Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“If I keep them from coming in, then they’re gonna know why,” King said.
“I don’t give a fuck. Oakley needs some privacy to get dressed. Get out!”
I shivered, suddenly very turned on. That voice with his naked chest pressed against my bare back did things to me.
King gave me a look like he could read my mind and chuckled before turning to leave. “Hurry it up,” he called out.
The moment the door closed, Wilder released me. “Go get dressed or showered. Whatever you need to do.”
When I didn’t move, he let out a groan. “Oakley, please.”
I sighed and tossed back the covers, then stood up.
“Jesus,” Wilder hissed. “Cover up.”
I glanced back at him over my shoulder. “Why? You’ve seen it all.”
He ran his hand over his face. “Fuck, Oakley. We have to deal with the real world this morning. I need my head on straight.”
Knowing I affected him was a balm to my soul.
“Okay,” I replied but continued strutting naked as I made my way to the bathroom. “Do I have time for a shower?”
“Yeah.”
I smiled brightly at him before letting the curtain fall closed. Turning on the shower, I waited for the water to warm before stepping under the spray. I heard the other men come inside. I hurried to finish, and when I opened the shower door, I saw a folded pile of clothing with a pair of my panties and a bra from my house on top. They’d brought me something of mine to wear.
Happy at the idea I wasn’t going to be drowning in a sweat suit meant for a large man, I got out, dried off, and dressed in my jeans and a lightweight cream sweater that hung off one shoulder. Once my hair was towel-dried enough and I found a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean my teeth, I headed out into the room that was now full of men. All of who I knew.
My eyes went to Sebastian. I hadn’t seen him in three years. I smiled at my old friend, who had been there for me when I needed it. I was glad to see him.
“Hey,” I said when a slow smile tugged on his lips.
“Hey, Oak,” he replied.
Wilder stepped in front of me then, and all I could see was his back. “Let me talk to her about all this, and then we will meet y’all at the house.”
“We need to get moving,” Thatcher demanded. “Just tell her now.”
“He’s gone territorial. They fucked, and he’s messed up over it. Give him a little room,” King added.
Wilder moved, and I reached out to grab his arm with both my hands.
“Wilder,” I said as he tried to pull free from me without jerking me too hard.
He stared back at me, and the fury in his eyes startled me. His head swung back around toward the others.
“Easy, tiger,” King said, holding up his hands. “I was on your side.”
“Does anyone care about the issue here, or do I need to let Blaise Hughes walk in here and make sure everyone is on the same fucking page?” Thatcher drawled.
I stepped beside Wilder. “All right, boys, what is happening?” Then, I looked up at Wilder. “I don’t need protecting.”
His eyes narrowed, and I turned to look at the others again.
“See, Oak wants to know,” King said.
“Maxon Carda has been captured and is being held in our underground in Ocala,” Thatcher said, then looked at me pointedly. “You know him as Hamilton. That’s not his name. And your friend Daphne? Her real name is Lyra Carda. She’s Maxon’s younger sister by thirteen months and five days. Tanner, her boyfriend, is in fact Tanner Angelos.”
“Carda?” I asked, making sure I had heard him correctly.
He nodded. “Yes. Carda. As in Carda Global Marketing. Your former employer.”
“I think I need to sit down,” I whispered and walked over to the sofa. This made no sense to me. Why the alias names? Why get close to me?
“We need to know when and how you got that job, but first, we have to prepare you for what has to be done,” Thatcher said. “Maxon isn’t talking. We weren’t aware that the people we were dealing with, importing the lethally laced drug, were from a powerhouse like Carda. We assumed it was low-level criminals, the Miltos to be exact. A gang out of Atlanta. There is more to this that we need answers to. That’s where you come in. You are all we have that holds any power over Maxon.”
I shook my head. “We haven’t been dating that long, and he put a bomb in my car.” How did that give me any power? He had been using me. I just had no idea why? And Daphne… I thought we were friends.
Thatcher shrugged. “That might be, but you worked for his father for over three years. He has known you longer than you realize. And he’s”—he waved a hand at me—“affected by the package. Like these two were. Are.” Thatcher waved his finger at Sebastian, then Wilder. “We need you to talk to him. Get answers. See what he will tell you.”