Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“How long you staying?” Tabitha asked.
“Don’t know.”
Anthony shoved him in the arm, and Simon turned to hug him as well. Daisy held onto Tabitha’s hand as they all stared at each other.
****
“That’s the next generation of all of us,” Tiny said, looking at the group of kids. Rachel, Miles, and Tate’s Simon had joined them. In a few years Kelsey’s son would be joining them, along with his own baby, Rose’s kid. They were growing every year, and Tiny was so happy to see The Skulls working hard.
“They look so damn happy,” Devil said, holding his son close to him. Elizabeth and Josh were holding Lexie’s hand.
“How is everything going in Piston County?” Tiny asked.
“Fine. Snake and Jesse are getting married in a couple of weeks. Dick’s took off to go somewhere, don’t know where exactly.”
“He said there was someone he needed to see,” Lexie said.
“Don’t know who. Everything is going great. Family is building, getting stronger.”
“I’m glad.” Tiny wrapped his arm around Eva.
He and his wife had talked long and hard about Tabitha and Simon. There wasn’t anything they could do about the bond the two had formed. Tiny only hoped when the two grew up, they grew apart. He’d never known two different clubs unite as one, and he didn’t want to lose his daughter. The last thing he wanted was for his little girl to ever be caught in a crossfire between their clubs.
****
Whizz looked in the back of his car at Sally. She was resting her head against the window pane, and looked so damn pale. Her only belongings were in a black plastic bag beside her, and his heart broke for the young girl. No girls should ever have to deal with that kind of rejection, and yet Sally had.
“Do you think we should just go back to the house?” Lacey asked. “They’re having a prom at the clubhouse. It may be a little too busy for her.”
“I don’t mind staying in the car if you want to go and have some fun.”
“It’s not about us having some fun, honey. Hardy, one of the men, wanted to throw a prom for his wife. It sounds more complicated than it actually is. I promise,” Lacey said.
Whizz saw it didn’t matter to Sally. She was out of her foster home, and that was all she was happy about. He wondered if she had some kind of bet on how long she was going to last in their lives.
“We’ll stop by the club. It’s only right for all the brothers and their wives to meet our daughter,” Whizz said. Just like he predicted, Sally turned her gaze to him.
“You don’t have to be nice to me.”
“I’m not. I’m saying how it is. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you’re my daughter.” The more he said it out loud, the better he felt.
Turning down a road, he started to make his way toward the clubhouse rather than toward his new home. There was a lot of decorating still to do, but the home was livable, and that was all that mattered.
Lacey kept talking to Sally, asking her about school, and what she liked. Most of the time the answers Lacey got were one word answers. The social worker had told him that there was a detachment between teenage adoptions and babies. It can take time to build on that same attachment with their kids.
Whizz wondered if Sally was going to make it hard on them on purpose, or if she didn’t know how else to be.
Parking in the clubhouse lot, he smiled when he watched Sally’s reaction. Her eyes grew wide, and he imagined it took her every ounce of control not to press her nose against the glass.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“This is the club you’re part of?”
“Yes, The Skulls.” He climbed out of the car, and moved to her door. “Come on. It’s time to go and meet people.”
“You want me to go inside there?”
“Yes. You’re not going to have a problem meeting people, are you?”
She shook her head. “Erm, I didn’t expect this.”
“Look, honey, you’re going to need to forget about everything you’ve ever known. We’re not like the assholes you’ve been with before,” Whizz said. “We’re going to blow your whole world.”
Lacey stood beside Sally and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do you want to meet them?”
“Yes.”
On the way toward the main entrance, Whizz froze as Gash came out. The brother looked like he was on a mission, and Whizz was surprised to still see him waiting around.
“You’re still here.”
“I’m still here,” Gash said.
“Sally, this is Gash. He’s one of the brothers. Gash, I’d like you meet mine and Whizz’s daughter, Sally.”
Sally froze in place, and Gash gave her a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I was waiting for your appearance before I headed out tonight. The Skulls will protect you. You’re not alone anymore.”