Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35194 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
“Why not ask Lemon? She’ll come closer to havin’ woman shit than Rocket.” I knew why. I was doing this to put Calista more at ease. Dom’s eyes narrowed in confusion for a brief moment before he figured out what I was doing.
He snorted. “Right. I’m gonna get the vice president of this club to do something because a woman would be better suited for it. I’m telling my president so he can tell his old lady, who happens to be the vice president, to do something a woman would be more suited to.” Dom grinned. “I ain’t stupid, boy.”
“Your vice president is a woman?” Calista’s expression was wide-eyed and curious all at the same time.
“Honey, not just a woman. Lemon is more like a force of nature.” I smiled at her. “And there ain’t no one in this club I’d rather have by my side. If you’re unsure about Dom or me or anyone else in this club, you take it to Lemon. She will have your back.”
“But she doesn’t know me.” Calista looked from Dom to me.
I shrugged. “You’re Dom’s daughter. That makes you family.”
Before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Dom crossed to open it, and Lemon stepped inside with Rocket after her.
“What the Christ, Dom?” Lemon stomped inside. “Oh. And don’t worry. I already chewed Byte’s ass. I’ll do the same with Crush when I find him.” She pointed at Dom with an accusing finger. “Not cool.”
Dom scrubbed a hand over his face. “Never thought I’d ever actually meet her, Lemon. Besides, she’s here now.” He shrugged. “Now you know.”
Lemon glared at Dom before marching straight to Calista and setting a box on the couch next to her. She gave Calista a bright smile. “I’m Lemon, vice president of Grim Road and Rocket’s old lady.” She hiked a thumb at the president who nodded at Calista. “Byte told Apple who you are and that you were here, so I had time to get you a few things. I’ll come by later tonight after you’ve had a chance to get some rest, and we’ll bring you some more shit.”
Calista just gaped at Lemon before abruptly snapping her mouth shut. She bit her bottom lip, her gaze going to me once again. I just grinned.
“Thank you so much, Lemon. I-I’ll pay you back.”
Exasperation crossed Lemon’s face. “If I’d wanted you to pay for this shit, I’d have asked before gettin’ any of it. Besides, this is all stuff me and Apple put together on the fly. Once the other old ladies are up and at it, the real shopping’ll begin. And you still won’t fuckin’ pay us back.”
That seemed to be all Calista could take. Her breathing grew rapid and her eyes glistened. Then she burst into tears.
Chapter Three
Calista
I had no idea where all these emotions came from, but I guess it was only to be expected. I’d been scared out of my mind most of the night. Uncomfortable and in pain, I guess my nerves had taken all the hits they could.
“I’m s-sorry,” I sobbed out. Someone had their arms around me, and I had my fist bunched in that same person’s T-shirt. And I had no idea who had me.
“Christ,” someone swore. “When I find out what sent her here, someone’s gonna fuckin’ die. Hard.”
“Permission granted, Dom.” Lemon said cheerfully. “Let me know when all the arrangements are made, and I’ll join the effort.”
“I’m here! I’m here!”
I heard another woman enter the room and I tried to pull myself together. A big hand rubbed up and down my back as I continued to sob. The feel of those arms tight around me was the only thing that kept me grounded. Even through my tears, the tighter I was held, the better I felt. It wasn’t enough to make the fucking tears stop, but it was safe. I guess I needed safe right now, so I could get everything out before dealing with the next set of problems.
There was silence then, “What’d you guys do to her? Lemon?”
“I think it all hit her, Apple,” the deep voice rumbled all around me, vibrating through my body and, for some reason, it brought me comfort. I wasn’t sure how or why, but my body relaxed even as I knew I was in so much trouble as to not even be believed. Because the man whose arms I was in wasn’t my dad. It was Ringo. “Just give her a few minutes. She’s good.”
“You’ve got your few minutes.” Dom’s voice was gruff and cold, deadly. “But only because she seems OK with you. When she’s calmed down, we get this all sorted out, and I no longer need you? I’mma kill you for touchin’ my daughter.”
OK, that surprised me. Enough to pull me back to reality and the moment. I rubbed my cheek against Ringo’s chest, even knowing I was a mess. The feel of his hard muscles beneath his shirt was more comforting that I was ready to admit.