Page 34 of Dark As Coal

Let her go.

I locked eyes with Asher and gave him a chin lift. Because no one but Adeline knew I had made her my woman this morning.

He stared at me; it was almost as if I could read his thoughts in my head.

‘Boy, you do this, you’re going to fuck up.’

But I beat it back.

And didn’t make another fucking move.

Asher shook his head, and I knew he was calling me a dumb fuck.

And I was. I knew I was. But everyone saw how sweet she was. Fucking one of a fucking kind.

And then there was me. Trailer fucking trash. Damaged fucking goods. A killer. Someone who had taken their first life at the age of fifteen. And then at the same age, on the same day, had taken the life of another.

“Her name is Adeline,” Asher told Stud.

“Adeline. Never done a girl with that name.” The fucker said with a lustful smile on his face.

As he headed over to where Adeline was swaying to the music with Gabby, Sutton, Chloe, and Stella, I bit the growl back.

Then I watched as Stud jerked his head over to where we were all leaning against the bar.

I watched as Adeline’s eyes found mine, and then I saw her smile, she opened her mouth to say something but closed it when Stud whispered something in her ear.

…And I felt it.

Pain.

Sorrow.

But something occurred.

Something that I thought I was ready for, but as they disappeared from my view, not having her in my sight, I let the growl out.

As I pushed away from the bar to put a fucking stop to this shit, someone, someone who was about to be a dead man, grabbed me by the arm.

I stopped.

Looked down at the owner of the hand that was about to lose it, lifted my head, and locked eyes with my Pres., uncaring that he was my Pres., I lowered my voice to a dangerous whisper and said, “Get your goddamn hands off me.

Asher shook his head, “No. You’re going to let this fucking happen. You won’t make her your ol’ lady, even though we all know she’s yours. It’s why none of the brothers will go near her.”

“You’re being a fucking idiot. Brother, I fucking love waking up with one woman. Then falling asleep with the same woman in my arms. No other feeling fucking like it.” Pipe muttered before he took a pull from his beer.

Chapter 8

Adeline

I couldn’t freaking believe it.

Not this.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

I had been putting the work in.

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