Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Petal nodded. “Yeah, I have.”
“To say I am in love with Colt and that I’m happy, to say it out loud, it’s like the universe will take it away from me, and that terrifies me. I love my life.”
Petal reached out and grabbed Rosalie’s hand. “It wouldn’t dare take anything from you. I won’t let it.”
“I lost Mom,” Rosalie said. “And I nearly lost you.”
She saw the tears shining in Rosalie’s eyes.
“What if I lose this baby?” Rosalie asked.
“Stop,” Petal said. Her whole body felt like it was being repeatedly stabbed. “You’ve got to stop thinking this way.”
“Something bad is going to happen.”
“No, it’s not. Bad stuff happens all the time, and it’s not your fault and it’s not even pointing at you. Bad stuff is just that—bad—and there is nothing we can do about it. You’re going to be a great mom. I mean, the jury is still out on Colt, because I still don’t like him.”
Rosalie laughed. “You’ve got to like him. He’s my husband.”
Petal wrinkled her nose. “I don’t have to like him, and until I know for sure he has your best interests at heart, I don’t like him.”
Her friend chuckled. “I have missed this. You and me.”
“I’ve missed it too.”
“We should do this more often.”
Petal smiled. “We should try. I don’t think your husband is too keen on sharing you with your best friend.”
“Tough. You and I are besties for life, forever. We promised, remember? We share everything together. You and me.”
And there was the guilt. Kim knew the truth. Myth knew some of what happened. She had not told Rosalie anything. Knowing that her friend was now in love with her husband, Petal was never going to tell her.
Rosalie didn’t need to know what happened. It was all in the past and the consequences disappeared the day Gabrielle died.
“Yeah, you and me,” Petal said.
****
“Did it work?” Kim asked, stepping into the bedroom to find her husband staring down at his cell phone.
“The run went without a hitch.”
She rubbed cream into her hands. “This is good news, right?” From the frown on his face, she was starting to think it wasn’t good news.
“It’s good news.”
“But you’re not happy.”
Warden put his cell phone on the cabinet beside the bed. “Something is not right.”
“Maybe you’re just not used to the Evil Fuckers MC being around,” Kim said.
Warden shook his head. “It’s not that. We removed the bodies, and some of the men, I had never seen before, and those that I remember—and trust me, I remember them—weren’t there.”
“They might have gone.”
“No, they wouldn’t just disappear like this. Trust me.” Warden ran his fingers through his hair. “I want you to be extra careful.”
Kim moved toward the bed and climbed behind her husband. “You’ve got to stop stressing. If there is a problem, we’re going to face it together, okay? I think this is all a good thing. We’re finally free. Rosalie is pregnant. The club is doing great. The threat is gone. We’re finally going to get what we wanted.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Stop overthinking everything.”
****
One month rolled into a second. Rosalie started to show, just a small bump, but it began to grow.
The club finally made the decision on what to do with the Evil Fuckers MC territory and were already starting the building work. They had decided on an apartment building, complete with a parking lot. They had no choice but to purchase more land, but the club had been doing good with its investments, so it was easy to find the funds.
Dirty tried to get close to Petal. He didn’t know how to make amends, and as he sat drinking at the bar, he watched Petal with Myth, Colt, and Rosalie.
It was Friday night. Another Friday in an endless supply of Fridays, and once again, Petal was at the clubhouse, completely ignoring him. Usually, he left, going to his room, so he didn’t have to watch Myth and Petal look so fucking happy together. They looked like a couple. He never saw them kiss or do anything but hang out.
Myth was not the kind of guy to hang out with a woman without getting something from it. They were fucking, he was sure of it. He just couldn’t fucking prove it, and it pissed him off.
After his sixth beer, he was done with the taste and slammed his hand on the counter, demanding a whiskey. Rooster gave him a frown, but he didn’t give a shit.
Petal wasn’t taking the hint that this was his fucking club, and it was time for her to leave. He’d done what she asked and left her alone. He didn’t eat at the diner, and he kept his distance when she visited Gabrielle’s grave. He behaved like the perfect little fucking puppy dog, and for what? For her to have fun, laughing and joking like it didn’t matter.