Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Or knocked her out.
The thought of him hitting her ignites the blood in my veins making every inch of me fiery hot with fury. I nearly slam into Sparrow when he rounds the corner, a big-ass screwdriver in his fist. His nostrils flare and every vein in his neck bulges.
“Move,” he barks out. “I can’t believe he fucked everything up again.”
“No, he hasn’t already done it. He’s presently fucking everything up.” I rub my palm over my face. “We have to get in that door.”
Sparrow’s eyes darken. “I’m working on it.”
I follow him over to Scout’s door, listening for any sounds of terror. It’s quiet.
“What does he plan to do with her?” I ask, frowning as Sparrow jabs the flat end of the screwdriver into the doorjamb.
“Fuck if I know.” He grunts and his bicep flexes as he tries to jimmy the screwdriver in between the wood. “We have to get her out of there.”
“We can try, but have you met our brother? He doesn’t like when we take his things away from him.”
“He’ll get the fuck over it.”
“Accosting Landry is one thing, but man, we have a fucking kid asleep in my bedroom. Do you know how bad this is going to get?” I start pacing the floor in the hallway, popping my knuckles over and over. “This is worse than Ash. This is kidnapping a child plus whatever fucked-up shit he’s doing to Landry right now.”
“She’s not screaming.” Sparrow grunts. “I hope that means he hasn’t done anything stupid yet.”
“He better not be fucking her.” My stomach turns at that idea.
“I’ll kill him if he raped her. So help me, Sully.”
It’s too quiet. I think if he were hurting her, we’d hear it. Even if he was somehow getting her to have sex with him willingly, I think we’d hear something. Dread coils in my gut like a poisonous snake.
“The water was running,” Sparrow mutters. “I think he filled up the tub.”
The wood cracks and groans, but the door doesn’t open.
Unable to keep my cool any longer, I start banging on the wall beside the door, hard, so he knows I’m not fucking playing. “Let us in, asshole!”
“Give us fifteen minutes,” Scout calls out. “Then we’ll have a family meeting in the living room.”
“Scout,” I growl, the tone in my voice saying everything I don’t.
You better not hurt her.
His laughter resounds from beyond the door. “Don’t worry, guys. We’ll be out soon and then you can check with your very own eyes to make sure she’s unharmed.”
Even though he’s being a dick, I can tell he’s not lying. He hasn’t hurt her. Yet. With Scout, there’s always the promise of future danger.
“Make it five,” I snap. “We’re talking about this now.”
Scout will hurt her. It’s only a matter of time. We can’t let that happen. Not after everything she’s been through with her father.
Sparrow gets pissed and throws the screwdriver down the hallway. It pierces the sheetrock. He starts kicking the door as though that will work. It doesn’t. Eventually, he gets pissed and storms off. I follow him with a sigh, hoping Scout is honoring his word. But five minutes is all he gets before I let Sparrow start hacking at the wall to get in his room.
Several long minutes later, the sound of a door opening in the hallway has me stiffening. I can hear feet padding our way. First, Landry appears, her bare legs red from most likely a hot bath. She’s wearing one of Scout’s black T-shirts that nearly swallows her whole. Her eyes are bloodshot from crying and her golden-blond hair is wet at the ends. She hugs her middle, shying away from Scout as he approaches from behind in nothing but a pair of low-slung gray sweats.
“Sit,” Scout commands. “Either with me or with one of them. But you will sit.”
Her face burns crimson. I can’t tell if she’s terrified or pissed. Probably both. She glances at Sparrow, curls her lip up as though he disgusts her, and walks over to me.
“I want to see my sister. I need to see Della. Please.” Tears well in her red eyes and her bottom lip wobbles. “I’m so scared.”
My heart sinks. I want to punch Scout in the fucking mouth for this.
“She’s asleep in my bed,” I assure her. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Though she didn’t get the answer she wanted, she does find relief in it, giving me a curt nod. Then, she steps closer and shivers. On impulse, I draw her into my arms. She’s stiff but doesn’t resist. I sit down on the sofa, pulling her to my side, and then shoot Scout a questioning look.
Scout’s lips are quirked on one side. “I like her. She’s got a fighting spirit.”
“Fuck off, you monster,” she hisses under her breath.
Sparrow swings at Scout, nailing him across the jaw and sending him sprawling. Scout laughs like the madman he is and gets back to his feet.