Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
To me, this is just another sign that happily ever after is not for me. I thought I could grasp it. I wanted the life T and Grunt had. I wanted the type of life I never saw growing up. Yet, just when I thought I was obtaining it—it all went to hell. Now, I’m reminded of who I am. The only person to ever love me was my mother. It was just me and her and even that went to hell. She had to travel a lot for work and said it wasn’t safe for me. She left me with her sister—Ramona. I can’t even call the woman my aunt, because she didn’t really like me. Ramona only kept me for the money that my mother gave her. Mom still did her best to come see me at least once a month and spend a few days with me. Growing up, those days were the only times that I can truly remember being happy. When my mother died in some kind of accident, I was only nineteen. Ramona never really explained what happened. Ramona just came by the club and handed me my mother’s urn, saying the state of Tennessee had sent my mom’s ashes to her. She gave me the urn before walking off and telling me she never wanted to see me again. I let her go and, as cold as it sounds, I didn’t push to find out more.
Mom had pretty much disappeared from my life a year or two before that. I didn’t blame her. Mom had already made it clear the year before that Dragon had ruined her life and refused to support us. She said because of that she’d managed to hitch her wagon to some biker who didn’t want another man’s bastard around. She still sent money back. I didn’t bother telling Mom that I was living on my own by then. Mom stayed wasted. I heard it in every call she made. The woman I loved and remembered ceased to exist a year or so before she died. I tried to ask her what happened, but all she would tell me was that Dragon ruined her life. I knew that. I’d heard that story my entire life. Any money she sent went to Ramona anyway, it always had. So, I just let her ramble and told her I loved her. I’ve lost count of how often I asked if she’d let me come and get her and take care of her. I told her I could provide for both of us, but she wouldn’t even tell me where she was at. I probably could have found out, but I got to where it just wasn’t worth it. In the end, my mother was like everyone else. I just wasn’t good enough to stick around for.
“Are you even listening to me, King?” Shelby asks.
“Yeah,” I lie. “I have to go. Just stay there where you’re safe. Don’t head back to our house. I’m still in North Carolina and most of the club is too. Those that aren’t are on lockdown. If you want to come home, I can call one of the guys to come and get you.”
“I can take care of myself,” she mutters. “Besides, it’s not like many people even know we were together except for your club.”
“Shelby, please listen to me. It’s not safe for you to be there without guards. We have to take care of this club and end the threat. I’ll be back in town soon,” I tell her, not missing how she mentioned that we were together.
“I have to go, King. Have fun in North Carolina.”
“It’s not fun, Shelby. I’m here on work.”
“You forget, I’ve seen how your club parties when they’re working. I’m sure there are women everywhere.”
“I haven’t been with a woman since you left my bed, Shelby.”
“I wish I could believe you,” she mumbles.
“I swear I haven’t. I made vows to you, honey. They aren’t promises I take lightly. Would you care if I was fucking another woman?”
“I just want out, King. I don’t want a life where I have to be guarded and I really don’t want to be with a man who can take another’s life without thought. It’s one of the reasons I became a nurse. I wanted to save lives.”
“You didn’t used to be against me finding justice,” I remind her.
“That’s not entirely true. The point is, Gina was just a girl. You didn’t have to kill her. I don’t care what she did. You could have let the authorities deal with it. Who’s to say you won’t kill me one night when I piss you off too much?”
“You can’t believe that,” I argue, feeling like part of me is being ripped in half.
“I’ve seen your temper,” she replies, as if that explains the horrible shit that just spewed from her mouth. “My lawyer will have our separation agreement and the divorce papers ready.’