Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Jasper’s hands wrapped around her ankles, and a warmth shivered up her entire body.
“Do you see him?” he asked.
She looked down at his dark head. “I’ll tell you if I do.” She’d heard of mates working together, and she wondered if they could. His bossiness was driving her crazy—at least in the field. In bed was another story, apparently.
Although Jasper didn’t seem to make the distinction.
“I see him.” She finally caught sight of George. “He’s in the middle there, wearing a brown three-piece suit with a vest and a red power tie.”
Jasper patted the top of her foot. “I’ve got him.” He ducked, and she fell, yelping. He easily caught her and flipped her around to land on her feet. “Stay here.”
“Wait.” She grasped his arm. “You’re a bloody mess. You can’t just walk into the middle of those people. Somebody will scream.”
He looked down at his stained torso. “Good point.”
Leah craned her neck to see better. George waited patiently at the curb, scrolling through something on his phone as if he didn’t have a care in the world. A black town car soon drove up, the front window lowering. George leaned in and spoke with the driver before entering the back seat. “Oh, no,” Leah said. “What are we going to do?”
“This way.” Jasper walked briskly down the street, ignoring the stares of passersby. Leah kept her head low and followed him for a couple of blocks. Nobody approached them. Traffic crawled along, and soon they walked far ahead of the vehicle.
Jasper ducked them both into an alley. “Hold on.”
She gulped as the car slowly made its way past them.
“There he is,” Jasper said. “Come on.” He clasped her hand and rushed toward the town car, yanking the back door open and jumping inside, pulling her along.
“Who do you think you are?” George pivoted toward them.
“Shut up.” Jasper punched him in the face.
“Hey.” The driver hit the brakes and partially turned.
Jasper grabbed George by the neck and sank his fingers into the guy’s throat.
George clawed at Jasper’s hand, his eyes bugging out and legs kicking the back of the driver’s seat.
“I suggest you drive, buddy,” Jasper said, “or I’m going to rip his throat right out.”
Leah inhaled sharply. She’d never seen this side of him.
“Drive,” George croaked. “Drive.”
The driver turned back around and followed traffic, casting worried glances in the rearview mirror.
Leah thought about asking if he had a weapon, but he obviously didn’t, or he would have used it.
“Turn right,” Jasper ordered.
The driver turned right into a narrow alley.
“Keep going, or I will kill him.” Jasper’s voice remained hard and sure.
Leah shivered. George finished struggling and just sat there, tears streaming down his face.
“Keep going until I tell you to stop,” Jasper said, almost sounding bored. The driver crossed several busy streets until they came to a quieter area.
“Pull into that parking lot right there.” Jasper nodded toward a small, boarded-up bed and breakfast that had seen better days. The driver did as he was told. “Keep your hands on the steering wheel,” Jasper said, “and cut the engine.”
The driver twisted the key. “Listen, I don’t want any trouble.”
“You won’t get any.” With his free hand, Jasper made a fist, leaned forward, and punched the driver in the temple. The guy’s head rocked twice, and then he sank against the window.
“Jasper!” Leah exclaimed.
“He’ll be okay,” Jasper said. “He might be out for a while and will have a headache, but he’ll live. On the other hand, George probably won’t.” He looked at the man and then slowly retracted his fingers.
George held his throat and sucked in heavy breaths. His wild gaze swung to Leah. “I told you I would send you the address.”
“I want it now,” she said.
“Fine.” Casting a worried glance at Jasper, he rattled off an address not too far away.
“Who’s there on guard, and are they armed?” Jasper asked. “Don’t lie to me, or I’ll break your neck.”
George paled. “I have two men there, and one is armed.” George looked at his wristwatch. “If I’m not at the warehouse in twenty minutes, they have instructions to destroy the merchandise.”
Leah gagged. “Are you serious? How?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jasper said. He leaned over George and opened his door, pulling him out before opening the front door and letting the driver fall to the ground. Leah hopped out and ran around to try to assist the poor driver into a better position.
Jasper shoved George against the hard brick and reached down with one hand to lift the driver and plant him on his butt with his head against the building. “Is that better?”
“Yes,” she said. “He might not be a bad guy. We don’t know.” She stared at a cowering George. Why were all bullies such cowards deep down? “Does the driver know anything about your activities?”
George shook his head and tried to speak, but no sound emerged.