Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115400 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“What—”
With every bit of my weight, I slam my stiletto heel down right into his eye socket, feeling the exact moment the heel penetrates through his brain. It’s lights out in an instant, and with a newfound hope burning brighter than ever, I yank my heel out of his brain, turn to face the angelic halo of light, and without a single glance back, I make a break for it and race toward the other half of my black soul.
33
KILLIAN
The fleet of SUVs screech to a halt outside the auction house, and I watch as fifty of my men pour out onto the gravel road, every last one of them ready to storm this fucking hell hole and find my girl.
The uneasiness of the past few hours has destroyed me. Since the moment I discovered she’d been taken, to having to spend precious minutes organizing our attack, it all felt like time I didn’t have, but to go in unprepared means unnecessary loss of life, and I won’t risk my men because I wasn’t thoroughly prepared.
I just hope it’s not too late.
These auctions usually happen late in the night, but it truly depends on the patience of the crowd. The men who frequent these auctions aren’t exactly known for being respectable or capable of waiting. They’re demanding, and when they don’t get what they want, it often turns dangerous. There’s a good chance my girl might already be gone, but if she is, there’s not a damn thing stopping me from going in there and finding out everything I need to know.
But if she is still there, just like she was that first night, then I’ll bring this whole fucking ring down around her.
My men immediately disperse around the property to infiltrate from every exit, making sure not a soul inside is able to escape. I’ve reached my limit with Ezekiel, and if I’m bringing this fucker down, then I’m taking him down with the ship. There will be no escape for him tonight, no sneaking out through underground tunnels, or taking off through the roof emergency exit. I have them all covered, and tonight, Ezekiel Lopez is mine.
“We good?” Cristian—my new second-in-command—asks. He’s the only senior member left I can trust, and honestly, I’m not sad about it. He and his wife, Evie, are exactly what Chiara needs to transition into this world. I should have thought of it first. Evie can help her, teach her everything she needs to know, because I’ll be damned if I ever let her go again. As for Cristian, he’s the only senior member who’s never wanted the limelight, the only one I’ve never had to worry will stab me in the back. He is the perfect yes man, however, in the face of terror, he will always rise. If the worst happens and he’s forced to take my place, he will take the role just as seriously as I have.
He’s exactly what I need.
I go to nod when a broken cry sounds in the distance—a tone I would recognize anywhere—and I whip around, seeking it out, only to watch Chiara stumble around the corner of the building and step directly into the light from the SUVs.
My heart freezes for a moment before crippling me as it launches into a full attack, pounding faster than it ever has before. I start running, my eyes wide as she hurries toward me, but after one look, I know she’s been through hell. Her knees are shaky and there’s dried tears on her blood-soaked face, but all that matters is getting her into my arms.
The moment she realizes she’s safe, she crumbles, dropping to the hard ground, and the moment I reach her, I fall with her. My knees crash against the gravel, and I pull her into me. “You’re safe now, Angel,” I murmur as she buries her head against my chest, letting me hold her. “I’m so sorry. I’ll never let you go. You’ll never have to be afraid again.”
She begins to cry, but I sit there with her, giving her a moment to get it out, despite losing the element of surprise on our attack. Nothing matters more than having this moment with Chiara. She needs this more than I need to breathe her in.
“You’re safe now,” I repeat, brushing my hand gently over her hair and taking note of her injuries. Her knees are scraped, and there’s bruising across her ribs, but it’s nothing compared to the random slices in her skin. It’s as though someone took a blade and cut her, but there’s no pattern to it. It’s all random, as though she were cut out of her clothing. “You’re safe.”
Her tears quickly dry, and I doubt her need to process and cry has barely even begun, but she puts it aside, knowing we’re here for a reason. She’s putting her needs aside to be strong for me, and a woman like that is a woman I should have never let go.