Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“I know you were there last night,” Grant said.
“No, you don’t.”
Grant laughed. “And now you will never know if I did know you were there or not.”
Maddie shook her head. “That is a cruel trick.”
He winked at her.
“For what it’s worth, I think you should tell her the truth about … you know.”
Grant looked toward the clubhouse. “Maddie, Aria has a lot of … she has … body issues,” he said.
“Don’t we all?”
“Her mother has spent her whole life putting her on a diet, telling her she’s fat. That she’s ugly. When Aria looks in the mirror, all she sees is something … that I don’t.”
Maddie sighed. “It’s hard, Grant. I’ve been there, and even now, I still struggle. I gained quite a bit of weight with Lindsey, and I know I just want to lose it.”
“I can’t have her thinking I prefer her sister to her,” he said. “I can’t lose her.”
“Then don’t. Tell her the truth. Be honest with her. That’s all you can do and hope she sees reason.” Maddie put a hand on his arm. “And I hope your dad died a real horrible death for what he did to you. For what he did to us. We could have been great friends even before now. He cost us that.”
Grant nodded. He felt the heat rising up the back of his neck. “You heard it all.”
“I know this has been bothering Bull. I came to see how he was doing, but you arrived before I could take care of him.”
“Take care of my brother, Maddie. He needs it.” He finished off the hot coffee. It was freezing outside, so it didn’t take long for the drink to get warm enough for him to down quickly.
Maddie had already gone into the clubhouse and Grant joined her, bringing in the dogs as he did so.
“Someone is going to need to hire someone to keep scooping dog shit,” Rusty said, staring outside the kitchen window. “It’s going to stink.”
Grant ignored him and headed into the main clubhouse. The brothers were all there, enjoying their morning coffee. A couple of the women were hanging around, trying to garner the men’s attention.
He left them to it, heading upstairs toward Aria. She was sitting on the edge of his bed.
“You told me to stay here,” Aria said. She got up and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “What is it?”
“I’ve got to head over to your place. You can’t come with me, but I want you to stay here. Hang out with Maddie.”
“Oh, okay. I could come with you, though.”
“No, it’s too dangerous.”
“And you’re going?” Aria asked.
“I know what I’m doing. I know what I’m up against.”
“I don’t like this.” She ran her hands up his chest, wrapping them around his neck. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I’ll be back before you know it.” He gripped the back of her neck and kissed her hard. “I’ll have my brothers at my back. They’ll keep me safe. When I come back, we’ve got to talk.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Wait, is this where you break up with me?”
“No. We just have to talk. I’ve got a few things I need to tell you.”
“Sure. Yeah, okay.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry.”
“It’s kind of hard not to worry.”
He kissed her again. “Don’t worry.”
Taking her hand, he led her out of the bedroom and walked her down toward the kitchen. Maddie was there with Lindsey.
“Take care of her.”
Maddie winked at him and he didn’t like that.
Leaving the kitchen, he made his way outside toward his bike. He’d not ridden it in a long time.
“Don’t you think you should take your truck?” Bull asked.
“If I do that, Wanda’s coming with me, and she’s got to stay here.”
“I’ll keep an eye on your dog.”
“What about the shelters? Did the bastard go to them?”
“No, none.”
Grant nodded, straddling his machine. “You’ve not tampered with it.”
“Grant, I’ve told you once and I’ve told you a gazillion times, the only way you’re going to die is by my hand.”
He snorted, he couldn’t help it. “Please, I’m living for eternity,” Grant said.
“It’s what scares me.”
Grant blew his brother a kiss, reversed out of the parking space, and then revved his engine and took off, heading toward town. He was tempted to take the bike for a quick ride, but he was on a mission.
Arriving at Aria’s place in town, he parked outside and made his way toward the front door. He pulled out the key and let himself inside.
He closed the door quietly, waiting, listening. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he just knew something wasn’t right.
Grant made his way upstairs toward Aria’s bedroom. Pulling out a bag, he began to fill it with her stuff. He picked the clothes he wanted to see her in. Jeans, dresses, skirts, he avoided the ugly-looking shirts that hid too much of her body. He didn’t even bother with lingerie, but then he heard the sound of the fridge opening and closing.