Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Dex pulls into my driveway and shuts off the engine. Should I invite him in, or does he need to leave right away?
I thought this trip brought us closer but for some reason, now I feel farther away.
“Emily?” Dex swings his leg over his bike and stands in front of me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Can you come in, or do you need to go right away?”
A brief frown wrinkles his forehead, but he nods. “I’ll come in.”
Gee, don’t sound so excited about it.
Why do I feel as awkward as the first day he gave me a ride home from work?
Inside the house, I set my backpack at the bottom of the stairs so I remember to take it up with me and unpack it later.
When I turn around, Dex is right behind me. He rests his hands on my hips and walks me backward until the back of my foot hits the wall. I lean against the cool surface and stare up at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I wish you’d told me what I should or shouldn’t say around your club. I hate feeling like I’m going to do something wrong.”
He tilts his head in a questioning way, but I don’t have anything to add.
“Em, you have to give me more information. I doubt you said or did anything wrong. Everyone liked you.”
“Is that what you talked about in church for so long?”
“What?” he snorts and steps back. “No.” He stares at me for a few beats. “A brother…the old president of one of our southern charters passed away. Our national president’s organizing a big memorial service. Attendance is mandatory. So there was a lot to discuss.”
“Oh.” My mouth stays open, but I don’t know what else to say. “I’m sorry about your brother.”
“Tell me what you think you said that you shouldn’t have?”
I shrug. “It’s stupid.”
“But it’s bothering you.” His stubborn tone says he expects an answer.
“I just mentioned something about how you guys had church the other night. And Lilly seemed surprised. I forgot she’s part of Downstate. Trinity looked pissed. I didn’t know I wasn’t—”
“Hey, hey. It’s not that big of a deal.” He cups my cheek. “Z’s probably being looped in right now. Downstate was supposed to come to that afternoon meeting with us.”
“Oh.” Well, now I feel dumb. “I just don’t want to say the wrong thing and make them hate me when I know how important the club is to you.”
“Emily.” He drops his forehead to mine. “That means the world to me. You have no idea.”
Having him so close, pressing me against the wall like this, sets me on fire. My breathing turns quick and shallow, but I try to act like nothing has changed.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way,” he says. “I have a lot of love and respect for Lilly, Trinity, and all the ol’ ladies. But as much as I love them and it would make me happy if you get along with them, my opinion’s the only one that matters. So, if Trinity didn’t like that you said something in front of Lilly, I really don’t give a fuck.”
Part of me wants to be offended—I’m not sure why. The other part of me is relieved. And a tiny sliver of myself is annoyed that I crave his approval so damn much.
“If it was a problem—which it’s not—then it’d be something Wrath and I would work out, not you,” he adds.
“But…then I’d be getting you in trouble with your club. And I don’t want that.” Reacquainting myself with my backbone, I stand straighter. “You really need to give me a Lost Kings’ organizational family flow chart or something.”
A slow smile spreads over his face and laughter rumbles out of him. “I like that idea. I’ll bring it to the table.”
“What? No, don’t do that. I’ll figure it out. Serena will help me.”
He brushes his lips over my cheek. “I love you, firecracker.”
The heat licking my skin returns hotter than before.
“I’m glad you want to talk to Serena,” he says. “But I’m concerned she made you more anxious by telling you whatever she said about the girls.”
My need to defend Serena cools my desire for him. “No she didn’t.” I narrow my eyes and put some heat into my words. “And don’t forget she and I were friends way before your club entered my life.”
His mouth twitches like he’s trying not to laugh. “Noted.”
“I did have a nice time. Until I felt like I showed my ass. And then you were gone for so long.”
He brushes my hair off my shoulder, his fingers tickling over the sensitive part of my neck exposed by the V-neck of my sweater.
My breathing stutters. I wish I’d chosen a bra with some padding. My nipples are harder than diamonds, probably poking through the thinly knit sweater.
“Sorry things were chaotic up there. I thought you’d be more comfortable if Downstate was around, since you’ve met Lilly and Shelby.” He drops one hand to my waist, squeezing in that demanding, possessive way that makes my heart pound.