Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 73(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 73(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
“Fine, get me a coffee and one of those new keto brownies or whatever.” He scrunches his face up and I know he must be really worried about me if he’s willing to eat the almost sugarless chocolate treat.
I nod my head and reach over to take the twenty-dollar bill he’s holding out in his hand. He gives my shoulder a squeeze as I walk by, and then I walk down the block to the bakery. There’s only a few tables taken, and I’m able to stand right in front of the case to look at the day’s specials.
Hazel comes to the front. “Hey there, Madeline. Did your dad send you over to get him his favorite cinnamon roll?”
“I’m sure that’s what he wants,” I answer with a laugh. “But you know the doctor has cut out his sweets. What do you have keto today?”
Hazel starts to harrumph and shake her head, mumbling about doctors thinking they know everything. She pulls out a tray and sets it up on the counter. “I got keto brownies, cookies and cheesecake.”
“Great. I’ll take a cookie and a brownie and two coffees, black please.”
“Coming right up,” she says as she starts to bag the items and then turns to the coffee pot.
I’m looking at all the decadent pastries when I hear a voice behind me. As soon as I hear “Exiled Guardians” I turn to see who it is, and I recognize a woman that I’m pretty sure I’ve seen hanging outside the club before.
She’s talking to someone that I don’t recognize, but that doesn’t matter when I hear her next words. “I’m going to the party at the clubhouse tonight.”
The women continue talking as Hazel brings my order and sets it on the counter. I hand over the money, thanking her, and then walk over to the booth of the two women. I turn to the one covered in tattoos. “I want to go to the party. Can you get me in?”
She looks me up and down and starts to shake her head. “I don’t think it’s your kind of party.”
I know exactly what she’s thinking. She’s thinking that if I go into the Guardians clubhouse I’m going to freak out, but I’m not. I don’t care about anything except letting Iron know that I can fit in with him and his friends. She looks away as if she’s going to dismiss me, but I don’t let her. “It is. I know several of the guys and I’m friends with Iron.” I look down at myself and back up again. “And it’s not like I’m going to wear this to the party or anything.”
She nods and then with a smirk, looks around before leaning in close to whisper, “There will be drinking, sex, and probably some serious fights going down. It’s pretty rough.”
Perplexed, I can’t help but think that’s not the Exiled Guardians I know. I shake my head. Whatever. She can try to scare me off all she wants, but I still want to go. “So where do I meet you to go to this thing?”
She rattles off her address and tells me to be there by eight o’clock. “I’m Tara, by the way.”
“I’m Maddy. Thank you for letting me go with you. I’ll be there,” I tell her before hustling out the door, walking too fast and trying not to drop the coffee and pastries out of my hand. Eight seems kind of late to be leaving to go to a party, but I didn’t want to blow my chances of getting to go by asking too many questions.
I finish up my day at work and then hustle home to get ready. I raid my closet and I have nothing that is going to work for a party at the Exiled Guardians. I need something to look the part of tough and a sexy bad girl. I cut off my black jeans into tiny cutoffs and add holes and fraying. I pair them with the fishnet stockings I wore to a Halloween party and then put on my knee-high black leather boots I’ve had in the closet for years just waiting for a reason to be worn. The leather coat I have isn’t biker style enough to wear, so I pick my black jean jacket and sew some of my necklaces on it to make it look like a chain. For a top, I pick the lacy camisole meant to be worn under a shirt and put it on over my black bra.
Time is running short, so I untie the bun I put my curly dark blond hair in this afternoon and finger scrunch it with gel.
After makeup and perfume, I go and check out my full look. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I’m sure it’s gonna be the night Iron sees a whole new side of me.