Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
“I can get down with that. I’ll make dessert.”
“It’s a deal,” he laughs.
I walk him to my door, eyeing the time. I’ll have enough time to gather a few things before I walk up to Carson and Lisa’s. I open the door and turn to look at him, but I gasp when he pulls me back into his arms unexpectedly.
“Cross?” I ask, resting my head against his chest as he hugs me tightly.
“You had a scare yesterday and you’re happy and laughing tonight, Ollie-girl.”
His voice sounds tortured, and my eyes sting with tears. “I told you, Cross. I’m getting better.”
“I know, I just don’t think I truly believed it until now,” he admits.
A few of those tears I’m trying to hold back escape. “Do you think it would make Bear happy?”
“Absolutely. All that man wanted in this world was your happiness, Ollie-girl.”
“I love him so much,” I whisper, the pain in my heart so intense that it almost robs me of breath.
“I know, sweetheart,” he croons, rubbing my back comfortingly.
“I wish I could just speak to him one more time and let him know I’m okay,” I share.
“He knows. There’s no way Bear would allow himself to leave you alone, without making sure he could still look in on you. I truly believe that, and you need to also, Ollie-girl.”
I nod, squeezing him tight. I don’t trust myself to speak. The moment is too full of emotion.
“Am I interrupting something?”
My body goes completely still. That’s an unwelcome voice, and it’s like it throws ice water over all the swirling emotions around me and Cross. Cross picks up on my discomfort at once. I can feel it in the tightness that enters his body. He turns us so that we’re facing Lake, and I force myself to look at him. Again, those eyes hit me. They may look like Bear’s, but they’re not his. These eyes are cold and angry. One look from him freezes me to the bone.
“Wh-What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to get control of my nerves.
“Carson sent me down to take you up to the house,” Lake informs me, anger filling his face. I don’t know what I’ve done to piss him off, but the man hates me. There’s no other way to say it.
“Do I know you?” Cross asks, moving away from me to walk closer to Lake.
“No,” Lake says at once. “I assume you’re one of Olivia’s many friends.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Cross growls, putting my hand on his arm.
“Nothing at all. I’ve just noticed Olivia is pretty popular around here, especially with the males.”
“You fucking prick—” Cross yells, advancing on Lake.
“Cross, stop. He’s not worth it.”
“The fucker disrespected you, Ollie-girl.”
“We both know I’ve heard worse. Just let it go.”
Lake frowns at me, but I ignore him. Cross doesn’t listen to me, he steps into Lake’s face and places his palms flat against the plain white tee that Lake is wearing and shoves him back a step. “Ollie is property of the Saint’s Outlaws. If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you keep away from her, or not even Ollie asking me to spare you will save your miserable ass. Got it, dickhead?”
“What the fuck is a Saint’s Outlaw?” Lake sneers. Shit. This is not going to go well. I need to get Cross to rein in his anger before Lake does something more to get himself killed.
Cross laughs, but there’s nothing funny or joyful about the sound. Instead, it’s full of malice. “Fuck around and find out, cowboy. Keep it up and not even the Wells Group will be able to save you—not that they would.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says. He’d have to be completely clueless not to know who the Saint’s Outlaws were around here. Maybe he’s not from here. That’s the only explanation I can come up with, anyway. The Saints are practically legends in this area. They single-handedly saved a major county here in North Carolina, built housing for low-income and the elderly, have a major casino that gave more money to the town it was in than to themselves. They’re legends. Yet this guy has no recognition whatsoever of who they are.
“Shit. Are you a tourist playing at being a cowboy? You’re not from around here?” Cross scoffs.
“Is that some kind of crime?” he responds at once.
“Learn who they are, boy. Being clueless won’t save you when you piss off the wrong people.”
“Cross—” I try again, but he ignores me and keeps being the bulldozer that I know and love.
“And if you keep spouting your shit at Ollie, you’ll find out real quick that you’ll have everyone in the area and then some against you,” he finally adds.
I shake my head, already feeling pain gather behind my eyes. Shit. Shit. Shit. Now is not the time for a blinding migraine. I’m going to spend time with Claire tonight. The last thing I want is a migraine hampering my time with her.