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)
The service doesn’t last long. He talks about Diego and there are a few laughs, a few smiles, but a lot of tears. I try to concentrate on what the man says, but it’s beyond me for the most part. I’m more than ready to get out of here.
Once he’s done talking, he walks over to the casket. I watch as he takes the cut that is draped over the casket. It’s stretched out over a club flag with the club’s emblem, which is a bike with flames. Written around that are the words, ‘Live Ride and Die’. Digger comes up and takes the cut from Preacher. It’s a duplicate of the cut Diego wore and is being buried in. Several others come up and get the flag and fold it. Torch takes it and follows Digger as they hand the cut to Skull and the flag to Beth. Digger kisses his mother on the cheek. Her silent tears become sobs as she holds onto him.
My gaze moves to Gabby. She’s sitting beside her mother, but she’s withdrawn into herself. The service itself was quick, and I’m glad. Gabby looks like a strong wind would bowl her over.
Dom and Thea come to stand by me. Dom slaps his hand against my back.
“Hey,” I say. I’m starting to really like the asshole and there’s a part of me that resents it.
“Hey, I see you broke away from Kayden,” he jokes.
“It wasn’t easy. Your sister is a talker,” I mutter good-naturedly with a smile.
“She is, but don’t forget, she’s your sister now, too. Once Kayden claims you, there’s no going back.”
“I’m getting that impression,” I laugh.
Dom’s gaze moves over the crowd, and I notice it lights on Gabby. He frowns. “Shit,” he mutters.
“She’s struggling,” I tell him, letting him know that I’ve noticed too.
“Yeah, I might talk to Skull about getting her into therapy,” he murmurs.
“If he’ll listen,” I mutter, not liking how Gabby is always alone right now.
Dom grunts. I think maybe that means he’s noticed the same things I have, but I could be wrong.
Thea had been talking to her sister Skylar, but when Skylar walks away, she turns her attention back to us. “You okay, Dom?” she asks, picking up on our uneasiness about Gabby.
Dom immediately looks down at her. “Yeah, Gorgeous. We’re just a little worried about Gabby. I think I’ll talk to Skull and see if he will talk to her about therapy.”
“It might help. She seems okay in person, though. Did I tell you she came over and apologized to me earlier?”
“How’d that go?”
“It was fine. I didn’t really know what to say. She asked if we’d found any trace of Mattie and told me how sorry she was. After a few awkward moments, she left.”
“I’m heading to North Carolina after the service is over. I’m going to help them continue to look for him.”
“Thanks, King. We’re all taking it so hard. I know Dad and Mom will be heading down there, too. They’ve been a mess. They searched the lake the last three days down there and when they found Mattie’s cut, Mom completely lost it. The doctor had to sedate her. Dad hasn’t said anything, but I think he’s given up hope. I haven’t. If he were dead, a body would have been found by now.”
“I have no answers, Thea, baby, but we will find him,” Dom promises her, hugging her close and resting his hand on her slightly rounded belly.
“I know …” she says, pushing his hand away. What she doesn’t verbalize is that she’s afraid that when they do, he won’t be alive. It goes unspoken, but we all know.
“Have you two noticed the way Joker keeps looking at my little sister?” Thea asks. Our gazes move in that direction and sure enough, Joker is staring straight at Skylar, and he doesn’t look happy.
“He’s just worried about her. That’s all. Skylar is not Joker’s type. Besides, he’s double her age.”
“Not quite, but you’re probably right. You should probably speak to him, though. Skylar has always been more than half-in-love with Joker. If he keeps looking at her like that, she’ll go after him with all she’s got.”
“Skylar likes Joker?”
“Oh yeah,” Thea laughs.
“She seems more like the type to date a lawyer,” I tell her with a laugh.
“Skylar is a mystery on the best of days,” Thea answers.
“I might talk to him, but I think you’re seeing things that aren’t there. There’s no way that Skylar is the kind of woman that Joker would be interested in, anyway. He’d want someone quiet like him.”
“You’re probably right,” she says, but I don’t think she believes that at all.
“I know I am,” Dom brags. “You’re just wanting everyone to be in love and happy because your pregnancy hormones have you over emotional.”
“Well, I can admit that this pregnancy has me all messed up. Right now, I’d kill for ice cream.”