Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 36950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 185(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 123(@300wpm)
“Oh fuck, oh fuck--I have to get out of here!” My head spun, but I tried to keep myself together.
The alarm was sounded. It didn’t matter if anyone saw me anymore. Connor--Winter--her security. Any one of them would hurt me if they had to, especially if Winter was planning to send my finger to Devlin in a box. I ran so fast I almost stumbled, but the stumble proved to be a twist of good luck. I saw what appeared to be an office--with a telephone on the desk. I ran inside, slammed the door, and started moving everything I could push towards the door.
“I think she’s in here!” A voice echoed on the other side of the door and then he slammed himself into the wood--thankfully, it didn’t give.
I barricaded myself the best that I could and ran to the desk. I picked up the telephone and nearly screamed for joy when I heard a dial tone. I dialed Devlin’s number as fast as I could and every ring felt like an eternity.
“Hello? Who is this?” Devlin’s voice--finally.
“Devlin! It’s me!” I almost started hyperventilating. “I’m at your mother’s house… Devlin, she’s the one--”
The line went dead before I could say anything else. Winter had obviously realized I could make a call and killed the phone. I hoped what I said was enough for him to realize how serious it was. All I could do was pray that my barricade held until he arrived.
Will Devlin choose me over his own mother? I didn’t even stop to consider that before I used my only chance to call him…
The minutes ticked by. Five of them. Ten of them. Every single one so precious because it gave Devlin time to get to me. The door continued to get hit by the guards on the other side. My barricade didn’t hold--it was foolish to think that it would. It flew open and Connor came storming into the room with rage in his eyes that looked like the man who imprisoned me--not the boy that called Winter Sloane his Mommy.
“Back off!” I held the scalpel in front of me.
“How cute.” Connor smirked. “Tie her up.”
The guards came rushing into the room. I swung the scalpel around as menacingly as I could, but there were too many of them. I managed to cut one guy, but the next one grabbed my arm. They pinned it behind my back and squeezed my injured wrist until I dropped the blade. Connor immediately picked it up as Winter walked into the room behind him.
“I can’t leave you alone for a second, Cabot whore.” Winter sighed.
“You fucking--” One of the guards clamped his hand over my mouth before I could protest.
Connor used the scalpel to cut the maid uniform off me until I was completely naked. One of the guards returned with rope and they started to bind me. I kicked, squirmed, and fought with everything I had, but there was no way I could overpower them.
“Her finger…” Winter motioned to Connor. “Cut it off.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor walked behind me and squeezed my hand until I yelped.
“Ms. Sloane.” One of Winter’s maids came running into the room. “There’s someone outside--lots of someones.”
“Fuck!” Winter gritted her teeth and grabbed my jaw. “Who the hell did you call? The cops?”
“No.” I smiled against her grip. “I called Devlin.”
“Ah.” Winter smiled. “Well I can handle my son a lot better than you can.” She pushed me into Connor’s arms. “You’re not very smart at all.”
“What are we going to do, Mistress?” Connor didn’t seem to share Winter’s nonchalant approach to her son’s arrival.
“Get some men outside. Everyone else, disappear.” Winter snapped her fingers and leveled her gaze at Connor. “You keep the whore here--she’ll still going to sign that fucking contract once I get rid of Devlin.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Connor’s lips twisted into a sick grin and he pressed his lips to my ear. “Only a matter of time now, sweet Violet…”
Devlin will either save me, or I’ll have no reason to be saved at all...
Thirteen
Devlin
I hung up the phone when the line went dead and turned around to face my father.
"And?" he demanded, anxiously awaiting my answer. "What happened?"
"She... she has Violet," I managed to get out.
"Who does?" My father approached me, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Tell me right now."
"My... mother has Violet."
"W-What?" It was the first time in my life that I heard my father stutter, and probably the last. "Your mother?"
He struggled to get to his feet, and I lent him a helping hand. My father pressed his back against the wall and exhaled, rubbing his eyes. "Is this true, Devlin?"
"Yes, we have to go--now."
"Then we can't waste a second." His tone was serious, his eyes burning into mine as we locked gazes. "She's the most dangerous person I've ever met."