Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“Know this is hard on you,” he goes on. “But I’m doin’ right by you here, you need to let me.”
I swallow and take a deep breath, then ask. “Have you figured out anything more about Aviana?”
“Actually, yeah. We got word she don’t have anything to do with this, and that she went off on her own. Not sure where. Not sure how. But it’s lookin’ like her disappearance isn’t related.”
“How can you possibly know that?” I argue.
“Because I tracked down someone who knows where she is.”
My eyes get wide. “You know where she is?” I whisper.
“Yeah, I know where she is. Her uncle on the other hand, most certainly has somethin’ to do with all of this. Probably for money. Either way we’ll find out.”
I don’t care about her damned uncle. I care about her.
“Where is she?” I ask, ignoring the last part. “Can I talk to her?”
“Far as I know, the person who knows where she is isn’t willin’ to give us her location, but we have received evidence via photography that she is alive and well. That’s all you need to know. That’s all we need to know. Aviana can do as she wishes from this point forward.”
“She’s missing because of us,” I whisper. “She was my best friend.”
“Know that,” Alarick goes on, his voice still stony and firm. “But right now we have bigger matters. Down the track, you want to find her, we’ll look into it. For now, we need to find who killed your momma and your sister and finish this.”
I swallow back the pain in my chest and nod. He’s right. For the moment, we can only pick one thing to fix and right now, that’s the monster lurking in the shadows out there.
“I won’t go ahead and get involved in this,” I say. “But I want you to promise me you’ll keep me in the loop. Don’t keep things from me. If you want me to follow your orders, I want to know you’re going to share everything with me. Can you do that?”
Alarick nods. “I’ll tell you anythin’ you need to know, but understand that if anythin’ is goin’ to cause any kind of danger, I ain’t riskin’ it.”
I nod.
Then I look to Kendric and Samson, who are both just leaning back and listening. “I’m sure you boys are looking forward to this drama.”
Kendric snorts. “Rather stick to ridin’, but hey, do what you gotta do.”
“I’m always up for an adventure,” Samson grins.
I could say the same.
Only thing is adventure is proving to be a whole lot riskier than the ones I’m used to.
Things are about to enter a world I can’t even begin to understand.
I’m terrified.
2
FLICK
“You’re not tellin’ her everythin’ you know,” Cohen says, leaning back in the chair and lighting a cigarette, throwing his booted feet on my coffee table.
I reach forward and shove his feet off, growling low. “You fuckers seem to think my furniture is for your fuckin’ feet.”
Cohen grins and passes me a cigarette, which I gladly take.
Everything right now is fucked.
Dramatic? Fucking sure.
True?
Absolutely.
The shit we’re about to get involved in is risky, and it’s deadly, and I know fuck all about it. Run drugs? I can do that with my eyes closed. Sell weapons? Fuck yeah. Deal with someone double crossing me? Fucking don’t doubt it.
Handling a sick fucker who brainwashes and sells girls overseas for money? Fuck me. I don’t even know where to start with that.
“Quit avoidin’ my question, Pres. You’re keepin’ shit from Briella, and she’s goin’ to figure it out. When she does, she’s goin’ to be pissed and likely do something stupid.”
I glare at him. “I’m keeping that shit from her so she won’t do anything fuckin’ stupid. She just had her brain operated on. You think she’s goin’ to handle the deep ugly truth about what’s goin’ on out there? To find out what really happened to her sister? To find out the gruesome details that we know?”
“She’s goin’ to find out eventually.”
“Know that,” I mutter, inhaling the cigarette, feeling the smoke burn my lungs. “But right now, I also know it’s for the best to keep her as far away from it as I can. At least until she’s fully healed. It hasn’t been long enough. If she gets hurt ...”
“Get that, I’m just warnin’ you that she ain’t goin’ to like it.”
I know she won’t fucking like it.
But right now, I’m doing what I have to do.
“You find out more about the cop? See if she’s got any more info?”
“Samson is checkin’ in with her. She’s not overly fond of the club.”
“Don’t give a fuck about that, I only care what she knows.”
“Chances are she’s goin’ to get the info and take the investigation for herself.”
“Doubtful. From what I know, she’s treated like a fuckin’ joke because she’s a woman. Not to mention there is a crooked cop she’s tryin’ to expose. She has no reason to touch us, and if we don’t give her one, she’s a good ally to have on our side.”