Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Grandpa,” Nathan replied with a smile.
“There’s some ice cream in the fridge if you’re interested.”
“Yes!”
They both hopped up and rushed towards the kitchen. I could hear them giggling and whispering as they opened the fridge and started searching for the ice cream. When I heard the bowls clinking together, I knew they had everything they needed. That’s when I turned to Mom and said, “I have some news, too.”
“Oh? What kind of news?”
“There’s a reason why we haven’t been around very much lately.”
“I figured as much.” Mom and Dad exchanged a knowing glance before Mom announced, “You’ve been seeing someone.”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I have.” Dad shifted in his seat as he listened to me continue, "His name is Ronin, and we’ve been going out for several weeks now. He’s not like anyone I’ve ever met before. He’s smart and funny and handsome. And he’s so thoughtful. He’s always doing these little things to help me and the kids, and I don’t even have to ask. He just does them... and I really like him a lot.”
“He sounds like a very nice young man.”
“He is. He really, really is.” I swallowed the knot that was forming in the back of my throat. “The kids have met him several times, and they really like him, too.”
“That’s good.”
“I thought so.”
I went on to tell them about his job and that he lived in town. They both listened attentively and once I’d finished talking, I leaned back and braced myself for their response. The room held a moment of suspended silence before Mom finally broke into a warm smile. "It sounds like you are very fond of this Ronin fella.”
“I am, but don’t worry. I’m being careful.”
“What do you mean careful?”
“I’m not letting myself get carried away. I’ve already messed up once. I’m not going to let my heart get broken again, so I’m keeping my guard up.”
“Oh, honey. You can’t go into this like that,” Mom fussed. “It’s not fair to him, and it’s not fair to you.”
“I know, but I just...”
“You have a good heart, Maggie. You always have, and if you liked him enough to introduce him to the children, then that tells me all I need to know.” She reached over and patted me on the leg. “Now, when are your father and I going to get to meet him?”
“I’m not sure. He had to go out of town today, and I’m not sure when he’ll get back. But we’ll figure out a time to come by soon.”
“Good. We both look forward to meeting him.”
I thought having their blessing would ease my mind, but it didn’t. Instead, it made me feel even more anxious. That’s when I realized that my worry had nothing to do with them and everything to do with me.
Rooster
“So, what’s the deal?” Torch motioned his head over to Wrath’s truck, where he and Two Bit were watching over us. “Why do we need all the extra precautions?”
“Just playing it safe.”
“Cotton and Grant on the rooftop is playing it safe?”
“I don’t know what to tell ya.” I shrugged. “This whole thing is new to everyone. We’re still learning all the ins and outs, and we don’t want to take any chances until we have figured everything out.”
“And if these runners are looking for trouble?”
“Then, they’ll find it. We just drove four fucking hours. I’m hungry, tired, and I need to take a piss.” We were at an old, abandoned school in Portland, and the place was in rough shape. There were remnants of broken windows and graffiti-covered walls, and the grounds were covered in litter. “I’m not in the mood to fuck around with some fucking assholes with an axe to grind.”
“Same, brother. Same.”
Torch and I stood in the center of the courtyard, waiting impatiently with Chains, Clutch, and Q, and it wasn’t long until two black Camaros pulled up to the school. I squared my shoulders and watched as the car doors eased open, and one by one, the handlers stepped out of the vehicles. They were wearing leather cuts that bore the unmistakable emblem of a reaper wielding a scythe.
“Fuck,” Clutch muttered. “It’s the California Reapers.”
“Yeah, what about ‘em?”
Clutch remained eerily calm as he explained, “Our California chapter has run into some trouble with them.”
“We could always tell them to fuck off.”
“I’m with Q. They can get their guns from someone else, especially if they’re using them to go against our brothers.”
“It’s not their guns, remember?”
There was always a level of distrust when doing an exchange, but meeting with a rival MC took that feeling of distrust to a whole new level. The first to start walking towards us was sporting an enforcer patch. A mountain of a man, he exuded an air of intimidation as he gave us the once-over.
The second was slightly taller and much thinner. He was covered in ink and moved with a calculated ease, much like the man behind him. This guy was a towering figure with a shaved head and a gaze that seemed to pierce through the shadows. The last guy was muscled up like his brothers, only he was much older and walked a bit slower than the others. But he wasn’t any less menacing.