Read Online Steel Me Away by Vivian Lux - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Vivian Lux
Tags: Psychological, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Action & Adventure, Crime, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, New Adult & College, multicultural, Multicultural & Interracial
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and then turned to J., poking her lower lip out prettily. "I thought he said we'd be partying. This is sad and boring."
"Then go the fuck home," J. said gruffly, not even looking in her direction. "Case man, what the fuck?"
Case shook his head and avoided J.'s penetrating gaze. My feeling of unease was too familiar. Once again I retreated into helpfulness. "Hey Allison, let's go grab some more drinks," I called.
Hannah was staring at her nails, pointedly ignoring the rest of us. Allison's head swiveled between the unappetizing choices of going with me and hovering unwanted near Case. She sighed dramatically and flipped her hair with a tiny, muttered "Whatever," and shuffled morosely over to me.
"Not what you expected, huh?" I tried to commiserate as we picked our way through the clutter to the kitchen.
"Pfft," she rolled her eyes. "Some bikers."
I felt like I needed to defend them. "There's a lot of stuff going on right now. It's weighing on them."
Her eyes glittered as she looked at me eagerly. I instantly regretted my words, but there was no taking them back. "Really, like what? Bad shit? Like," she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Drugs?"
I opened my mouth to scoff at the notion, and then paused. I realized I didn't actually know anything for sure about this club. About these men. Even about my man.
Their secrets were bubbling just under the surface, ready to boil over in an instant. As I looked back over my shoulder, to the man I loved and depended on, I saw him in close conversation with his friend. Hearing those secrets. With his back to me.
Chapter 14
J.
"Case man, what the fuck?" J. reached out his hand and clasped his best friend by the forearm, lifting him from the camp chair. "Let's take a walk."
"Yeah this party sucks anyway," Case muttered. The girl named Hannah flicked her gaze up from her nails and rolled her eyes.
"Why're you being an ass?" It felt good to poke at someone else's anger. It seemed to help diminish his own.
Case turned away from J., the muscle at his temple twitching and jumping. He pressed his lips together, seemingly holding back a flood of words, and walked out into the evening light. The skyscrapers glittered overhead, the only time J. didn't mind being in their shadow. J. followed, crossing his arms and waiting, knowing that his friend needed time to figure out what he wanted to say. Seriousness did not come easily to Case. Off color jokes and pointed insults were his main form of communication.
"So. Are you finally gonna stick around for a minute?" Case asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been flitting in and out of here without a care in the fucking world."
"Hey, you know I had to deal with my sister."
Case barked a short laugh. "Sure. You had to deal with her right now . You've been ignoring her calls for weeks but suddenly today it's urgent you go over there?"
"What is your problem?"
"My problem is your lack of fucking focus here, Jeremiah." Hearing his full name on Case's lips made J. stand up straighter. "You're distracted. Waltzing in and out of here like you're a tenant instead of a fucking brother."
J. pressed his lips together angrily, biting back the fighting words. "Fine. I'm distracted. I'm here now though. So tell me what's so fucking important."
Case regarded him coolly. He searched his eyes as if looking for something, and then sighed when he didn't see it. "Okay, fine." He inhaled and J. leaned forward a little. "Let me say this first. I like her. She's a good girl, hot as fuck too. I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," J. answered warily. "But?"
"Shit's gonna go down." Case leaned heavily against the side of the garage and winced. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a battered pack of cigarettes. He mutely handed one to J. who looked down at it in surprise.
"Since when you smoke?"
"Since shit started going down," he snapped. "A fact you've
"Then go the fuck home," J. said gruffly, not even looking in her direction. "Case man, what the fuck?"
Case shook his head and avoided J.'s penetrating gaze. My feeling of unease was too familiar. Once again I retreated into helpfulness. "Hey Allison, let's go grab some more drinks," I called.
Hannah was staring at her nails, pointedly ignoring the rest of us. Allison's head swiveled between the unappetizing choices of going with me and hovering unwanted near Case. She sighed dramatically and flipped her hair with a tiny, muttered "Whatever," and shuffled morosely over to me.
"Not what you expected, huh?" I tried to commiserate as we picked our way through the clutter to the kitchen.
"Pfft," she rolled her eyes. "Some bikers."
I felt like I needed to defend them. "There's a lot of stuff going on right now. It's weighing on them."
Her eyes glittered as she looked at me eagerly. I instantly regretted my words, but there was no taking them back. "Really, like what? Bad shit? Like," she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Drugs?"
I opened my mouth to scoff at the notion, and then paused. I realized I didn't actually know anything for sure about this club. About these men. Even about my man.
Their secrets were bubbling just under the surface, ready to boil over in an instant. As I looked back over my shoulder, to the man I loved and depended on, I saw him in close conversation with his friend. Hearing those secrets. With his back to me.
Chapter 14
J.
"Case man, what the fuck?" J. reached out his hand and clasped his best friend by the forearm, lifting him from the camp chair. "Let's take a walk."
"Yeah this party sucks anyway," Case muttered. The girl named Hannah flicked her gaze up from her nails and rolled her eyes.
"Why're you being an ass?" It felt good to poke at someone else's anger. It seemed to help diminish his own.
Case turned away from J., the muscle at his temple twitching and jumping. He pressed his lips together, seemingly holding back a flood of words, and walked out into the evening light. The skyscrapers glittered overhead, the only time J. didn't mind being in their shadow. J. followed, crossing his arms and waiting, knowing that his friend needed time to figure out what he wanted to say. Seriousness did not come easily to Case. Off color jokes and pointed insults were his main form of communication.
"So. Are you finally gonna stick around for a minute?" Case asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been flitting in and out of here without a care in the fucking world."
"Hey, you know I had to deal with my sister."
Case barked a short laugh. "Sure. You had to deal with her right now . You've been ignoring her calls for weeks but suddenly today it's urgent you go over there?"
"What is your problem?"
"My problem is your lack of fucking focus here, Jeremiah." Hearing his full name on Case's lips made J. stand up straighter. "You're distracted. Waltzing in and out of here like you're a tenant instead of a fucking brother."
J. pressed his lips together angrily, biting back the fighting words. "Fine. I'm distracted. I'm here now though. So tell me what's so fucking important."
Case regarded him coolly. He searched his eyes as if looking for something, and then sighed when he didn't see it. "Okay, fine." He inhaled and J. leaned forward a little. "Let me say this first. I like her. She's a good girl, hot as fuck too. I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," J. answered warily. "But?"
"Shit's gonna go down." Case leaned heavily against the side of the garage and winced. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a battered pack of cigarettes. He mutely handed one to J. who looked down at it in surprise.
"Since when you smoke?"
"Since shit started going down," he snapped. "A fact you've
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