Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 441(@300wpm)
Someone’s touchy. “Uh, bro, I’ve barely talked to you since this morning.”
He waves his hand through the air in annoyance. “Grinder was annoying me with his rust or ride bullshit earlier.”
I snort-laugh. Sounds like Grinder. “He’s like a grumpy old papa bear, huh?” I didn’t know Grinder before he went to prison, but from the stories Z tells, Grinder’s always been a wise old owl, handing out advice to the baby owls in his flock. Now that he’s out of prison, assumed the role of Downstate’s sergeant-at-arms, back on his feet, and about to have a baby, he’s returning to his normal, meddlesome, advice-giving self, according to Z.
“Papa bear, my ass,” he grumbles. “I already got Rock for that.”
“Yeah, but Rock won’t give advice unless you ask for it.”
“As it should be.”
Once the bag’s full, he tugs it from my hands. “I got this. My gift to Teller was I’d haul all this down to throw out at CB.”
“Gee, and all I brought was a cash envelope.” I slap his shoulder. “I’ll catch you later.”
I nod and say a quick hello to other guests as I pass them, but the stay the fuck away face I’m wearing seems to keep my path clear.
I round the corner of the house and my gaze immediately lands on Margot.
Fuck, she’s pretty. Who the hell would judge her about anything? Or make her doubt herself so much, she’d ask someone like me for sex tips?
Then my gaze lands on the man sitting next to her on the blanket now. Eazy—a brother from downstate. Fucker’s on the road more than he’s at home but of course he’s here today.
Talking to my girl.
No.
Not my girl.
My student?
No.
Fuck this. Eazy’s road name is the predictable result of him easily talking girls into bed. I don’t need Margot to decide she should ask him for help instead.
“Hey, fucker.” I kick his boot. “Dex is looking for you to help him out.”
He slowly turns his head and stares up at me with irritation written all over his pretty-boy face. “For what?”
“Don’t know.” I pull the keys out of my pocket and dangle them above Margot’s head. “You ready to go, babe?”
She flashes an apologetic smile at Eazy. “Jigsaw promised to drive me home.”
Eazy frowns at drive. I rarely willingly put myself in a cage and all my brothers know it.
“You mean ride, darlin’,” he says.
“She’s not dressed for it, dumbass,” I snarl. I won’t embarrass Margot by telling him she doesn’t ride. It seemed like a personal reason she might not want to share with random people.
I hold out my hand to Margot and help her off the blanket. Still a bit high or maybe her butt’s numb like mine was, she tumbles forward, landing hard against me.
She braces herself with two hands on my chest and looks up at me with the sweetest expression.
“You’ve got frosting on your nose.” I swipe it off with my thumb, then pop it in my mouth.
“It was good cake,” she whispers. “Did you eat any?”
Suddenly, I can think of a very different kind of cake I want to eat.
“Well, then. I better get going.” Eazy springs up. “Nice meetin’ you, Margaret.”
Margot frowns but doesn’t bother correcting him.
Looks like I’m still in the lead for the position of sex coach.
Eazy slaps my shoulder and lets out a dirty chuckle. “Have fun with that ride.”
I sneer at him and he laughs harder. Asshole.
Margot’s hands are still on my chest, calling up the wildest urge to strip down and have her hands on my bare skin.
“Sorry I left you alone for so long,” I say.
“That’s all right.”
“Eazy didn’t…he wasn’t rude to you, was he?”
“Not at all.”
“Good.”
I’d hate to ruin Teller’s wedding by maiming one of my brothers today.
Margot’s quiet for the first half of our drive to Pine Hollow. I keep glancing over to see if she’s asleep, but she’s always staring out the window.
“How do you feel?” I ask when I can’t stand the silence another second.
“Stupid.”
“What? Why?”
“I’m sorry I asked you.” She takes a deep breath and continues, “What I asked you back there. Please forget about it.”
“What if I don’t want to forget it?”
Her dress rustles as she shifts her body to look at me. “What does that mean?”
“It means we should talk about it more.”
“I briefly considered asking your friend Griff.” She waves her hand in the air.
A pulse of jealousy slows my racing heart. “Say that again?”
She curls her fingers in her dress, bunching up the skirt, then releases it and smooths the fabric over her legs. Her long, elegant fingers move quickly but gracefully. With one word I could finally have her hands on me. I don’t even care that I wasn’t her first choice.
“My mechanic, Griff. I saw him at the wedding.”
“Yeah, what about him?”
“I’m not usually interested in younger guys,” she continues, “but he’s quite handsome and he’s always so kind to me at the shop.” Her lips pull into a frown. “But then I learned he has a girlfriend, so I never asked…” Her voice trails off as if her brain just processed the words coming out of her mouth.