Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Blind fury shoots through my veins, propelling my hand into Rav’s chest, slamming him into the wall next to the bar. “Watch your mouth when you talk about her.”
“Christ, Ravage, you got a damn death wish?” Grinder asks.
Rav giggles like an idiot hopped up on helium. “You don’t understand, G.” Rav slaps my arm. “Our boy Dex is a monk.” He bites his lip and flicks his gaze toward the ceiling. “Or maybe a groundhog. Pokes his head out once a year to get his dick wet then goes back in his cave.”
Grinder all but snarls at him. “The grown-ups are trying to have a conversation here. Fuck off.”
I release Rav. Getting pissed will just encourage him to be a bigger asshole.
“Just tell me it’s a fling,” Rav pleads with me. He throws a scowl at Grinder, then one at Wrath, who has his back to us while he pours his own cup of coffee. “I can’t handle another brother handing his balls over to a female.”
“Stop obsessing about everyone else’s balls, Rav,” Wrath warns without glancing our way. “I’d light my nuts on fire before I ever let you suck on them.”
Grinder chokes. “That’s an image I didn’t need in my head.”
“Same, brother,” I mutter.
“I’m not…” Rav sputters, “I don’t… That’s not…”
“Yeaaaah.” I draw out the word to a painfully mocking length. “The more you protest, the more I’m thinking Wrath’s onto something.”
“Fuck this.” Rav grabs a can of Coke off the bar and stomps away. “You’ll be sorry one day,” he calls over his shoulder.
Wrath grins wide and smug as he approaches us. “That was fun.” He claps Grinder’s shoulder. “You’re not harassing my road captain, are you?”
I doubt Wrath’s really concerned Grinder might be pestering me. More like Wrath wants to join in on the harassment.
“Can’t two brothers have a private conversation?” Grinder asks.
Wrath takes a long, slow, sarcastic look around the dining room. “In a public space? No.”
Ignoring Wrath, Grinder points at me. “I said what I needed to say.”
“So did I.”
“I’ll see you at the table,” Grinder says.
Wrath watches him walk away, then turns to me. Amusement flickers in his eyes. “So, what’d I miss?”
“Nothing. I was at Emily’s the other night and now he wants to play father protector.”
Wrath’s forehead wrinkles into a skeptical frown. “Wasn’t he trying to set you two up a few weeks ago?”
“Yep.” I brace myself for the barrage of annoying comments Wrath’s about to lob at me.
But he stands there and sips his coffee.
“What?” I prompt. “No witty commentary on my life?”
He raises one blond eyebrow. “Nope.”
Christ, I almost think I’d prefer some of Wrath’s snark. His indifference feels too close to pity.
“Think you’ll go out on the road as part of Shelby’s security team again next summer?” he asks.
The question stops me for a second. I haven’t thought that far ahead. “If Rooster needs me, yeah. Rav and Bricks can handle Crystal Ball for a few weeks.” At Rooster’s request, I’d toured with Shelby most of last summer. CB hadn’t been as much of a disaster as I’d expected when I returned. “It really depends on what Rock needs around here, though.”
He nods.
“Are you and Trinity thinking of riding with them again?” I ask.
“Shelby asked if Trin would be her official photographer.” He glances over his shoulder. “And I think Trinity would prefer to stay for the whole tour.”
“That’s a good idea. Can Furious spare you for that long?”
He shrugs. “With the new baby, Murphy and Heidi aren’t going on the road. He and Jake can handle Furious by themselves.”
“Look at you,” I joke. “The big boss leaving your minions in charge.”
“It’s good to be king.” More seriously he adds, “I’d do the same for them if they asked.”
“I know you would.” As much as he enjoys being obnoxious, Wrath’s never let a brother down.
As if he’d been summoned, our ginger VP muscles into the dining room and claps his hands loud enough to get everyone’s attention. “Let’s go! Church in five.”
“Is Rock even here yet?” Wrath shouts.
Murphy scowls in our direction. “Just get your big ass to the table.”
I choke on a laugh. A couple of years ago Murphy wouldn’t have dared to throw attitude at Wrath.
Wrath turns toward me with an amused smirk on his face. “He seems to be growing into that VP patch. I’m torn between being proud of him and wanting to punch him.”
“You can be both. He’s doing good.” I was damn proud of Murphy. Being a good husband and father came naturally to him. Stepping out of Teller’s shadow, standing up to Wrath, and filling Z’s shoes as our VP—none of that was easy. Yet, he was doing it and still found time to help me adjust to my position as the club’s road captain. He’d be pissed if I complimented him out loud, but I hold a lot of respect for my younger brother. Wrath does too, even if he hates to admit it.