called. She’s a GTO. When I got her, she was a wreck, but I had her redone—I brought her back to life. She’s old, but she’ll blow the doors off any Porsche on the road.”
As Mary started making can-it motions with her hand, he clammed up.
Except then Bitty asked, “What’s a muscle car? What does it mean, blow doors off?”
“Well … would you like to hear the engine? I’m warning you up front, it’s loud—but it’s supposed to be. There are a lot of horses under that hood.”
Bitty recoiled, and yeah, he got an impression of just how sheltered she was, how little she had been exposed to.
“There are horses in your car?”
“Here,” he said, holding up the key. “I’m going to start her up—and pump her with some gas. But you might want to cover your ears, ’kay?”
Bitty nodded and clamped her palms on either side of her head like her skull was in danger of popping off her spine.
Opening his door, Rhage got in, left-footed the clutch to the floor, made sure the stick was in neutral, and shoved the key into place. One crank and a little gas—
VROOOM!—mah, mah, mah-mah-mah, VROOOM! VROOOM!—mah, mah, mah-mah-mah …
Bitty walked in front of the car as he continued to pedal the accelerator. After a minute, she slowly dropped her arms and tilted her head to the side.
Over the din, she shouted, “But where are the horses?”
Yanking the parking brake hard, he leaned out. “It’s the engine!” he said loudly. “You want to see the engine?”
“What?!”
“The engine!” Reaching for the release, he pulled the lever and got to his feet. “Let me show you.”
He was careful not to move too fast as he came to the little girl, and he was very conscious of the way she put her hands in the pockets of her too-big parka and took a couple of steps to the side to keep some distance between them.
Freeing the second latch right in front, he sprang the hood, releasing a sweet, hot breath that was clean oil and fresh gas combined.
Bitty leaned in and seemed to take an inhale. “That smells nice.”
Annnnnnnnnnnnnd that was pretty much when he fell in love with the kid.
Who’d have thought Rhage would be the Bitty-whisperer, Mary marveled as she watched the huge hulk of her husband and the slight body of the girl bend over an engine that was making more noise than a fighter jet.
As Rhage started to point at various things, there was no hearing what he was saying over the noise, but the words, the terms of art, the explanations didn’t matter.
The fact that Bitty ended up standing right beside him was all that Mary cared about.
And, oh, boy. If she had loved that male before? This put him straight into heaven territory.
Any avenue in, Mary thought. Anything that could open up the girl, get through to her, reach her in some way …
Yes, she wished somehow it had been her to make the connection. Not that she liked admitting such a thing. After all, what could be more selfish, self-serving, and ugly than to feel disappointed that you didn’t get to be the savior. But that was a mere passing thought. More than anything, she was sagging in her own skin from relief that Bitty was having a conversation for what seemed like the first time since she’d come to Safe Place.
Rhage lifted his arms, took hold of the hood, and closed it gently. He was still talking as he led Bitty to the open passenger-side door, and as he came around, he spared Mary a quick shrug of, Are we okay here?
Mary nodded as discreetly as she could.
“—sure you can,” he said as he held the seat back and Bitty scooted into the rear as if she had been doing it all her life. “Anytime you like.”
Mary shook herself back into focus. “I’m sorry, what? What’s this?”
Bitty sat forward and peered out. “He says I can drive her later.”
As Mary’s jaw unhinged and she recoiled, Rhage gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’ll be fine. We’ll just go out to an empty parking lot somewhere.”
“You can come with us,” Bitty said. “If it’ll make you feel better.”
Mary looked back and forth between the two of them. “Can you … ah, can you even reach the pedals? And it’s so powerful—”
“Bitty’s going to do great. I’ll get blocks for the wheel well if I can’t get the seat up far enough.”
“He says girls can do anything.”
<<Previous page The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 1 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 2 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 3 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 4 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 5 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 6 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 7 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 8 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 9 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 10 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 11 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 12 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 13 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 14 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 15 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 16 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 17 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 18 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 19 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 20 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 21 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 22 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 23 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 24 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 25 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 26 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 27 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 28 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 29 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 30 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 31 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 32 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 33 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 34 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 35 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 36 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 37 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 38 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 39 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 40 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 41 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 42 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 43 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 44 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 45 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 46 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 47 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 48 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 49 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 50 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 51 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 52 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 53 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 54 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 55 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 56 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 57 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 58 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 59 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 60 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 61 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 62 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 63 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 64 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 65 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 66 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 67 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 68 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 69 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 70 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 71 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 72 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 73 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 74 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 75 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 76 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 77 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 78 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 79 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 80 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 81 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 82 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 83 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 84 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 85 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 86 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 87 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 88 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 89 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 90 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 91 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 92 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 93 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 94 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 95 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 96 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 97 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 98 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 99 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 100 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 101 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 102 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 103 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 104 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 105 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 106 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 107 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 108 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 109 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 110 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 111 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 112 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 113 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 114 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 115 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 116 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 117 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 118 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 119 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 120 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 121 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 122 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 123 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 124 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 125 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 126 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 127 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 128 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 129 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 130 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 131 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 132 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 133 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 134 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 135 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 136 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 137 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 138 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 139 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 140 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 141 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 142 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 143 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 144 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 145 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 146 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 147 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 148 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 149 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 150 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 151 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 152 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 153 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 154 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 155 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 156 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 157 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 158 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 159 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 160 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 161 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 162 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 163 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 164 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 165 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 166 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 167 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 168 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 169 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 170 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 171 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 172 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 173 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 174 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 175 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 176 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 177 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 178 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 179 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 180 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 181 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 182 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 183 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 184 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 185 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 186 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 187 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 188 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 189 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 190 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 191 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 192 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 193 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 194 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 195 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 196 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 197 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 198 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 199 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 200 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 201 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 202 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 203 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 204 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 205 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 206 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 207 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 208 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 209 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 210 The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward - Page 211
Next page>>