Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
***
I try to look at the clubhouse with new eyes as we approach, but I’m so tired I’m just glad to be back home. I head to the van to help the guys unload. Before I can make it over there, it looks like every single member of the club comes out to “help.” When, in fact, I know they’re being nosy and want to see who the woman is I’m bringing back. Shadow must have run his mouth to more than just Doc since last night.
I frown, but let them gather the duffle bags from the back. Nodding as several of the guys greet me on my way to the passenger seat of the van, I smile at their quick help and straining necks as I reach for the door handle. “Clear out,” I tell them before pulling her door open.
I watch as she sticks her head around the door frame just a few inches to see what is going on.
“Who are all of those men?” I can hear the quiver in her voice even before I see her lips tremble.
“Club members,” I tell her holding out a hand for her to take. “You’re safe here, Em. You have nothing to worry about.” I turn my head to make sure the other guys have made themselves scarce.
I help her out of the van and keep a hold of her hand as we walk inside. The recreation area is empty and clean. I’m sure Doc put each and every man here tonight to work straightening it up. It’s never really messy but tends to get cluttered when the guys come in to hang out and begin to strip out of their gear.
As we make our way to the hall where the rooms are, I see movement out of the corner of my eye. Emmalyn notices it too and stiffens beside me. Doc approaches us with an ear to ear grin on his face and a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Doc, I’d like you to meet Emmalyn.” I sweep my hand toward the oldest member of the club. “Emmalyn, this is Doc. He keeps this entire organization running.”
I hear a feminine huff behind him and smile when Rose comes into view. Emmalyn reaches her hand out timidly and accepts Doc’s offer of a handshake.
“This beautiful woman behind him is his old lady, Rose.”
“His better half,” Rose says as she swats Em’s hand out of the way and wraps her arms around her for an impromptu hug.
“Hi,” Emmalyn says softly as Rose takes a small step backward, rewarding Em with the personal space she’d just invaded.
“How was the ride down?” Doc asks more to me than Em.
“Pretty smooth. The weather cooperated the whole time,” I tell him and take a closer step to the obviously nervous Emmalyn. “Let me show you your room,” I tell her and raise my eyebrows to Doc. The slight nod of his head tells me he was able to take care of everything I requested of him earlier. He hands me the key to her room as I walk past.
I guide her down the long hallway to the very end where the matching, side-by-side doors are. Using the key Doc just gave me I open the door to the left.
“I’m right beside you,” I say indicating the door to the right. I swing the door open and let her enter first.
I smile at the look on her face when her biker gang clubhouse assumptions are blown out of the water.
“It’s very,” she pauses to look around again. She turns to me and smiles. “It’s very nice, Diego.”
“It’s the Presidential Suite,” I tell her with seriousness. “This room is used when other MC Presidents come to visit.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “Are you expecting any of them soon?”
“No, Em. This room is yours as long as you want it.”
She cuts her eyes to the door still unsure of her safety.
“Here,” I say and hold out the key in my hand. She takes it, and I pull my set of keys out of my pocket. “There are only two keys to this room, Em.” I begin to pull the club’s master key off of my keychain; I place it in her hand. “Now you have both.”
She clutches both of them tightly in her hand.
“Why are you helping me?” she asks while looking at her closed fist.
I sweep a finger under her chin and tilt her face upward so I can look into her questioning, cobalt eyes. I shrug my shoulders and wink at her. “I think you’re cute.”
Her smile grows immediately until she’s laughing at my ridiculous comment in such a serious moment. As fast as her laughter starts it stops, and I see her eyes dart to my mouth. I bite my lip for good measure and take note of the darkening in her gaze.