Page 5 of Smooth As Whiskey

I also knew that once everything was said and done, Sutton would understand.

Sure, it might pain her a bit to see my arm go around another woman, but Sutton was tough. She was strong.

She was never afraid to speak her mind.

Or had she...

Stoney sighed, “You keep treating her like shit, she’s going to slip through your fingers. Mark my fucking words, boy. And when it happens, you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself.”

And at his words, my mind traveled back to that fateful day when I didn’t realize my entire world was sitting right in front of me.

We all poured out of the clubhouse in the pouring rain, heading to the back corner of the property.

It took us at least twenty minutes to get to the spot, but once we did, all I heard were inhales of breath.

She looked so tiny, huddled up against the base of the tree.

She couldn’t be more than five foot three, five foot four.

She had long brown or black hair.

And she was covered in varying stages of bruises. Bruises that were visible because her clothes had been torn to shreds.

Asher approached her first.

Then Priest.

Rome.

Charlie.

Whitt.

Coal.

Trigger.

Stoney.

She shirked away from anyone who tried to get near her.

But... not from my touch.

Then I didn’t hesitate as I scooped her in my arms, and with my brothers around me, I carried her the whole way and into the clubhouse, where it was warm.

Stoney grabbed her a blanket and covered her up.

Thankfully, after a few minutes, she started to rouse.

And then, when she saw all of us, she started to fight.

I’ve gotten an elbow to the chin before, and it hurt like a bitch.

But even though hers didn’t pack that same punch, something deep inside of me registered the pain as being so much worse.

It took us about three hours to get her to calm down and eat something, and after she had a bath, she said, “I only want to tell this story one time. So, can you get the important people of your MC together?”

But she only looked at me when she said that.

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