Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 124923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“Thayer and Holden have been waiting for Samuel to leave their aunt’s side for more than thirty seconds so they can question her about Christian, but I swear to God, the fucker knows that’s what they want because he’s been glued to her side all night.”
“So why are you over here looking like you’re about to shit your pants?” I ask, not connecting the dots.
“Because those two idiots decided to take this party as an opportunity to snoop around Danny’s room.”
That’s it? “I know the guy’s a douche, but he’s still their uncle. How much trouble could they possibly get into?”
Shayne shakes her head. “You don’t understand. At first, I thought he was just an asshole, but the way he looked at me…the things he said without caring that I was there to hear them? He’s unhinged, Valen. To the point where Christian told me himself that he was dealing with me so his father wouldn’t take matters into his own hands.”
I think back to when Shayne was on his shit list, all because he knew her presence would lead to the truth about Danny’s death if Thayer and Holden stopped hating her long enough to compare notes and put two and two together. Christian lit her house on fire. If his father is the more rational of the two, I don’t even want to think about what Samuel is capable of.
“I think they still underestimate him. Even knowing everything he did to Christian…”
“Sometimes it’s hard to believe the worst about family, even when it’s right there in front of you.”
She nods, but then her expression changes into something sad. “Is it selfish of me? To wish they’d just let August deal with this like he insisted. I want Samuel and Christian to pay for their part in it as much as anyone, but not if it means putting themselves in danger.”
“Not selfish at all,” I tell her, my tone resolute, leaving no room for argument. “Here.” I hold out my drink. “Want some?”
She takes it without hesitation, drinking half the glass in one go. “That’s really good,” she says, the last word ending on a burp that has us both laughing. Her phone lights up in her hand, drawing her attention to the screen. “Shit,” she whispers, her eyes darting around the room.
“What now?”
“Holden has a death wish, that’s what.” She angles the phone toward me, and I lean in to see what has her so worried, ignoring the way my stomach dips at the mere mention of his name. What the hell is that about? I shake off the thought, focusing on the words on the screen.
Text me if you see my uncle anywhere near the stairs. James Bond over here thinks he can break into his office.
“They were supposed to be in Christian’s room looking for anything that could give them information on where he went. Now they’re breaking into Samuel’s office? With three hundred people wandering around?”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” I try to reassure her.
“The last time Holden tried to be incognito, he got drunk, left his blood at the scene of the crime, and then I almost hit him with my car,” she reminds me.
There are so many things wrong with that sentence, but I choke back my laugh, knowing Shayne is legitimately concerned. “What he lacks in brain cells, he makes up for in guts. I’ll give him that.”
She smirks at me.
“Don’t tell him I said that. He’ll take it as a compliment.”
She mimes zipping her lips. “Come on.” She tugs on my arm. “I’m going to get one of those drinks, and then we’re on lookout duty.”
After Shayne gets her drink, we set our sights on the judge. The sunken room works to our advantage, the three steps allowing us a slightly higher viewpoint. We can see everything, but since we’re on the perimeter of the room, we’re mostly unnoticed. We spot him right away, making the rounds, Thayer and Holden’s aunt on his arm, playing the part of the doting wife. Her smile seems forced, even from here. She moves like a zombie, her eyes glossy and dazed. She is one hundred percent not on this planet right now. No one notices. Or maybe they’re just polite enough to pretend they don’t.
“Is she always like that?” I ask.
Shayne shrugs. “I’ve only been around her a handful of times, so I can’t say for sure, but I think she’s always been kind of…checked out.”
“That’s one word for it,” I mutter.
An older man with shock white hair and ice-blue eyes leans in close to whisper something to the judge.
“Who’s that?”
“That is William Ames. Also known as Thayer’s grandfather. Guy gives me the creeps,” she says with an audible shudder.
“Yeah, no kidding. Are you sure he’s not a vampire?”
“Not fully convinced, no.”
Samuel nods at whatever the vampire says before he carefully deposits his wife at one of the nearby tables, leaving her to socialize with some of the other wives, from the looks of it. He glances around the room before he heads straight for the staircase on the opposite side of the room.