Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
I get up from the bed and start to pace the room. This is a bad idea. I can’t get wrapped up in their problems. I have enough of my own.
But then Wilder speaks, and his words stop me in my tracks. “Maven, if we don't stop the Iron Kings, they're going to war with us. And if that happens, a lot of innocent people are going to get hurt.”
I'm not sure what to say to that. I know he's right, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm in over my head.
Wilder must sense my hesitation because he comes to stand in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. "Just talk to us, Maven. That's all I'm asking. We'll protect you. I promise."
I'm not sure what to say. I don't want to be a part of this biker war, but at the same time, I'm not sure if I have a choice.
And the thought of talking to him—or any of the Reckless Souls—is petrifying. “What do you want to know?” I whisper.
He pauses for a beat, and I can sense his relief.
“Everything.”
Chapter Ten
Wilder
“You’re serious?”
She shrugs and turns her back on me again, which I don’t mind because it gives me a great view of her heart-shaped backside. “I said okay, didn’t I? What else do you want from me?”
“I’ll be right back.”
“I won’t hold my breath.”
I grin. “Smart ass.”
“Not too smart. I fell for your lies, didn’t I? Yours and Cyrus’.”
“I haven’t lied to you once, Maven. Not fucking once.”
She snorts. “Right, and I guess that nice guy act in the bakery had nothing to do with getting info from me about Cyrus and his new biker buddies?” She holds up a hand and slices it through the air. “Save it for a younger, more naïve woman.”
“Whatever,” I grunt and leave the room, locking it because there’s no fucking way I’m trusting her not to run again.
I search the clubhouse for Ace to let him know that Maven is ready to talk. He’s not playing games with Dix and Shades, not drinking at the bar with the club whores, and I hope he hasn’t gone home to Kenna. “Anybody seen Ace?”
“He’s in the office,” Dix nods toward the back of the clubhouse. “Probably doing more business shit. What’s up?”
“Maven says she’s willing to talk,” I tell him over my shoulder and head to the back. Ace still has an apartment he keeps on the property where he conducts club business and some other shit he keeps to himself. I find him in his small apartment with his headphones on, eyes glued to the monitor.
“Ace. You got a minute?”
He doesn’t answer, and I knock on the table and that earns me a scowl. “What do you want, Wild Man?”
“Maven is ready to talk. She’s still reluctant to share what she knows, but she’s willing.”
“About fucking time,” he growls. “How’d you change her mind?’
“Not sure it was anything I did,” I told him and recounted the tale of her escape attempt. “She’s exhausted and scared. I don’t even think she believes we’re not going to kill her. She’s adamant that she doesn’t know anything but will answer our questions as best as she can. The point is she’s ready to talk.”
He nods and stands up, the weight of the world on his face and lines of gaining around his eyes and mouth. The past few months have been hard on the MC and even harder on Ace, but he’s still focused on the job at hand.
“You think she knows anything?”
“Maybe,” I shrug. “Seems like she was so googly-eyed over the asshole and didn’t look deeper because she didn’t see any red flags. Or she did and ignored them like most women.”
Ace laughs. “Cynical much?”
I shrug. “Only as much as I need to be.”
Ace nods. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Inside her room, Maven paces the length of the room with her hands fisted at her hips, her teeth nibbling her bottom lip in an act of comfort. She looks up at us, and her shoulders slump forward.
“Let’s get this over with.”
The words come out on a rough growl, and Ace grins.
Ace sits in the green chair near the door and turns to face Maven with a pointed look on his face. “Let’s start simple. Where does Cyrus work?”
“Pacific Auto off Harbor Way and Fifth. Why does that matter?”
“Don’t know that it does,” Ace says with a shrug. “Anything might be helpful.”
“We met when I went in to replace my shitty little car. I didn’t want to invest in a new car while my business is so new. He was nice, and he was kind. Was being the operative word.”
Ace’s brows dipped in concern. “That’s when you found out about his connection to the Iron Kings?”
She nods and licks her lips. “No. I had no idea until they showed up, and that guy, Nogales, called him by name.” She shakes her head and tucks a few brown locks behind her ear. “It all took me by surprise. He never said a word about bikers, motorcycles, or even having a sister. Nothing at all.”