Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
“Respect.”
She quieted. “What do you mean?”
“I may need a resource in that world. Their information could be helpful, and they aren’t going to give it if they don’t respect me.”
“You couldn’t do any of that through Channing?”
“The history’s too raw between them. And I don’t even know all the history. But this new charter isn’t the same group that was here previously. I could see that myself. I met some of the previous charter. These guys were different.”
“Does it matter?” She chewed her bottom lip and moved her gaze over my face, like she was trying to feel the answer before I told her.
“It matters. I wouldn’t have approached the last charter. These guys, I need them to respect me. Logan too.”
“It doesn’t feel right that you’re going around Channing.”
“I know. I’ll handle that.” I grimaced. “Channing will be pissed, but he’ll understand. I had to go without telling him. He’ll get that too. Once I’m healed a bit more, I’ll tell him. Chan’s a good fucking fighter too.”
“So you did all of this. Is it going to be worth it? Will they talk to you about this Bennett family?”
“I don’t know.”
Her mouth went flat. “Mason.”
“I mean, I don’t know their charter, but I feel like I fought some of their best fighters. The first guy, Boise. He was good. Like, really good. I barely won against him. The second guy was a little easier, but he was still fucking brutal. Then the last guy,” I held Sam’s gaze. “He was their president.”
She sat up a little higher. “What?” Her eyes rounded.
“Their prez climbed into the ring. That has to mean something.”
Her mouth turned down. “He’s the one who beat you?”
I snorted, then grunted from the fucking pain. Shit. “I was worn down, which the fucker knew. But, God. He hit hard. Precise. He knew exactly where to hit the hardest.”
“I don’t like it. I don’t like any of this.”
I needed Sam on board. Reaching for her hand, I tugged her closer. “Everyone is leaving soon. It’ll be just you and me soon.”
“And Heather and Channing.”
“Channing will be pissed, but he’ll understand. My PI’s not getting back to me. I can’t even get a hold of her. I had to make this move. I need to get a feel for who the fuck I’m going against.”
“You could make a call to Kansas City.”
“I don’t know if that’s the right call. I can’t edge into this world blindly. If I make one wrong move, someone could get dead. I can’t mess up.”
I waited. She was still thinking.
And then, she gave in. She didn’t look any different, but I felt it. The air lightened around us. The pressure on my chest eased. She traced her hand over my leg. “You and Logan struggle when you’re here.”
“What?”
“What you said…that you noticed how you and Logan are different than Nate is. Nate doesn’t have the darkness in him that you and Logan do.” She hesitated before adding, “I have it too. Heather and Channing, they have it in them as well. But you’re right. Nate doesn’t. That doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with you or with him. It’s just a difference. He’s one of your best friends. He’s family. He’ll always be family.”
“I hadn’t realized that until tonight. I didn’t have a lot of insight when I was young, you know? And then we were out of here. We were normal, like him.”
“You and me. Logan too. We’re able to be here, but we can be not here too. Heather and Channing aren’t like that.”
I nodded. I knew what she meant.
“This whole area—Fallen Crest, Roussou—it’s too much in their blood. They wouldn’t be able to function anywhere else.”
A tenderness came over me. She understood it so seamlessly. She understood me. “I really love you.”
A coy grin tugged at her mouth. “Really?” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I really want to ride you, but you went and got yourself all fucked up.”
She lifted her hand away from my leg, but I caught it. “I’m always up for an offer like that.”
“Mason.” She shook her head.
I leaned into her, closing my eyes, and nuzzled her neck and shoulder. “I was in a couple fights, not a car wreck. Climb me, baby.” Feeling her shiver, hearing her breath quicken, I didn’t wait. Ignoring the pain, I lifted her on top of me and fit her right where she belonged. On my dick. My hands went to her hips, beginning to knead them. Her body melted on top of mine, settling in, but when she didn’t touch me, I moved my head back. “What’s wrong? I’m fine. I’ve been worse and we’ve fucked.”
“I don’t know about that, if you’ve been worse before.” She snorted. “But that’s not…” She was back to biting her bottom lip.
I groaned. “I don’t like how you keep chewing that mouth of yours. It’s mine to chew.”