Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84788 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
The garage was supposed to open in another two months. It was nothing special. Reign bought one of the old, abandoned ones in town, just a simple shop with two lifts, a bathroom, and an office. He'd gotten a bunch of the men in and had them clean it up, fix any issues with the the Sheetrock, plumbing, and electrical. Then he'd had Summer, the only one of the girls club who seemed to have any interest in interior design, and had her fix up the office. The promotional fliers were going out in a few weeks and then we would be in business.
Lo, Janie, and Cash's gym was about another six months out due to both all the strong personalities involved and expected head-butting and some issues they ran into with construction and certifications.
And Maze, well, she'd somehow talked Reign into paying for an office for her in town to do her official business. The money for which, at first, was completely off the books. She'd been surprisingly undemanding though. When I say it was a small office, I mean that I was pretty sure you could touch both walls if you spread your arms out. But she loved it and spent a lot of time getting it just how she wanted it, insisting she not only cover the books for us, but as many of the local businesses and individuals as she could. Within a few weeks of opening her doors, she had us, a few legit small businesses, and several individuals she called clients.
"Maze," I called as I walked into the compound.
"How'd you miss her up on the roof?" Renny asked, shaking his head at me like I was an idiot. Renny was Renny. Some things never changed.
I went back outside and went around the building to climb the ladder to the roof where I found Maze sitting with a gun propped up on a milk crate and an open folder full of papers on her lap. Her hand was tapping a pen against her lip as she tried to concentrate. She was wrapped up in tight blue jeans and a big, bulky white sweater against the only mildly cool Fall weather. Her hair, which she had kept purple, was in a thick braid down one of her shoulders.
I knew it was supposed to fade, to grow old, but I never got over the punch-to-the-gut sensation I got whenever I saw her and realized she was mine.
She turned, hearing or sensing me, her head tilting, her smile tugging her lips up slightly. "Hey Rye," she said, looking a little more tired than I was used to seeing her. But she had taken to working on her accounting business with the same single-minded determination that she took to prospecting for The Henchmen MC. I walked over toward her, tucking the papers back into the folder and slipping it under the milk crate. "Everything alright?" she asked, brows drawing together.
"Yep. I got you something," I said as I crouched down in front of her. All the crates being used, it didn't seem unusual.
"Is it the grease-less hands? Because that is quite the treat," she teased, her hazel eyes bright.
I reached into my pocket, grabbing the box and flipping it open before she could fully register what I was doing.
"Rye..." she said, her eyes going huge as her gaze went from my hands to my face.
"I didn't even know your real name when I knew you were it for me. I didn't know where you grew up or your favorite flower or what song makes your soul hurt. But I didn't need to know those things to know you, Maze, to know you're determined and strong and stubborn as all fuck, but that you're also giving and sweet and snarky and sexy as all hell..." I added when her eyes started to water up, trying to lighten the mood. "There's only one thing in this world that means more to me than my brotherhood, than The Henchmen, and that's you honey. So I figured it was time to..."
"Mark your territory?" she asked, swatting at her cheek, giving me a wobbly little smile as I took her hand and started sliding the ring on.
"Something like that," I said, pushing it fully on then curling my fingers between hers. "So, yes?"
"One condition," she said, eyes getting a little mischievous.
"Anything."
"The wedding night..."
"Yeah..." I smiled, liking where this was heading.
"Come up with somewhere really fun for us to, ah, seal the deal."
"Done," I agreed, reaching for the back of her neck and hauling her toward me, lips hard and hungry and full of the neediness I hadn't been aware I had been practically exploding with until she accepted me.
Maze
1.5 Years-
"Really, the shop is small guys," I objected, but only half of my heart was in it. One, because I knew it was absolutely useless to try to fight the girls club when they got united on an issue. Two, because I actually genuinely wanted them there.