Page 45 of Word to the Wise

I turn to the mirror, and he moves behind me, his hands dragging down the front of my stomach as he pulls my back to him. He grazes down to my thighs and back up again. It’s intimate when he’s been unaffectionate lately.

“I’m going to tear this off you later, baby.” He nips at my ear.

“Oh yeah?” I smile at the attention.

I’m starving. I’ve needed it.

“Mm-hmm.” He hums, meeting my stare through the mirror. “But maybe stick with the salad at dinner tonight, babe. You’ve been getting a little thicker lately, and this dress is already tight as can be. Wouldn’t want you ripping through it before I get the chance.”

All color drains from my face; my eyes go wide.

“Come on. Don’t look at me like that.” Carter shakes his head, smacking me on the ass as he turns to start walking away. “You know I don’t mind your ass so long as you manage it.”

His phone rings, and I’m still staring at the back of his head as he disappears. As the fabric of the dress feels like it’s shrinking around me. As the room drains the air from my chest and my life from my skin.

Turning to the mirror, I scan myself, and I try to find the beauty that was there moments ago. But I can’t.

Ever since Carter left daisies outside the apartment a couple of days ago, the nightmares are back. Reminders I worry will live in the corners of my mind until the end of time.

At least today, I’m going out and can hopefully forget them for a little while.

Mason slows the car to a stop outside the Twisted Kings clubhouse, and I’m still frozen in my seat as he circles and opens my door. He holds out a hand, and he doesn’t realize what he’s reaching for.

I’m a mess. A disaster. Every time I think I’ve made progress, Carter finds a way to drag out the scared, cowardly girl he molded me into.

“Thanks.” I plant my palm in Mason’s.

It’s easier to hide that I’m still falling apart if I let the people around me help me. Because then it erases the hint of pity in their eyes.

When I’m out of the car, I pull my hand away and tuck it in the front pocket of my hoodie. At least here, I don’thave to pretend to be perfect on the outside when I don’t want to. It never did me any good with Carter anyway, so what’s the point?

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been to the Twisted Kings compound. Every time I came to visit my brother, I’d stay at his apartment in the city.

Looking up at the clubhouse, so much has changed.

Lyla sent me pictures of the damage from the explosions that took out part of the building last year when some of the members turned on the club, but I never saw it in person. And now, they’ve done so much work, I can barely see where the damage happened.

The outside of the clubhouse has been rebuilt, and there’s a new roof being installed. The stairs look like they were just recently redone, and even if they maintained the same appearance of the clubhouse I remember, it looks fresh and new.

We’re halfway up the steps when Sage and Lyla step outside.

When we were kids, she swore she’d never be a biker’s girl, and I never believed it. She was in love with my brother from the moment she met him. And as he wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her to his side so he can kiss the top of her head, the love between them fills the air. They’re where they belong—at the club and with each other.

“Hey, Reed.” Lyla waves.

“Hey.” I smile. “Feeling better?”

Her face sours. “Honestly, no. But I’ll get through it.”

Sage catches her hand before she has a chance to pull away, tugging her back in so she spins into his chest. “I can drive you over there.”

She smiles as she looks up at him. “I’ll be fine. Go get your business out of the way so I get you all to myself this evening.”

He kisses her, and my nose scrunches when they start to moan. I can’t figure out how the guys around here deal with watching Sage and Lyla daily because it’s borderline sickening.

“Stop being disgusting. She’ll be fine. I’ve got her.”

Lyla and Sage pull apart, and she smiles over her shoulder at me. “It’s only disgusting because he’s your brother.”