Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Nathan’s eyes grow big as if he can’t believe his own damn ears.
A girl we extorted, used for our own pleasure … offering us her help.
“Wait,” Milo says, and he tries to lean up from the bed. “Don’t go alone. If I can’t come with you … call Blaine. He’s a friend. He’ll help you out.”
“Blaine?” Nathan furrows his brows at him. “You still talk with him—”
“Please don’t worry about it. Not now.” Milo coughs a few more times and groans with pain from his wounds.
“We don’t have time for talking if we’re gonna save your sister,” Lana says, and she grasps Nathan’s hand and drags him out the door. “Let’s go.”
LANA
“What’s the plan?” Kai asks as we hide behind the dumpster and gape over it to the entrance of the grimy-looking club.
I grab my bag and fish out some knives along with a mini gun and stuff it all into my sky-high boots.
“You do have a plan, right?” Nathan asks.
“Nope.”
“Wait, what?” Kai frowns.
They both look at me like I’ve lost my marbles.
“We can’t just barge in there,” Nathan says. “They know my fucking face. They’ll be expecting me.”
“You can’t, but I can,” I say.
Kai grabs my coat and pulls me close. “If they find out you’re in there, they’ll kill you. I won’t allow it.”
“Well, fancy meeting y’all here.”
The sudden unfamiliar voice makes us all look up. A tall as fuck guy stands right in front of our hideout behind the dumpster, clutching an umbrella to stop the snowflakes from falling onto his long black hair, some strands covering the gentle smile on his face.
He sticks out his hand. “Blaine Navarro.”
I shake his hand, but Kai and Nathan don’t want to.
“Blaine …” Kai says, looking him up and down like he recognizes him from somewhere. “You’re one of Milo’s friends. But wait, you’re from the Tartarus House, aren’t you?”
“Yup. Your girlfriend here called me to come and help you guys out.” He stretches out. “So here I am.”
Nathan snarls, “You told him about—”
“That girl?” Blaine interjects, throwing a glance at Nathan. “Yes, I know your Rory is missing.”
“I had to tell him, or he wouldn’t come,” I say when Nathan’s nostrils flare.
“This guy’s dangerous,” he says.
Blaine goes to his knees behind the dumpster, barely able to crouch far enough to hide because of his height. I dare say he’s even taller than Milo. “More dangerous than what you three are trying to attempt?”
Nathan makes a tsk sound.
“So you want my help or not?” Blaine asks.
“Fine,” Nathan barks. “But don’t get in our way.”
“Jesus, what’s his problem?” I whisper to Kai.
“Milo’s got a history with a bunch of guys. He’s one of them.” Kai winks.
My jaw dropped. “Milo hooked up with this dude?”
“Not anymore,” Blaine says, lurching over our shoulders.
I shove him away. “Don’t get up in my face like that.”
“Sorry, I was just curious what you guys were talking about, but I see I’ve already made quite the impression,” Blaine says, smiling. “So is there a reason you’re trying to infiltrate an actual trafficking ring by yourself instead of going to the police like normal people do?”
“You think the police can be trusted?” Nathan grits. “My parents are in jail because of them. You think they’ll help us?”
“Fine, fine, you’ve got a point there,” Blaine says, rolling his eyes.
“Here.” Nathan slaps a mask into his chest. “Put this on.”
Blaine scowls. “What is this plastic thing? It’ll ruin my face.”
“Good,” Nathan quips, and I snort in response.
“Put it on,” Kai tells Blaine. “Or you’ll be recognized.”
Blaine sighs out loud. “Fine, but you owe me a new bottle of cream if I break out.” And he puts it on, almost looking like a Phantom too now.
The guards at the back entrance walk off for a smoke break, and I hiss, “Now’s our shot.”
“Lana, wait!” Nathan hisses. “You can’t just bust in there.”
I just throw them a look and march on, right at the back entrance, and I knock a few times while the boys hide again. “Hello?”
The door opens up just a sliver, and some grumpy guy peers through. “What do you want?”
“I’m here for work.”
He narrows his eyes at me and looks me up and down, then shuts the door. My heart throbs in my throat. Within a few seconds, the door opens up fully, and I barge right past him, pretending I’ve been there a million times before.
The music blasts into my ear the second I step one foot inside. It’s dark and hot here as I go to the changing room and throw my coat onto a hanger. I steal a sticker from one of the girls’ tables and paste it over my heart-shaped top, pushing up my breasts to make them look even perkier before I step out into the strip club.
There’s a stage in the middle of the room with girls dancing and twerking, showing off their skills, while men watch with hunger in their eyes. Champagne and expensive liquor is poured left and right, while some of the more important guests get private treatment in the back.