Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
"Don’t got anything to hide, I guess. I figured you wanted to try your sister again, right? Why, you want to go steady?"
God, that smile. My whole life, I thought bikers were big, bad and nasty people. Ugly faces do ugly deeds, and the Unwanted definitely didn't do anything to change my mind. So how is it that the three bikers I've ended up with are the most gorgeous men I've met in my life, no matter how scarred or broken they are?
I know he’s just teasing, and there isn’t anything mean about it, but it’s a little too close to the truth for comfort. “Stop making fun."
He stops a moment to think, then nods. "All right." And goes back to eating his eggs and beans.
The phone rings and rings until I'm sure I dialed wrong, but it eventually kicks over to voicemail. “If it’s important, text me.”
God, Gen Z. Not that I check my voicemail either, but come on.
The beep is sharp in my ear. What do I say? "Hey sis. It's Natalie. I just wanted to call and see if you're alright." I consider hanging up there, but there's too much I want to say. "I know you're mad, and I hope that's not why you're not picking up. Maybe I deserve it for taking off like this, but trust me when I tell you that I’m safe and just have some stuff to work through. I know you’re worried about Eric and his friends, but they’d never let anything happen to me. Sandra, are you sure you're not there? Please pick up if you are. I think… I think some bad people might be looking for you. Be careful, and please call me. I love you." Then I hang up.
"Not there?" Animal pushes his empty plate aside and is watching me from the other side of the table.
I shake my head, trying to not let it worry me. Sandra never goes anywhere without her phone, and I don't think she’s ever not taken my calls when she could. Phones were so strictly monitored when she was in rehab that she’s nearly obsessive about having it with her all the time.
"I think she's still mad at me."
"Why? For trying to protect her?"
"She doesn't see it that way. To her I'm just lying. Like she used to do when she didn't want me to know she was in trouble. God, I've screwed this up, but there's no right answer." Frustration wells up inside me, making lips tremble and the corners of my eyes sting. "Some big sister I am."
"Come here."
"I'm not in the mood for—"
"Get your ass the fuck over here." He's got his arms open for me and glares expectantly.
"I—"
"Now."
It doesn't matter if he loves me or not—he's a friend, one of the very few I've got, so I obey, crawling into his lap and wrapping my arms around his strong neck. He holds me close.
"What did we talk about before? You're doing the best you fucking know how, baby girl. Life is fucking hard. Sometimes there's no right answer."
Pressing my face against his chest, I nod into it. "I know. I know, but… it just feels like I should've done better. Somehow." Not that I have any idea how, but it definitely seems that way.
”She’s just like you,” he says.
"Huh?" I look up to find Animal looking across the room at where his brother just walked in.
Badass blinks at the two of us. “What?”
“She’s fucking beating herself up because her sister might be in trouble.”
“I don’t—”
“You do. Maybe not as much as you used to, but those first couple years? You couldn’t fucking look at me without feeling guilty. Every time I fucked up? You tried to take the fall for me.”
Badass frowns. “It was my fucking fault they grabbed you.”
“If something happens to Sandra, is it Natalie’s fault?”
“No, but—”
"It's exactly the fucking same.”
Maybe not exactly, but the tension and love between them, it’s achingly familiar. I can tell this isn’t the first time they’ve had this conversation. “Animal…”
He presses a kiss to my forehead. “You did an amazing thing by taking her place, just like I’m sure Badass would’ve for me if he’d fucking known, but you can’t control Crusher any more than he could predict what the Mob did. And your sister? She’s a grown fucking woman now. You’ve gotta stop thinking of her as a hurt kid.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
"She's getting her GED, right? Doing good? Working a job. Fuck, she's got her shit together better than I do. I'm just a fuckup in an MC." He laughs dryly. "So maybe try trusting her a little so she can make her own choices, huh? Why don't you fucking try calling her again? Be straight with her, and maybe she knows something that can help. You don't even fucking know why they think she owes all this fucking money."