Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
I kissed her, and then pressed my forehead to hers.
“Thank you.”
Her eyes opened, and she pulled back slightly. “For what?”
My mouth tipped up into a smile.
“For saving my life.”
She opened her mouth to disagree, and I stopped her.
“You may not think so, but you did,” I interrupted her. “You saved Alex. You saved Reggie. You saved you.”
Her mouth closed with an audible snap.
“That woman next door…”
Her brows furrowed in confusion.
“Allegra. She’s in the room next door.”
Hannah’s eyes narrowed, and I kind of loved the way she got all protective.
“Don’t.”
Hannah’s eyes lit. “You can’t…”
“I know I can’t,” I agreed. “But for now, just stay with me.”
She sighed and planted her butt on the bed next to my calf. I kept hold of her hand, though.
“She could’ve taken a lot of stuff away from me today,” I said. “Then I’d be an empty hull like Dante.”
She looked away. “I know how he feels now. Just thinking about how close I came…it’s a scary fucking experience.”
And it was.
I’d had plenty of time to think about what I’d heard Hannah had done, and each and every time I did, it was enough to send my heart into overdrive.
Just the thought of losing them was enough to send bile rushing up my throat.
And speaking of the devil.
I looked up to find Dante standing there, his eyes on me.
“You okay?”
I swallowed and nodded.
“Good.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter 30
And then Satan said, ‘Put the alphabet in math…’
-Coffee Cup
Dante
The moment that I made sure Travis was okay, I walked next door.
There were no guards there any longer, and with Baylor otherwise occupied with the girls, it left me with plenty of time to do what needed to be done.
I pushed through the closed door and gritted my teeth when Allegra’s exhausted face turned to me.
She had two arms in casts, and her face was haggard.
“What are you…”
I held my hand up and walked further inside.
“You fucked up,” I said, walking closer.
Her mouth pinched.
“What are you even doing here?” she snarled. “I thought you were out, mourning your kids.”
A year ago, when it had all happened, that would’ve gutted me—being reminded of them.
Now I was empty, though. Nothing left inside but an empty husk of my former self.
Nothing inside of me was there any longer to get hurt.
“I’m here because you thought it’d be okay to shoot at my brother, my almost sister-in-law, and my nieces.”
She scoffed.
“I didn’t kill them.”
My mouth fell open.
“You didn’t kill them?”
I turned to find Hannah standing at the door, her eyes angry.
“Exactly.” Allegra turned and sneered, pointing her anger at the newcomer. “I didn’t kill them.”
Before Hannah could reply, I held my hand up and silenced her.
“Wasn’t really wanting witnesses for this,” I said as I walked toward the bed.
That was when Allegra started to look nervous.
She scooted back in the bed as far she could go, but it wasn’t far enough.
My hand closed around Allegra’s throat.
“There’s a payment needed here,” I said very quietly. “You need to either go down for your sins or I’ll take you down my own way. Which way is it going to be?”
Allegra’s eyes were freaked, and I could tell that she didn’t want to answer me.
She did, though.
“I’ll admit to everything,” she said. “I’m sor-sorry.”
I laughed in her face and let her go. “Sorry isn’t good enough.”
I could still feel her throat in my hand.
It was intoxicating, not giving a fuck.
I no longer had a conscience.
I could literally do anything, and not feel one single regret.
“Make sure you do. Or I’ll be back.”
Then I left, walking around a surprised Hannah, and left not just the room, but the hospital and Hostel altogether.
***
Hannah
I watched him leave with surprise.
I’d come over here with the intentions of doing something very similar. However, Dante had gotten things across loud and clear.
Shooting Allegra a smug look, I walked away knowing that Allegra would do the only thing she could.
Admit to her sins.
Chapter 31
Some days the supply of available curse words is insufficient.
-Hannah’s secret thoughts
Hannah
“She’s working out?” I asked.
“Yes, she’s doing so great,” Carol Marks said. “Thank you so much for recommending her. I can feel my strength returning already.”
I smiled into the phone, but only halfway.
My heart was still hurting, and Travis was still in the hospital.
I was worked to the bone.
The day that I’d been freed from jail, I’d gone to see Travis.
Once I’d ascertained that Travis would be okay, I’d then gone to work helping Baylor keep Hail Auto Recovery afloat.
Apparently, without Travis, things went downhill fast.
He was the one with the passwords. The contacts. The person that answered all emails, as well as made sure that the lights stayed on by paying bills.
Travis helped, working as much as he could from the hospital bed, but there wasn’t much he could do without the essentials, like a computer and a phone that were connected to his business.