Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
He had done nothing to deserve kindness. He’d only done what needed to be done for the good of the club.
“Thanks,” he said nevertheless and quickly left the car, for once sorry he wasn’t wearing his leather jacket, which would have masked the new disproportion in his figure. When he walked, he felt the difference of weight between the sides of his body. He hated it. At least Hound, Beast’s giant Rottweiler, wasn’t here to pity him. The frantic movements of his tail and the muzzle pressing into Gray’s jeans were an expression of pure joy, so Gray petted his head and even scratched the dog behind the ear.
Jake pulled him in for a strong hug, but Rev hissed and approached them in an instant. “Be careful! He’s still recovering, for fuck’s sake.”
The smile faltered on Jake’s boyish face, and his blue eyes darted to Gray as if he were about to say sorry. Gray wouldn’t have it.
He squeezed Jake’s arm and glared at his father, trying to remain calm, even though after weeks in a single room, the amount of people surrounding him now was somewhat overwhelming. “It’s fine. I’m not made of glass.”
Joker caught Gray’s attention by tapping a spatula against the cover of the barbeque. The platinum blond spikes on his head shone behind the white smoke as if he’d sprayed them with glitter for the occasion. Joker wouldn’t have been himself if he hadn’t taken over the conversation the moment a new person appeared within his reach.
“Beef or chicken? You must have missed real food.”
What Gray really wanted was to get to his room, look into the mirror and speak to the demon so that he could work out the details he was still fuzzy on. Though ‘wanted’ was too strong of a statement. He needed to do that. But half an hour with the people he considered family wouldn’t wreck his plans. It wasn’t yet dark, with the sun only now descending toward the horizon. He couldn’t have them worry about him any longer.
Vars patted Gray on the healthy arm. His severe face relaxed as he put his other arm across Jake’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Anything you need, Gray, let me know.”
Yet another person expressing gratitude when Gray had done the same thing anyone else here would have had in his situation. He didn’t deserve all this attention. At the end of the day he’d been selfish in his need to protect his chosen family.
“Sure, but I’m fine. I’m glad Jake’s okay. He’s like a younger brother to me,” he said and emphasized his words with another squeeze to Jake’s arm.
“Gray, Gray, Gray! I heard you need someone to ease you into the rituals of the new moon. Can’t believe you haven’t told me when I came over,” Knight said, pushing his shades to the top of his head and shaking his lush long hair out of his face. With Elliot already under his muscular arm, he seemed perfectly at ease with aiding a demon from god-knew-where in an attempt to take over the world.
Gray took a deep breath when he spotted Nao, one of the hangarounds who permanently lived in the clubhouse, right behind Knight’s back. He scowled and put his index finger against his mouth in an attempt to command silence. Only a handful of people living here knew of the supernatural beings residing on club grounds, and the last thing they needed was the civilians freaking out.
Knight blinked and looked over his shoulder. His lips spread into a wide smile, and, to Grays horror, tapped her on the shoulder.
Nao turned around in a swirl of blonde locks that framed her pretty face and hugged Gray. “I made sure we’re stocked up on those cookies you like so much. And the organic peanut butter.”
Gray gave her a faint smile, glad that the topic had changed, but Knight was there to make things weird again.
“She knows now.”
Nao blinked. “Knows what?”
Jake sighed scowled. “About Baal, about the ghosts. About Azog the gargoyle.”
Nao’s black eyes glinted. “Oh yeah, I walked in on him shifting. I got spooked, but honestly, it wasn’t as bad as that time I saw my parents fucking.”
Gray could sympathize with the sentiment, having suffered watching Rev have sex in public repeatedly. He nodded, still slightly shocked that she seemed so cool about something so out there. Then again, Nao hadn’t stayed with them for so many years just because she was pretty and loved sex. Her life had been entwined with the club’s since she was eighteen, and at this point no one imagined the clubhouse functioning without her organizational skills.
Maybe it was for the better she knew what was really going on in the place she called home. Maybe then she’d be less vulnerable to any requests Baal might still have.