Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
I open my eyes, daring to look around.
I’m in a well-secured room. I can tell that right away by the bars on the windows and the lack of absolutely anything in the room. There is nothing that can be used for escape. Nothing at all. The bed is a mattress on a big chunk of wood, literally, like someone has cut a large tree down, sliced it in half, and put a mattress on it. There is nothing to pull off it, nothing beneath it, nothing except two shackles coming out of the wall that my handcuffs are attached to.
The door is solid steel, with what is clearly a keypad entry.
He’s thought this through.
No doubt about it.
I try not to let the panic seep in as I think about my options. Getting out of here is basically impossible, but I can’t let myself become so fearful I lose hope. I just got my freedom back and, dammit, I’m not losing it again.
I calm my breathing, even though my head is throbbing, and I try to think of my options.
Something that’ll get me out of here.
A strange but twisted plan comes to my mind. A plan I’m not entirely sure if I could pull off, but it’s worth a shot. I acted scared at the start, sure, but what if I change that? What if I scare him? What if he thinks he’s picked up the most twisted, crazy woman and is now stuck with her? Will he just kill me? Will it work and turn him on enough for him to ease up?
I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.
Anything, right now, is worth a damned shot.
Please let this work.
NOW – BOHDI
“I found my car on the side of the road,” Carson says, running into the clubhouse, panting, wet from the storm. “I was driving home, and I saw it just parked there. Nobody in it. She’s gone.”
I’m just shooting back my second shot when his words fill my ears. I spin around on the barstool, letting his words sink in.
She’s gone?
What does he fucking mean she’s gone?
“Slow down and tell me what you’re fuckin’ talking about,” I order.
“My car, the one Merleigh took, is sitting on the side of the road. It was locked, her phone is inside. I think she locked herself out, but she isn’t there. No sign of her.”
“Maybe she got a ride back to her place,” Alarick says from behind the bar, where he’s grabbing a full bottle of whiskey to take to his office.
“I checked,” Carson says, his voice still tight. “She wasn’t there. The place was all locked up. I checked the beach, drove around town, dropped into her work. She’s not there.”
Fuck.
This isn’t happening.
It can’t be.
Not after the way she ran out.
Not after I fuckin’ broke her so bad.
I get out of the chair and grab the keys to Alarick’s truck. “We’re goin’ to find her.”
“I’ll send Kendric and Samson to give you a hand.”
“Samson’s back?” Mykel asks, from his spot at the end of the bar.
“Don’t know what he is, but the more eyes the better,” Alarick mutters. “Tell us what you find. If nothin’ shows up, we’ll go from there.”
She’ll be somewhere, she fucking will be.
I move to my car quickly and Carson comes with me, getting in the front seat. We drive in silence, doing laps of the town, going down back roads, going to her cabin and back again. The sun is starting to set by the time we’re rolling back into the club, and we haven’t seen sight nor sign of Merleigh. I’ve called her phone, over and over, even though I know she doesn’t have it.
I just can’t fucking stop myself.
Panic grips my chest when we walk into the clubhouse and go straight to Alarick’s office.
The second he sees my face, he knows we haven’t found her.
“Fuck,” he mutters, running a hand down his face. “Okay, anyone got any ideas where she might be?”
Briella walks in carrying two plates of food. She looks to us and her face falls. “You haven’t found her.”
“No,” I growl. “Any idea where she might go when she’s upset? A friend? Someone we don’t know about?”
Briella shakes her head. “No, she’s shy, and she doesn’t know anyone yet. Merleigh isn’t the sort of person to let us worry, either.”
“She was pretty upset,” Carson points out.
“Yeah, she was,” Alarick agrees. “It’s getting late, it’s pouring with fucking rain, she could be anywhere. We can’t do much during the night.”
“She could be in trouble and you want me to fuckin’ sit here and do nothing?” I bark.
“What will you have us do, Bohdi?” Alarick throws back, voice tight. “Go on a hunt in the dark? We can call around to some bars, check some hotels, and the hospitals. We can’t do much more.”
“What if someone picked her up and ...” Carson says, and his voice trails off.