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)
We went back toward the entrance but stopped at the door closest to the stairs. Thatcher turned and went inside.
“Here she is. Unharmed,” he announced, and Wilder ignored him as he made his way across the room to me.
His eyes searched my face for any sign of trauma. When he reached me, his eyes narrowed. “What happened? You’re scared.”
“She’s fine. She’s shook up because the idiot has been stalking her for years, and that piece of information almost gave her away. It messed with her head but she was bloody brilliant handing it. We got what we needed, and it’s what we originally thought. It’s the Fotilas. Carda is in deep with them financially.”
The massive man nodded his head with a grim expression. “Then, we kill them all.”
“First, we make a statement with the one we have tied up. The Cardas can put their trust in us, or they can go down with the Fotilas.” A deep voice with a smooth Southern accent filled the room.
I turned to see a man with dark blond hair, long enough to be tucked behind his ears. A worn cowboy hat sat on his head, and he had the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. I moved to Wilder’s side, feeling the change in the room at his presence. He wasn’t as big as the other man, but the threat in his chiseled face, which commanded power—or rather fear—was more intimidating.
His steely glaze locked on Wilder. “Go back home. Take her with you. Keep her there. She’s not safe. I have two of my men camped outside your house now, and they will rotate. Send your mom and stepfather on a trip. Away. Less people to protect, the better.”
“Yes, sir,” Wilder replied.
I realized then who the man was. Blaise Hughes, the boss.
“Thatcher, you remain with Levi until Gage returns. Then, you need to get back to Madison.”
Thatcher nodded and headed toward the door.
“Don’t let Levi lose his shit and hurt him—yet,” Blaise called out to a retreating Thatcher.
He paused and smirked, looking back at his boss. “I can control my cousin.”
Blaise nodded once, then turned back to the room. “Kye, give them a ride home.”
The tattooed blond guy stepped forward and saluted Blaise. “On it,” he said with a cocky grin.
Wilder placed his hand on my lower back. “Let’s go,” he told me.
I started to follow the man named Kye.
“You did good in there,” Blaise said as I passed him.
I paused and glanced at him. He tilted the front of his hat at me like a cowboy, not a Mafia boss.
“Uh, thanks,” I replied in a shaky voice.
“I’d remind you of the importance of keeping her close, but from your current body language, I can see that’s unnecessary. You’ll be hearing from me soon, Jones.”
Wilder nodded his head and nudged me to start walking. Every step I took away from the room where Maxon was bound, the more relief I felt. It wasn’t until we climbed into the back of the SUV that I curled into Wilder’s side and cried.
Thirty-One
Wilder
Oakley stopped crying by the time we reached my gated subdivision, but she was still clinging to me as if her life depended on it.
While I held her, I imagined murdering the bastard who had caused this with my own two hands in many different ways. I wanted to go back and slice the fucker’s throat open, then watch him bleed to death. It would be quick, but I didn’t need him to suffer. Just die.
She had gone in there and pulled it off, not breaking down once. Not giving herself away. Whatever Blaise had heard over the speaker he had in there, he’d been impressed with her. I’d seen it in his eyes.
Asking her about it wasn’t going to happen though. I’d find out from Levi. She needed to forget this and get that damn happy smile back on her face. The one that I craved and realized I needed more than I should.
When Kye parked the SUV in my driveway, the front door swung open, and Sarah came running out onto the porch with Belladonna at her side. Oakley instantly sat up and reached for the door.
“My son just started walking. He comes toddling to the door when I get home now. I hope he’s that excited to see me when he’s older,” Kye said from the front seat.
Oakley pushed open the door, but paused and looked up at Kye in surprise. “You have a little boy?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. He turns a year old in a few weeks. Hard to believe.”
Kye didn’t look like the married with a kid type. Oakley’s expression was funny when she realized he was a dad.
“If I don’t see you again, happy birthday to your little one,” she told him.
He grinned. “Thanks.”
Sarah was waving happily, and Oakley jumped down and ran to her. Damn, that made my heart get fucking tight.