Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
It fucked with people’s minds.
All these people had done was choose a letter of the alphabet. Pfft, any toddler could do that.
“What can I do for you?”
“I have a job for you. I’ll double your fee for a show of loyalty.”
“What is it you want me to do?” he asked.
“Clean-up.” Mr. A continued, telling him what was going on. When he was finished, the Fox sat back, thinking it through. If he did this, there was no going back.
They’d all know that he’d switched sides.
But this could get him where he wanted to be. This Mr. A was obviously the one in charge, not Mr. X. Th is was the person he really wanted.
“I’ll do it.”
“Good. Text me when you have this taken care of.”
Several hours later, he watched as Dahlia escaped his car and raced off toward the Little Teapot.
Hmm. He wondered if anyone would get the reference.
He sent off the first text to Mr. A.
It’s done.
The second text was much harder. He debated over it, but it was the only thing he could do. They would understand. They had to. It was logical. Sensible. And it would keep them safe.
There was a small voice inside him, telling him to think like the man and not the Fox. But in this, he couldn’t. The next text he sent was to his Bunny and Pup.
I have to go to ground for a while. I’m still watching you. And know that I’m always there if you need me. Don’t tell anyone about me. Also, don’t believe everything you hear. Keep the faith.
26
The Fox left Sunny and Duke’s house as stealthily as he came.
He sighed.
The lack of security really was appalling. Perhaps he should force her into a safe house.
It would simply be so much easier if people would listen to and obey him.
He climbed into his car which was hidden two blocks over in one of his safe houses. Yes, he had a safe house not far from his sweet girl. He’d bought it not long after he’d met her. When she still thought he was Marv, the homeless man.
Sunny hadn’t looked down on him or treated him as less.
She’d seen someone in need and she’d helped him. No questions asked.
And she’d won the devotion of a man who’d never cared for anyone before. Who’d had no care for human life.
Which is why he’d always look after her.
He’d given her the warning. That she was to go to a safe house if he told her to. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
He opened up the camera feed on his phone, watching as Razor walked her down the aisle.
Should he have taken a different path?
Second-guessing himself wasn’t a smart move. And he always made the right choice.
Didn’t he?
This was what he’d been working toward ever since he’d started to suspect that Mr. X wasn’t the one in charge. That there was someone else calling the shots. There had been a few hints here and there. Like in Senior’s office, and on the pen drive that had been stolen from Fergus Bartolli.
Sure, he could have told Markovich.
But he always worked best on his own.
He watched as Duke kissed Sunny. He guessed that expression about love being blind was true.
Closing it down, he had to fight the urge to go to his Pup and Bunny.
He missed them.
Fuck.
But he couldn’t risk seeing them now that he was on Mr. A’s radar.
Take them. Force them into your den. It’s what you want.
He had to push back the desire. Yes, it’s what he wanted. But it came with its own issues. And he wouldn’t do that to Autumn unless it became necessary.
He checked in on them. Brody was chasing Autumn around the house. Brody caught her, smacking her lightly on the butt.
His other phone buzzed with a message.
Mr. A: I have another task for you.
Great. Another fucking test. This asshole was pissing him off. Always hiding behind smoke and mirrors.
He couldn’t wait to reveal who it was.
A push might be needed. But he’d have to do that once he had the time.
Putting his phone away, he set off for his den. If he took too long to contact him again, he might have to do something to push this along.
Because he couldn’t spend too much more time away from them.
“Brody? Brody! Brody!”
“Huh? What? What is it? I’m busy,” he snapped, glancing up into the surprised face of his boss.
Oh.
Whoops.
Ink raised his eyebrows. “Everything good?”
“Uh, yeah. Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”
“You were really concentrating on what you were doing. I didn’t think you had any big jobs at the moment.”
“I, um, I don’t.” His mind hadn’t been on the screen, but on Autumn and the Fox. He really wished he knew what was going on. They hadn’t seen the Fox since the night he’d supposedly betrayed them all several weeks ago by changing sides.