Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69610 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
She looks to me nervously, then back to him. “That’s okay.”
“What’s your name, darlin’?” he asks her, still holding her hand.
She looks like she’s about to combust. I can’t say I blame her. I remember the first time I met the bikers, too. There is an intensity about them that makes your heart screech to a stop. They’re terrifying, like an endangered animal you’re seeing for the first time. Mysterious, a little scary, a whole lot dangerous.
“Penelope.”
“Well, Penelope, you’re welcome around any time you want.”
She smiles, and glances at Maverick and Boston, then she looks back to Malakai. “Thank you.”
He releases her hand, and looks at me. “All good, baby?”
Baby.
God.
That makes me heart feel like it’s going to explode out of my chest.
“All good.” I smile shyly.
“Penelope,” Malakai says, “these are my boys, Maverick and Boston. You see any of us around, don’t be scared say hi.”
Penny waves at the two men, and her eyes lock with Boston’s. He stares at her, face expressionless, but his eyes are locked on hers and don’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon. I smile, because that was exactly how Malakai looked at me the first time we met. Boston is a dark horse, a mysterious man with a past that he keeps tightly locked up. He could probably use a woman like Penny.
Blushing, Penny looks back at me. “I should get going, I have to go out and find another job now.”
“Oh, no,” I say, losing my smile. “You lost your job because of me.”
“It was worth it.” She smiles, squeezing my hand.
“What do you do?” Malakai asks her.
“I’m a carer.”
“Might have something for you,” Boston says, and I only caught it because I was glancing at him, loving the way he is looking at her. “Got a sister that just lost a carer. Lookin’ for another one. You interested?”
I look to Penny, and she’s staring at Boston, cheeks still red. “Ah, yes, I would be.”
“Give you my number, you can send me all your qualifications. Need someone ASAP, if you check out, happy to give you a job.”
Penny looks like she’s about to explode, with what I don’t know. Nerves, happiness, horror? Either way, she slowly nods and with shaky fingers, pulls out her phone. Maverick is grinning at the exchange, and quickly steps past us and walks up the stairs to find Scarlett. I step next to Malakai and he hooks an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. I snuggle in, loving how incredible it feels to tuck myself against him.
Amazing.
Once Penny has given Boston her number, he tells her he’ll text through what he needs, and then he’s gone. Like the dark horse he is, he just disappears into the crowd, leaving Penny watching him go, her face red, her phone still in her hand, just resting there. She finally turns and looks to Malakai and me. “I better get going.”
“Here,” I say, detaching myself from Malakai and pulling out my phone, “let’s swap numbers so we can keep in touch.”
Penny smiles, and reads me her number. I save it in my phone and then send her a text. Once we’re done, she tucks her phone away. “I’ll chat later?”
“Sounds great. Bye, Penny.”
“Later,” Malakai murmurs.
“Bye.” She smiles, waving at us both.
Yeah.
I just made a new friend.
-15-
MALAKAI
“Any word?” I ask Koda as we weave through the crowd to get to the back gates of the fair where the portable dressing rooms for Scarlett and Amalie are.
We’re cleared by security all around the fair, much to the event creator’s dismay. They didn’t want us anywhere near it, thinking we’d scare everyone off with our presence. Susan threatened them and told them if we couldn’t be there then she’d pull Scarlett and they’d have to explain to everyone coming why they couldn’t see her.
Because let’s face it, half the reason people are here is to see Scarlett. They tripled their ticket sales overnight when they announced the surprise act.
Yeah, they aren’t getting rid of us any time soon.
“Nothin’,” Koda tells me as we enter the quieter back area.
I glare at a few of the carnies, setting up rides, and they glare right back. I don’t like Amalie and Scarlett being anywhere near those sketchy fuckers but I don’t get much choice. Better here, then out there. Especially with Trey on the loose. And he is out there, watching, waiting. Chances are he’ll probably have eyes all around this fair, hence why he need to keep our eyes peeled.
“Think she’s still alive?” I ask him, stopping and facing him.
“Fuckin’ hope so. Girl doesn’t deserve to die for us, man.”
“No, she doesn’t. You think if Trey took her, he’d have let us know by now.”
Koda shakes his head. “Not necessarily, he might be waitin’ for a good time, or he might be enjoyin’ watchin’ us sweat knowin’ someone has got her, and not knowin’ who that someone is. He’s playin’ with fire, and he’s aimin’ that shit right at us.”