Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
He can’t blame himself. I won’t let him. “It’s okay, buddy. No one is in any trouble. Your mom and I’ll work things out. Make sure your dad is okay with this little vacation. Don’t worry, honey. Your momma, she loves you and wanted more time with you, that’s all this is.” I lie. I have no idea what this is, but there has to be more to it than Anna wanting time with her son. “I know it scared you that your dad would be worried and upset, but I’ll handle that okay. Don’t be upset, please, bud.”
“Take the other pair, put the one on your wrist and come over here,” Anna demands ignoring Hollis’ breakdown. “Hollis you’ll hook the other one on your precious Zizi”
I have this one moment. I don’t know what comes over me. But he’s going to be right here in my grasp. I can’t let him go. I can’t let him stay near her. I hook the one cuff on my right wrist. Hollis steps closer to hook the left and I take my chance.
Shoving Hollis away from his mother and closer to the door, I put my body between Anna and him. Anna reacts raising her gun and bringing it down to my face. The pain surges through me as blood fills my mouth. I stay upright.
Dia and Emmalee stand trying to guide Hollis away. “Run!” I yell, “Dia get him out of here!”
They stumble as Hollis is fighting to come back to me. With their hands bound, they can’t grab him to drag him away.
My eyes to his, the pop rings out before the burn resonates in my mind. I drop to the bed, my lower belly bleeding. Hollis rushes to me. Anna yanks him up before I can even hold him once more. The room spins as he cries out in fear.
“I’m okay,” I try to comfort him. “Just do what your momma says, okay?”
“You two stay right where you are, or I’ll shoot her again and him,” Anna threatens.
He shakes his head trying to get out from his mother’s grip that is now around his neck. He tries kicking for her to release him and fails.
The time is passing, and we need help. Anna goes back and forth answering Emmalee and Dia’s questions while I lay here trying to keep Hollis calm while I feel blood continue to flow from my body.
Anna is explaining stuff, but I can’t focus in on it with the pain. Something about a debt to a man and needing to get Emmalee to Key West. The man she owes told Anna that Emmalee is a sucker for kids and Hollis being a Hellion there was no way Emmalee would resist keeping him safe.
That’s when everything comes out. Why Emmalee actually left Haywood’s Landing and Wesson. It’s all tied to the money her father stole from Patrick O’Leary. What a giant clusterfuck! I’m trying to stay clear headed even in the pain as shock is setting in, I feel my eyes getting heavy. I have to stay with it, I can’t pass out, not when Hollis needs me the most.
In an instant the door to the room flies open. Dia lunges pushing Emmalee down and shielding her while I roll of the bed yanking Hollis down to the ground and under me.
A pop sounds.
I freeze waiting for the pain. Anna screams and I realize she’s the one who is shot now.
“Buddy, close your eyes,” I tell Hollis praying he didn’t see her get hit.
The large men enter the space while I keep Hollis tucked under me. Adrenaline is all that is keeping me awake. Dia offers herself with Emmalee to go. I don’t know who these people are. I don’t care. Hollis is still breathing and so am I.
Looking over, Anna lay with half her face gone. I don’t want him to see that. It can’t be his last memory. I keep Hollis in place as Dia and Emmalee go with the men.
How can I save Hollis, Dia, and myself? I’m injured, bleeding, and Dia is being taken who knows where.
It’s all too much to process as I feel shock taking over.
“I love you, Hollis,” I whisper holding him to me and hoping once I feel we are truly alone, I can use his phone to call for help.
If not, I need my last words to be to the boy who has had my heart from the first moment I held him until now and he will forever be my every reason to breathe.
TWELVE
DILLON
Trust is a hard thing. Having a stranger from another club pick me up at a random airport so I can get to a place called Crest, Florida for my son makes it practically impossible, even though necessary. Left with little choice, I’ll deal until I get to my family. After that, all bets are off with the Son’s unless Tripp says we have an alliance with them. The prospect named Tubs got us from the airport and then we met Stone, President of the Sinister Sons MC. The man is cold, but then again, that’s been said about me before. I know Busted gave him some shit about Emmalee, therefore it’s rather surprising he is backing us. My focus is on my son and Maritza therefore I didn’t give a shit to ask for details of their pissing match. I don’t give a fuck who busted whose balls and who Emmalee decides to lay with. That shit is not my concern right now.