
I chuckle. The woman is on it today, and I sort of love that about her too.
“That can be arranged,” I tell her, reaching for the button on her jeans. “Would probably be a little easier if you wore a dress.”
“What are you doing?” she hisses, but there’s laughter in her tone as she swats at my hands.