Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“How was he offering you a job? Did you have to look for the offer down his throat?” Rye asked.
“Dummy. She wanted to figure out why he was asking,” Max argued.
Bay pointed Max’s way. “What he said.”
“And that man who was trying to kill Hale was thoughtful enough to do it outside of town,” Nate reflected.
Brooke whirled on Bay. “No. You don’t get to have a say in this. I know exactly why you charged into the fray. You didn’t like his hands on me.”
“Of course he didn’t.” Shane stepped up. “You should know I would have done the same. Brooke, we love you. We’re never going to stand by while some asshole who’s already cost you so much tries to drag you back into his hell.”
Shane trusted him. Shane didn’t have to hear his side of the story.
Damn it. He’d done his brother wrong.
“Uhm, is that it? Because that’s a hell of a lot.” Tate rolled down the window. “Auntie told me it would be an easy job and I can help out with the alien hunting. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to protect Earth from invading Reticulan Greys if I’m always stopping some murderer.”
“You would have done the same damn thing.” Brooke pointed that well-manicured finger Shane’s way. He had to wonder if in addition to the gel, it was also coated in righteous judgment. “You both think you own me. Well, guess what. He’s going to sue, and none of you will be able to talk him out of it.”
“Well, then you’ll sue him right back. He harassed you,” Rye replied. “I don’t understand why you’re taking this lying down. This is not the Brooke I know.”
She went still, and he knew this was going to be bad. Rye was pushing her in a way Bay never would have. He would have silently taken all her worry and bile and offered to get her a glass of wine and agreed with everything she said because she was processing. She would come back in an hour or two and be reasonable.
Or he would fuck her until she wasn’t mad at him anymore.
Rye only had the one option, and he’d chosen poorly.
“Well, we did have to deal with a bunch of dead MCer’s, but they had the courtesy to die at Hell on Wheels,” Nate replied, though he was warily watching the Harpers now. “Also, they burned down a good portion of the bar, but Sawyer got that fixed up real quick.”
“The Brooke you know?” Brooke’s eyes were red as she stared at her brother.
“He didn’t mean that, sweetie.” Max was all kinds of serious now. “You know how he gets when he’s under stress. He’s worried about you and Rach and everything.”
“No, I’m worried that my sister won’t fight for herself,” Rye insisted. “She ran back here like a dog with her tail between her legs.”
Brooke looked down at her watch before sniffling and wiping at her eyes. “I’m due at the theater. Rye, don’t worry about me. I’ll be leaving soon, and you won’t have to see me again. I’m sorry I was such a disappointment.”
Rye’s shoulders dropped. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m confused.”
Brooke turned and started back toward the sidewalk. “It doesn’t matter. Like I said, I’ll be leaving soon. There’s nothing here for me anymore.”
“But you got two boyfriends,” Max called out. “And we kind of like them now.”
“Not the right time, dude,” Bay said.
Brooke stopped and stared at them. “It wouldn’t have worked anyway. I think I’m going to work with Cleo on her new films, and we all know those two wouldn’t change their plans to follow a woman around.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Shane asked.
But she was walking away.
“Go after her,” Bay said.
Shane simply watched her.
Max looked to Nate. “Come on, man. We need to go talk to our sister. Look, I’m usually the one in the cell. Can’t we pretend you think I’m Rye? If you’ll turn away for a second, we’ll change shirts and no one will be the wiser.”
“She didn’t fight it because she was protecting you.” Gemma’s eyes had gone hard as she stared at Rye. “Also, I don’t think Rye should be the one talking to her at this point.”
“What do you mean she was protecting me? I don’t need protection from that little asshole, as he so recently learned,” Rye shot back.
“Because they threatened her with a counter suit. Creating a hostile work environment by talking about her brothers and their unusual marriage,” Gemma explained.
“We don’t care about that.” Max’s head shook. “Like we care what a couple of people in New York City think of us.”
He wasn’t thinking at all. “And Paige? How about your kids when the press gets wind of a weird and juicy story? You’re connected to some powerful people. Brooke wasn’t thinking about you. She was thinking about your wife and kids and was willing to sacrifice her dream job to keep them safe. Do you think she didn’t want to fight? The first thing she did when she came home was consult with Gemma.”