Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I could no longer hear anyone talking outside the door, but I could hear the gentle knocking. Hopefully, they couldn’t hear me either. The door opened, and someone crouched beside me, wrapping a gentle arm around me.
“Get a blanket.” I looked up to see Lucy’s face next to me. Tears glistened in her eyes as she gave an order to someone. She looked angry even as one tear dripped from her eye. She rubbed my arms and crooned to me softly. “It’s going to be OK, Emmanuell. Whatever is wrong, I’ll help you fix it. Me and the other ol’ ladies.” As I looked up, three more women filed in. Kitty moved in front of me immediately, snatching a blanket from someone. I couldn’t see much beyond anything in front of my face. My eyes were so swollen, and tears continued to blur my vision.
Lucy looked in the direction of the door while she helped Kitty wrap the blanket around me. “Spring, thank you for coming.”
“Is this Emmanuell? Is she OK? What’s wrong?” Spring used a soft, damp cloth to gently wash my face of tears. “Do I need to get Doc, honey?”
“I didn’t hurt her,” a male voice growled. “I’m the one who called Lucy when I couldn’t get her to open the fuckin’ door.” I looked up to see Gideon standing behind Kitty, looking like he desperately wanted to do something. He clenched and unclenched his fists. When he noticed me looking at him, he crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze fastening to mine.
“Well, something happened,” Spring muttered. “When a woman is this distraught and no one died, you can almost bet there’s a man involved somehow.”
I stirred then, needing to take my gaze from Gideon, but unable to. “It’s not his fault,” I whispered. “I just need to be by myself for a while.” I really didn’t. I never wanted to be alone again as long as I lived. But I didn’t know these people.
“I think you’ve been by yourself for way too long, honey,” Lucy said, hugging me to her and urging me to stand. The other women helped. There were two other women I didn’t know, but they all formed a solid wall around me, helping me walk out of the room and down the hall where Lucy said she lived with her husband, Vicious.
When I looked up at the concerned faces around me, I felt nothing but good will. These women genuinely wanted to help. Then my gaze accidentally went to the door, knowing he’d be there. I couldn’t seem to help myself. I was in love with Gideon. He’d imprinted himself on me. I tried to tell myself it was nothing more than infatuation, especially after the explosive sex we’d had, not to mention how gentle and caring he’d been with me. Both during sex and before when he’d insisted I go to the doctor. Did he really deserve my distrust because of Devan?
“I think you need to leave, Ripper,” Lucy said, standing and putting herself between me and Gideon. Vicious entered the room and went to his wife, putting his arm around her.
“Don’t judge him until you know what happened, honey. I’ve seen him with Emmanuell, and he cares for that girl.”
“I understand that,” she countered, “but if she doesn’t want him here, no matter what happened, she doesn’t have to be near him. We can work it out later, but while she’s in my home -- and last I checked this was my home -- I will have the woman pregnant with triplets comfortable and feeling safe. Gideon can sit outside the door if he wants, but he doesn’t get to barge in here if she wants away from him.”
Gideon looked like he wanted to punch something, but he closed his eyes and nodded once, then turned to walk back outside the door. Vicious sighed heavily, but leaned in to kiss his wife on the forehead. Then he, too, left the room.
“Emmanuell, I know you’ve met a lot of people, but I have two more for you. This is Venus and Glitter. Glitter is ol’ lady to one of Bane’s members. Venus is a patched member herself.” That startled me. I hadn’t realized they let women be members.
“That’s right,” Venus said. “You need him gutted, you come to me. I have experience in those matters.” Her accent sounded Russian. But the most startling thing about Venus was her appearance. She was dressed head to toe in pink leather. But that wasn’t all. She also had pink hair and pink nails that looked razor-sharp. Even her eyes were hot pink.
“She’s not kidding,” Glitter said with a gentle smile. “You tell us if he hurt you, and Venus will take care of him.”
“He didn’t,” I said softly. “I probably overreacted. This isn’t his fault. It’s mine.”