ABANDON ALL HOPE: The Hope Brother Series (Book Two) (25 page)

He had been hanging around every night now. He didn’t leave like he always had the other times I had seen him. Every time I went out to smoke at night, there he was, watching me, waiting with me.

I had begun to wonder if he knew more than me. Did he know what was going to happen? Was she ever going to wake up? Was he waiting for her to die?

I hoped like hell she didn’t. I didn’t need two dead bodies on my hands. And, I had to admit, annoyed or not, I was totally intrigued. I wanted to know who she was. She was beautiful, despite the fact she had been beaten up. The swelling had gone down, and only light scratches and fading bruises remained on her perfect skin.

I leaned against the front of the house, staring off into the tall pine trees that surrounded the house. The owl sat next to me, cleaning himself, licking each feather over and over before moving on to the next.

“I’m glad you’re so comfortable, little dude. Making yourself right at home, are you?”

As usual, he just looked up at me briefly, blinking his eyes a few times before he went back to his bath.

I put my cigarette out after only a few draws on it. I hated smoking. I had stopped long ago, but after all this fucking waiting, day in and day out, my nerves were raw and on edge, and I needed something, anything, to do with my hands while I continued waiting.

The screen door to the clubhouse swung open, and Cherry walked out. Scratch that, she sashayed out, it was the only way she knew how to move.

“Can I bum one?” she asked, pointing to my pack of cigarettes.

I handed her one, and lit it for her. She inhaled deeply, her eyes squinting at me curiously.

“So, Sleeping Beauty hasn’t woken up yet?” she drawled, a curl of smoke slithering out of her smeared red lips.

“No,” I said.

“Well, shit. It’s been a while, huh? You must be exhausted, holding court at her bedside like that.” Her voice was laced with jealousy, but I ignored it. “Did you kiss her yet?”

“What the fuck? Why would I kiss her, Cherry? She’s fucking unconscious,” I snarled.

“Fuck, relax, Ryder. I was making a joke. Sleeping Beauty, Prince Charming, get it? Fuck, you’re tense,” she said.

She was right. Any other night, I would have laughed along with her. But this whole thing had me wound up so tight, I didn’t even realize she was joking. I was usually a lot more easy-going than this.

Cherry sidled up to me, her hand sliding up my arm as she pressed her tits into me.

“Is there anything I can do to help you relax, Ryder? Maybe you just need a little release, huh?”

I cringed. Fucking Cherry was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I shrugged her off of me, and turned on my heel.

“Fuck this.” I threw the butt in the can on the porch step, and walked back inside the clubhouse, leaving her alone on the porch. As soon as the door swung shut, I heard the low swoosh of the owl flying off into the dark night.

I walked back down the hallway, doing my usual dance of zigzagging through the maze of articles of various clothing, sleeping, naked limbs, beer bottles and spilled alcohol.

“Someone’s gotta clean this shit up,” I muttered to myself as I walked back into my room, shutting the door on the chaos behind me.

The lights were dimmed, and I walked straight to the chair beside her - my - bed. It had become routine. Wait. Smoke. Go wait a little longer.

When I sat down, and I let my gaze fall on her, I almost jumped out of my skin.

Huge green eyes blinked silently at me. Blankly.

“Where am I?” she whispered, her voice rough, scratchy…undeniably sexy.

Stunned, I stared back, speechless as a shy school boy.

TO CONTINUE READING

REMEMBER ME: GODS OF CHAOS MC

(BOOK ONE)

CLICK HERE!