Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Pulling into her mom’s driveway, Winnie burst into tears for what felt like the tenth time that day. She didn’t want to walk in there. The house wasn’t the same without her mother.
A soft knock on her driver’s side window made her look up in surprise. Scythe leaned close, studying her with a concerned expression. “Unlock the door, Chipmunk. I need to hold you.”
Winnie hit the unlock button fast, allowing Scythe to pull it open. As she tumbled out of the car, he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tight to his hard chest. Stroking over her hair, he whispered soft words that she couldn’t focus on. They reassured her, nevertheless.
“She’s not here,” Winnie whispered.
“She’s not. Your mom is with your dad and stepdad in heaven, wondering why you’re so sad,” Scythe told her.
She bit back a rueful laugh. “You’re so right. She wouldn’t be happy with me.”
“She’ll love you forever, Little girl.”
“I know. It’s just hard.” Winnie tried to pull herself together. She pushed on Scythe’s hard chest, and he relaxed his grip on her.
“Okay. Let’s go check that file and see what we need to do next,” she suggested.
“We’ve checked off every item that can be finished now, Winnie. The medical equipment people were in the area, so they already stopped by to retrieve their stuff. We have an appointment in a half hour with the minister.”
“Wow! Thank you.” Her eyes landed on a duffle bag sitting on the driveway. “What’s that?”
“I packed some of your things. You’re coming to stay with me, Little girl.”
“I am?”
“Yes. Do you trust me, or would you like to see if I missed anything?”
“As long as I have underwear, I’m happy. How did you sense I didn’t want to go in there?” she asked, looking back at the house.
“I know you, Winnie. Follow me over to the church and we’ll get everything started. Then, I’ll take you home.”
Home. That word echoed in her head. Her mom had made this place a home. “I came back to live here when she needed my help.”
“You were a very sweet daughter, Winnifred Abigail Bradley.”
Her gaze rebounded to meet his. “How did you find out my middle name?”
“Your sister and I picked out photos for the funeral service. She was good at finding fun pictures to show how much your mother enjoyed her life. I spotted a birth announcement in your baby book. Ten pounds, five ounces. You were healthy when you were born.” He stroked a hand over her spine to cup one of her butt cheeks. “You still have the same cute badonkadonk.”
“Oh, my, God! You saw the naked picture of me as a baby.”
“I did.” Scythe waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.
“You!” Winnie slapped his chest, laughing. Only Scythe could change her mood in a flash.
Chapter 12
Winnie followed Scythe along the winding road behind Inferno, enjoying the scenery of his broad shoulders and tight butt. A few fantasies roamed through her mind as he led the way. Thank goodness for his brake lights warning her he was stopping. Winnie stepped on the pedal sharply to halt behind him.
A gate? Scythe lived in a gated community? That seemed odd. He talked to someone inside the booth, gesturing back at her car. When he pulled forward, she trailed behind. When Vex appeared in front of her car, Winnie slammed the car to a stop.
“Hi, Winnifred,” he greeted her warmly.
“Winnie,” she corrected automatically. “Didn’t your parents teach you to look both ways before crossing the street?”
“They tried to teach me a lot of things. Some stuck in my brain, others not so much,” Vex answered, completely unfazed by the close call.
“Vex won’t always be at the gate, Winnie,” Scythe explained as he walked back to join them. “He’ll need your license to put on record, and everyone will let you in when you arrive without a question.”
“My driver’s license?” she asked, grabbing her purse and searching through it for her wallet. Of course, it was lost somewhere inside. Winnie grabbed a handful of things and dropped them on the passenger seat as the men watched. Finally, she found it.
“Got it!” Winnie flipped it open and yanked out a card for Vex. “Ta-da!”
“This is your library card, Winnie,” Vex told her.
“Crap!” She snatched it out of his hand and muttered something about how much the two looked alike.
“Okay, this is it!” Winnie waved her license around before pulling it back to double-check. “Yep! I found it.”
The guys didn’t point out her library card was pure white while the license was tan. Vex carried it inside to scan and returned with his phone to hand her license before capturing pictures of her car and the plates.
“Why the high security?” she asked.
“Very precious people live inside,” Scythe answered.
“Bikers?” Winnie asked.
“They’re not the special individuals we want to protect,” Vex explained. “The Devil Daddies can take care of themselves.”