Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 38439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38439 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
“I can’t go into detail about what she wanted from me, but suffice it to say, Iron Tzars has connections envied by many people. Governments. Bev was trying to get information about those connections.”
“Must be some pretty good connections if she tried for seven years.”
I couldn’t help but grin. My girl might have some issues in school, but she wasn’t unintelligent. “You’d be correct. Looking back, I think she tried to call it quits several times, but the carrot dangled in front of her handlers was too great. So she stayed. Most of it I didn’t find out until a couple of weeks ago.”
“You loved her.” It wasn’t a question. “I can see how what I went along with would make you angry. I’m so sorry, Warlock.”
“Max.”
She looked up at me. “Warlock suits you better.”
“Warlock’s the biker, Hope. He’s not an easy man.”
“You are who you are. You shouldn’t have to hide it. Not for anyone. Especially not me.”
That surprised me. El Diablo had been right. I’d needed this talk with Hope. “You’re proving to be a source of surprises. The insight you have about life and people is refreshing and not something I’d expect in a woman your age.”
“Where is your wife, Warlock? You obviously loved her.”
I was silent for a long time, thinking about my answer carefully. Neither question had easy answers.
“I didn’t mean to pry,” she said softly, stiffening in my arms. She tried to get up, but I tightened my hold on her. My lips rested on the top of her forehead. Her skin was soft, and I couldn’t help but kiss her. I wanted to do more than that, but all I had to do was continue this conversation to remind myself why doing more with this girl was the worst idea.
“You didn’t, honey. I’m trying to be as honest as I can. Because I’m coming to realize I’ve not been honest with myself. Just give me a minute here.”
She did, not saying another word. Instead, she snuggled farther into my shoulder until she buried her face in my neck. She inhaled covertly, but deeply. Bev had never done that. If anything, she’d hated the way I smelled because there was always a bit of a gasoline scent clinging to me from the time I spent on my bike. Did Hope like what she found? I’d have to pay attention. Assuming she didn’t run screaming from the room after my confession.
“Bev.” I sighed heavily. “No. We weren’t married. To my club, her being my ol’ lady was the same as being married, but I never made it official. Never even asked her to marry me. Probably because I knew she wouldn’t have done it. As to the question of did I love her? I thought I did. So much so I let her effectively take my club from me.”
“Your club means a lot to you.”
“It does. It did. I have no idea if my relationship with them can ever be repaired. Probably not. My son is now president, so I’ve lost him, too. All because I let Bev manipulate me.”
“You see what I did as manipulative. And you’d be right.” Again, she tried to move. Again, I held her fast.
“Shh.” I kissed her forehead again. I had to watch that. The show of affection would only endear me to her more than she already was, and I had no plans on staying in her life. “Let me finish. Bev’s dead.”
She gasped. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. She deserved what she got.” I took a breath. “I resigned as president. My son was voted in. Bev argued with me violently over this. She didn’t want me to give up my position in the club, because it made her chances of getting the information she needed even less than it had been before. When I steadfastly refused to reverse my decision, she talked me into convincing my son to take on her daughter as his ol’ lady. Sting was never going to agree to that, and I knew it. But we both went through the motions.
“Chloe split. Went to find her father at another club, this one in Kentucky. Bones MC. After hearing her tale, Bones reached out to Iron Tzars. Sting took a few men, myself included, to Bones territory to make sure Chloe was good. Turned out she’d been taken in by a member of Bones who’d made her his ol’ lady. She was happy and had no desire to leave. Bev took exception. Tried to kill the girl. Shot the girl’s father by accident when he jumped in front of her to take the bullet.”
“Oh no!”
“He’s fine. So’s Chloe,” I tried to reassure her. Even though she didn’t know any of these people, her empathy seemed genuine. She looked up at me with such distress, I believed her. Then I remembered I’d believed Bev too. “Apparently, Bev had tried to have the same arrangement with Sword -- Chloe’s father -- as she’d had with me. Every single man there knew there was no way either of our clubs would ever be safe as long as Bev was still alive. Since she was my ol’ lady, I took the responsibility.”