Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
I don't think I have it in me to believe her lies.
The only argument Derrick and I have had since we reconnected was about her. He urged me to speak with her, to forgive her, to understand that she's as much a victim in all of this as I am. I got details of her history and the way she was abused by both her stepdad and her stepbrother.
I'm not strong enough. As honest as Derrick has been in his words and his actions, all I can see when I think of her is the way her face went from I don't give a shit when she walked into the house and saw me tied up there to the sad, broken woman she was when Xan was killed and Nathan was shot.
I don't know which person she truly is, and, honestly, I'm not a hundred percent comfortable with her here at the clubhouse.
“That may be the last time until spring,” Derrick says as he turns to face me, his hands going up to unclip the strap under my chin. He pulls the helmet off my head, smiling at me despite my hair being all over the place.
“Don't be a baby. It wasn't that cold,” I tease.
“It'll take me a month to find my balls.”
I chuckle, reaching out for him.
“I seriously doubt that,” I say, cupping him between the legs.
The man does dangerous deadly things to a pair of jeans, and I've asked more than once that he buy a larger size because I know every woman in the world gets distracted when they see him.
“We need to take this inside,” he says, but he doesn't make a move to step away. Despite his insistence about his nuts, it doesn't stop his cock from thickening under my touch.
He helps me off the back of his bike. The sunset ride was the perfect end to a pretty perfect day.
“Have you thought more about what Em asked you?”
I agreed to the ride when he suggested it because I didn't want to have this conversation yet.
“Before you can argue, there are kids there who need your help.”
Em asked earlier if I was ready to go back to the shelter as if my near-death experience was something I needed to get over. I've discussed it with Dr. Alverez who tells me not to live in fear, but how can any of us not live in fear when Nathan Adair is still alive, albeit in jail, and his only focus of revenge is living under the same roof as us.
“Probably safer there than here,” I mutter as we climb the steps to the clubhouse.
He makes a mild sound of irritation, but he doesn't argue with me.
“She's been told to stay away from you, Beth. She's not going to bother you,” he assures me as he opens the door for me.
“Can we talk?”
I look from Brielle, who is standing just inside the door chewing nervously on the side of her finger, to Derrick, giving him a you can't always be right look before glancing back at the woman who almost got me killed.
Newton stands a little to the side, but the way he watches her makes me wonder if he's getting ready to ward off her attack or if he's nervous that I'm going to be the one to lash out at her. I don't understand whatever the connection it is those two have, but it doesn't make sense.
Men are notoriously ignorant to manipulation, and despite the intelligence level that got him his road name, I have to consider the fact that she might just be using him the way she did me.
“We have nothing to say to each other,” I assure her, doing my best not to feel guilty when I hear her crying after I walk away.
Derrick doesn't mention her again when we get back to the room, but makes sure to lock the door behind us once we're closed inside.
“You keep saying you love me,” I tell him.
“And I mean it.”
“A man who loves me would make love to me until the sun came up.”
“Now this is a challenge I can't wait to face.”
The man proves himself over and over, and by the time the sun comes up over our sweat-coated skin, I'm the one whispering those three little words.
And meaning them with my whole heart.
THE END