Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 72308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“If we don’t get her back, you know what will happen to her.” I leaned forward in the chair, locking my eyes on this man in desperation.
He held my gaze for a long time before he, too, sat forward, arms on his knees. “And you know what will happen the second Grave hands himself over. You’ll lose your woman and your brother.”
“That’s why I need the upper hand,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, even though I wanted to scream. “Get this information for me. We’ll storm in there and kill every one of those motherfuckers.”
Bartholomew rubbed his hands together, lost in thought.
“You must care for her,” I said. “You didn’t want to sell her.”
“Because she was useful to me. A lot of my men are useful to me. Doesn’t mean I care about them.”
Grave took over. “Camille is an innocent person. She’s not part of this world.”
“She became part of this world the second she sold herself for money,” Bartholomew said. “And she knows that. What I don’t understand is…why did they take Camille for Grave?” His eyes flicked to me. “You look alike, but not that much alike.”
“It’s complicated,” I said, not wanting to dive into ancient history right now.
Bartholomew grinned, like he’d figured it out. “Now I wish I’d taken a hit when I had the chance. She must be something else.”
In any other moment, I would pick up that hot cigar and shove it in his eyes. But I kept still and swallowed the rage. “Help us, Bartholomew. We have no leads, and if we don’t get to her before the twenty-four-hour deadline, she’ll be gone.”
“What’s in it for me?” he asked.
“Name your price,” I said. “Between the two of us, we can make it happen.”
“You should know me by now,” Bartholomew said. “Money isn’t an effective motivator. I move millions every single day. Every single hour, probably.”
“Then what do you want?” I asked.
He looked slightly amused. “Camille.”
My heart dropped like a rock. “What the fuck did you say?”
“You heard me, Cauldron. I want Camille back.”
Grave looked at me, staying quiet because there was nothing he could add to the conversation.
Would this nightmare ever fucking end? “You even said yourself she didn’t want to be with you.”
“That’s not why I want her. She was a good wingman. No one ever expects a woman to be a criminal. And the prettier she is, the more innocent she seems. I want her back on the job, at my beck and call. Ball’s in your court.”
I sucked in a long breath to dull my nerves, but they were on fire.
“We both know she enjoyed the work,” he said. “I’ll even pay her if she wants.”
I didn’t want her in the criminal limelight. I didn’t want her exposed. I just wanted to take her back home and disappear from this god-awful world. “Fine…we have a deal.”
27
CAMILLE
My arms were so close to my body I couldn’t move at all. A thick rope had been secured around my shoulders, torso, and waist, keeping my arms so tight against my body my shoulders were about to pop out of the sockets. It was payback for the way I’d cut one of his guys when they came to the house. I knocked the other one out cold with a lamp. But it still wasn’t enough for me to get away.
Now I was stuck in the parlor of an apartment in the city, men standing guard behind where I sat on the couch. The one in charge came in and out, smoking a cigar or drinking booze. I had no idea why I was there, but I suspected it had something to do with Cauldron or Grave.
Maybe both.
The man in charge was audible in the other room. A couple guys called him Karl, so I had a name for the face. His voice was quiet because of all the obstacles in the way, but I could make out what he said. “When Grave shows up, we don’t make the exchange. We’re going to tie him up and force him to watch us cut that bitch open and take out each organ until she flatlines. Her death will be the same as my brother’s.”
My entire body went cold when I heard what he said.
Cut me open.
Take me apart—piece by piece.
Holy fucking shit.
I was on the verge of a panic attack when I remembered what Grave and Cauldron were both capable of. They were two powerful men who would get me back. They would… I knew they would. I just had to stay calm.
Karl took a call. I could tell by the way his tone changed. “Bartholomew. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I gave a gasp so loud that one of the men guarding me came around the couch and looked at me straight on. With one eyebrow cocked, he examined me with suspicion.