Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 70940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
My face drains of all its color. “We never told anyone, I came straight here and told you. I took her to a friend’s house ... I don’t think she spoke to anyone ... I don’t know what happened after I left ...”
“Somethin’ fuckin’ happened because that girl is now missin’ and she’s likely in danger.”
“How do I know you didn’t take her?” I snap. “After all, your club is the one who will suffer if she goes to the police.”
He glares at me with a look so hard, I flinch. “I’m not a fuckin’ kidnapper. What happened in that house had nothin’ to do with Aviana and I’m sorry she saw whatever she saw. But you gotta know this, I would never lay a hand on her and I would never allow her to get hurt. My only concern right now is finding her because she’s in fuckin’ danger.”
My chest clenches.
She’s in danger.
If that’s the case, we need to find her.
I need to put everything else aside and find her before it’s too late.
Oh, Avi.
I’m so sorry.
14
NOW – BRIELLA
“I went to the police station and spoke to Constable Bennett. I don’t think he’s got anything to do with it. He said he was getting Magnolia to help him find some information because he busted her for drug possession. He said after he was done with her, that she disappeared but he has no idea where.”
Alarick stares at me, his face blank. “You’re fuckin’ kidding me right now, aren’t you?”
“No,” I murmur, a little confused. “No, I’m not.”
“You have to be fuckin’ joking.”
I blink. “I’m not joking, Alarick. Why are you getting so upset about it?”
“You went to the fuckin’ police station to question someone we’re fairly certain is fuckin’ workin’ with bad people, and told them exactly what and who you were looking for?”
I bite my bottom lip—I had a feeling this would backfire on me.
Alarick turns around and bellows loudly, before swiping his hand across the bar and sending glass flying off the counter and onto the floor.
I glance over at Cohen, who shakes his head at me in disappointment. Oh, boy, I really did fuck up, didn’t I?
“What made you think to do somethin’ like that?” Mykel asks, his voice a little kinder.
“I thought it would help. I thought if I just went in there and asked a few questions I might find something out. Karen said maybe we were looking at it all wrong, and it made sense. Constable Bennett backed up the story, even though he was a major douche ...”
“Constable Bennett is a fuckin’ liar and you just let him know he’s bein’ watched. What do you think is goin’ to happen now?” Alarick thunders, clenching his fists. “How fuckin’ stupid are you, Briella? I told you not to come in here and fuck shit up, and that’s exactly what you’re doin’, again ...”
Again.
He can’t be serious?
He’s choosing right now to throw the past in my face.
He’s choosing right now to air out our dirty laundry?
Fine.
So be it.
“Don’t you dare bring up the past, Alarick. That has absolutely nothing to fucking do with what’s going on here. What happened back then is entirely different, and if you’ve got an issue with it, then you can talk to me about it when we deal with this.”
“When we deal with the mess you created, yet a-fuckin’-gain.”
I’ve had enough of this man.
“You know what? Fuck you. If you’ve got a problem with me, you come right out and say it, but I won’t stand around and be treated like shit for a second longer.”
“I do have a problem,” he growls. “I have a problem with you bein’ here after you fucked off and left us alone. I have a problem with you throwin’ your weight around, tryin’ to get things to go your way in a club I fight daily to protect. I have a problem with the fact that you just signed your sister’s death warrant ...”
That last part feels like a slap in the face.
I gasp and take a step backward, tears burning my eyelids. How dare he? How. Dare. He.
“You’re a monster,” I whisper and then turn and exit the club as quickly as I can.
I run outside and toward the back shed, because right now I don’t have a fucking care because I came here with Cohen today, thinking I’d probably be here for a few hours. I’m so angry, so bitterly disappointed, and so sick of being treated the way I’m being treated. Mostly, I’m scared that Alarick is right, that I’ll be the reason Magnolia gets hurt.
What have I done?
I reach the shed and press my back to it, tears rolling down my face. Lightning skitters around in the distance and the deep rumble of thunder can be heard. The smell of rain lingers in the air and I know I’m about to get very, very wet if I stay out here. I stare down at my feet and tears streak my cheeks as I wonder what the ever-loving hell I’m supposed to do now?