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)
“She saved my sister, and Romeo found her, and he’s taken her fuck knows where,” Nathan says.
Penelope barges out the front door in a simple bathrobe. “What the hell is going on here? I was trying to take a shower, and then I hear you all screaming.” She looks at all three of us and sighs out loud. “What are you doing here?”
“We just collected our little helper over here,” Milo says, placing his hand on Caleb’s shoulder.
Alistair calls out from the window, “Is that a Tartarus guy?”
“Yep. He’s gonna help us free Lana, aren’t you, Caleb?” Nathan says, folding his arms. “I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint these three Skull & Serpent Society guys. Felix here is Lana’s brother.”
Caleb’s eyes narrow, his muscles tightening. He knows it’s a threat.
Nathan makes a tsk sound, but I throw him a glare, and he keeps his mouth shut.
“Free Lana?” Penelope mutters. “What do you mean? Where is she?”
“The Bonesmen took her,” Dylan says.
“Oh God.” Penelope plants her hand against her mouth. “I told her about their location.”
“You did what?” Felix snarls at her.
She folds her arms and sneers, “She asked for my help, so I gave it to her.”
“To save my sister,” Nathan fills in.
“She’d really go through all that trouble for you?” Dylan mutters.
Nathan raises his brow. “Does it sound so hard to believe?”
“Yes, yes, it does,” Alistair yells from the top window.
Felix balls his fists. “I knew I shouldn’t have let her get close to you three. She’s in this shit because of you!” He tries to hit me again, but Penelope stops him.
“Don’t! Not again! She asked you not to fight!”
“Can we go now?” Caleb says impatiently. “My blade is itching, and if I don’t shove it into one of those Bones Brotherhood fuckers soon, it might want a taste of your blood first.”
“Shut it,” Nathan grits. “We’re working on it.”
“Look, I hate them as much as you do for what they did to my sister,” Penelope says to Felix.
“For your information, we didn’t want to do any of it. You know we were forced. My parents would be reported to the feds if I didn’t oblige,” Nathan says.
“So much for that because they’re still in jail,” Dylan quips, and the remark almost makes Nathan snap.
“And you? What’s your excuse?” Penelope rasps at me.
“I owe his family a lot,” I say, swallowing. “I did what I had to for my friend.”
“If she’s really in trouble, there’s no time for random chitchat,” Alistair calls from the window.
Penelope makes a tsk sound but keeps her mouth shut. “Fine. If Lana’s in trouble, we gotta save her first.”
“Wait, what?” Milo mutters. “We?”
“You didn’t think we’d let you go out there by yourself, did you?” Penelope quips, and she rushes back into the house. “Wait here.”
“Wait, you’re not thinking of inviting them to come with us, are you?” Nathan growls at me.
“No one’s inviting anyone,” Felix retorts, flashing his knife. “I’m coming to save my fucking sister.”
A lopsided smirk forms on my face. The protectiveness runs in the family, I see.
“All right,” I say. “As long as you keep your boys away from us.”
“You stay in your lane; I’ll stay in mine,” Felix snarls, going back inside with Penelope. “You stay.”
“There’s no way I’d ever step one foot into the Skull & Serpent Society building,” Nathan says.
“I would,” Milo muses, shrugging.
Nathan throws him a look. “You just want them to hurt you.”
“How do you know me so well?” Milo winks.
Caleb makes a gag motion. “Sorry, I just threw up a little.”
“And there’s a reason I left your ass for his,” Nathan retorts.
“No time for being petty,” I tell them. “We have a job to do. Let’s do it properly.”
“Do you even know where we’re supposed to go?” I turn my head to see Alistair casually strolling out of their door.
I shrug. “We’ll go to the same club and see if they’re hiding out there. If not, I’ll find someone and make them tell.”
“No need.” Penelope throws a giant bag on the ground in front of us. “I already know where they’re keeping her.”
I bend over and zip it open, marveling at the number of guns and weapons inside.
Felix pushes a magazine into his gun. “For where we’re going, you’d better pray that’s enough.”
LANA
The drive through the city feels like it takes an eternity, my heart rate picking up with every bump on the road. Crystal’s palm is sweaty, and she shivers beside me.
“It’ll be okay,” I tell her.
“I’m so scared,” she murmurs.
“I know,” I whisper back.
Slowly, she begins to cry, so I squeeze her hand.
“I won’t let them hurt you,” I say.
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault—”
“Yes, it is,” she says, her tone fluctuating. “I took you to the park for some ice cream.”
“Oh, girl …” I lean closer to her, despite being unable to hug. “You don’t need to apologize.”