Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Hope.
Tanner had inspired that in me too.
The man who had driven the truck got out and waited for me to move. “It’s okay,” Beauty said. I allowed myself to look at her. She smiled. “I promise you’ll be safe. I’m gonna take you to Tank’s and my room here. Let you get cleaned up and eat something. You must want that.”
I flicked my eyes to the men coming out of the building we were parked in front of. There were many of them.
“Trust me, Adelita.” I turned back to Beauty. “No one’s gonna hurt you. I won’t let them.”
I took a deep breath and followed Beauty out of the truck. The man who had driven us here led the way. The second man jumped from the bed of the truck and took up the rear. I was stared at, and just like before, I kept my head high. Though my feet were unsteady, we made it to the room.
“We’ll be out here keeping guard,” one of the men said.
“Thanks, darlin’.” Beauty shut the door, and I glanced around the room. There was not much to it. A large bed sat in the center. There was a television in the corner and a small bathroom to the right.
“It’s not much, but it’s better than where you just were.”
Beauty’s eyes traveled down my body to the dress I was wearing. I could see the confusion in her face. Before she even had a chance to speak, I said, “I love him.” Beauty met my gaze. “I love Tanner with my entire heart.” I gestured down to my dress, feeling the need to explain. “This . . .” I shook my head. Tears sprang to my eyes as I remembered Tanner’s face when he saw it was me who had been taken . . . when he saw what I was wearing.
He was hurt.
I had hurt him.
“I didn’t know if he was ever coming back,” I whispered. My fingers ran over the engagement ring on my left hand. I slipped it off, the metal feeling like it was burning my skin. I squeezed it in my hand and looked up at Beauty. “I hadn’t heard from him for so long.” I shook my head again. “I couldn’t keep putting them off anymore. My father . . . he was pushing me to Diego. And Diego, he was relentless in his pursuit of me.” My nails dug into my palms. “I had no one to turn to. No one to help. I . . . I didn’t know what to do.”
“Shh, darlin’.” Beauty wiped a falling tear away from my face with her thumb. “You don’t gotta explain nothing to me. And as for Tanner . . .” She smiled. “I just saw him with you in there. The guy went all beast-mode to protect you. He might be pissed now, but that man is gone for you, sweetie. Hook, line, and sinker gone.” Beauty moved behind me and started unbuttoning my dress. “Now, let’s get you out of this and cleaned up. I got some clothes you can wear.”
I was in a daze as the wedding dress came off and I was ushered into the bathroom. When Beauty left me alone, I stared at myself in the mirror above the sink. My hair was disheveled and my skin was pale. The steam from the hot shower quickly eradicated my face from view, yet I stayed staring at the place my reflection had been. My brain was consumed with thoughts. Of my father and what he would do when he found out I’d been taken. Of Diego, and the vengeance I knew would be coming this way.
But most of all I thought of Tanner. I thought of how he was no longer with the Klan. He was here, with the Hades Hangmen . . . My stomach fell, and I had to catch a sob before it fell from my mouth.
We were at war with the Hangmen. The Klan was at war with the Hangmen. Tanner was no longer with the Klan. He was now a brother of the Hangmen.
I rubbed my hand over my sternum, fighting panic as the truth filtered into my fogged-up brain.
It was worse.
I didn’t think it could get worse for us.
But this, now, was exponentially worse.
I stepped into the shower and let the hot water fall over my head. I washed my hair with the shampoo and conditioner Beauty had left out for me. And I thought of the past few days. Thought of waking to find the Hangmen looking down at me. My hands and ankles had been bound with rope. Fear had flooded my veins, but I never let them see.
I thought back to how the man dressed in black had gotten into my suite. How he had come through the tunnels . . . Had he searched them all until he found me?