Total pages in book: 260
Estimated words: 245483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1227(@200wpm)___ 982(@250wpm)___ 818(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 245483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1227(@200wpm)___ 982(@250wpm)___ 818(@300wpm)
“Who? Who would have even known I was heading in?”
“It could have been me they were setting up,” Reed offers but then hesitantly looks over his shoulder at Kat, still standing in the corner of the kitchen by the sink. Watching silently.
“Back when Missy—”
“Don’t bring up her name,” I say, cutting him off as my voice drops deathly low. Just the mention of Missy, a woman who was like a second mother to me, the woman who kept the club together and then ratted, makes my blood boil.
Reed is silent, staring back at me like he has something to say. He doesn’t say a word, though. “Who could be the leak? Who’s the rat now?”
“They’re saying it’s Kat, but I don’t think it is.”
“Who the fuck is saying it’s her?”
“Me?” Kat’s tone echoes both disbelief and fear. “I wouldn’t dare,” she says, barely getting out the choked words.
“Who the fuck said it’s Kat?” I say harsher, slamming my fist down to get their attention.
Reed looks me dead in the eye when he tells me, “Your uncle.”
“Fucking hell,” I say, gritting the words between clenched teeth. Everything runs cold and I look up at Kat to find her expression fallen and true fear in her gorgeous eyes.
“I’ll kill them before they think to say that shit again … let alone touch you.”
“It’s not her,” Reed says and then glances up at Kat to add, “I know it’s not you. We all know you wouldn’t.”
“Then why the fuck was her name even mentioned?” The cords in Reed’s throat tighten as he swallows. “Is it because of her father?” I ask, my anger barely contained. Before I can help myself, before Reed can even answer, my decision to go back there is final. Leaning over the table, I stare down Reed and ask, “How did you let this happen?”
“I think maybe you should calm—”
As my fist slams down on the table, I can feel the rage boiling. I’ve always had anger issues, my pops used to say I was temperamental. Prison only made that worse.
“They turned their backs on her the moment I left.” I still have the ring I was going to give her. The memory of it only makes the pain worse. “It’s a betrayal and it needs to be dealt with.”
“Cill, it’s—”
“We’re going back,” I say and my tone holds no room for negotiation as I meet each of their gazes. It doesn’t escape me that there’s worry buried inside each of them. When did conversations about the club get met with fear? “We’re going back.” It takes everything in me to keep my voice calm and lower it to add, “We’re going to do another vote and I’m going to put it all back to the way it was.”
Even as the words leave me, I know it’ll never be what it once was. If that’s what I want, the family the club used to be, I might as well start over.
That very thought echoes in Reed’s eyes.
“They don’t want me in there and that’s fine. But I would never–” Seeing my hellcat give in, seeing her cower under the idea of going back … I fucking lose it.
“It’s not fine! Who the fuck said they don’t want you there? My uncle?”
“Calm down, Cillian.”
“It’s my fucking club,” I scream, my muscles coiling.
“My father’s,” I add and my voice splits with emotion I have no fucking intention of dealing with. “I should have been there,” I shout, each word emphasized with the slamming of my fist.
“How could they make you feel like you weren’t welcome?” I say and stare down Kat, my everything. Her eyes are glossy and I can’t fucking take it.
“Reed, how could you let this happen!” I’m met with nothing but silence, both of them staring at me like they would a wild, uncaged animal. “I should fucking kill him …”
“No one’s killing anyone right now, Cill. Man, you just got out,” Reed points out, attempting to temper my anger.
“I need you to calm down so I can tell you—” Kat does the same, although she doesn’t finish.
“Tell me what?”
“When I … when we stopped …” My hellcat grips the counter as if she needs it to hold her up. “I was with someone and your uncle found out, and that’s why.”
“So fucking what? So what if you slept with someone. That’s between us. It’s none of his fucking business.” I don’t care that she fucked someone. I care that he wasn’t good enough to keep her and that she’s mine now. That’s all that matters. My uncle can go to hell if he doesn’t like it.
“Cill … it’s who.”
“Who? Who was it?”
“I think you should calm down,” Reed offers, no longer sitting as he steps away from the table.
“I have to tell him. I have to, Reed,” she says and Kat’s shoulders crumple on his name. What the fuck is going on.