Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
The door closed and she heard the heavy thud of a lock sliding into place.
“Why didn’t you tell them where the drive was?” She looked over his chest. There were several places where they’d used Tasers on him.
“It’s hard to talk with all that electricity running through me.” Tucker’s eyes closed.
“Damn, what did they do to your feet?” Alfi moved for the first time, getting on his knees to loom over Tucker.
“The feet are actually quite sensitive,” Steph said, examining Tucker’s. More burn marks, though it appeared they’d also used blunt force on his feet.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Tucker managed. “They knew what they were doing. All the pain and not a lot of bloodshed. One of those assholes is extremely good at popping joints in and out of place. My shoulders ache like nothing else. Managed to get most of my toes and fingers, too. Damn, that’s painful.”
It would have been terrible pain. “Why didn’t you just tell them?”
“I know I’m curious about how you found the damn thing,” Alfi added.
Tucker smiled, a weak expression. “I didn’t. I have no idea where it is. Luckily, I knew enough to know what they were looking for. I had to come up with it quickly or they would have left me behind.”
“More than likely they would have killed you.” Steph looked back to Alfi. “I need your shirt. I need to immobilize his arm.”
Tucker groaned and shook his head. “No. Can’t, Doc. I need to be able to fight if I have to. I didn’t come all this way to be a burden when the time comes. It’s back in place. When all this is over, I want some really good pain meds.”
“I sincerely doubt de Vries is going to help you out,” she replied, feeling utterly helpless. She needed to get him sitting up. Ice and compression were called for, but she had absolutely nothing here to work with.
“Ye of little faith.” Tucker took a long breath, his eyes remaining closed. “Let’s make a bet, you and I. If I’m right and we get out of here, you have to go to whatever therapy is going to fix you.”
“Fix me?”
“I wasn’t born yesterday. It was more like a year ago or something, but even I know you’re crazy fucked up inside, Doc.”
“He’s right about that,” Alfi offered helpfully. “You have serious problems.”
She wasn’t sure this was the time or the place to talk about this. “You would have them, too, if you’d done what I did.”
“Nope,” Alfi replied, settling back in. “I’ve been in battles and I’ve killed many men. Don’t bother me at all.”
“I wasn’t a soldier.”
“No, you were a kid in a car and you made a mistake.” Tucker seemed to brace himself. “Again, even I can see that. If I’m right, you get to see a shrink. It’s not bad. I quite like mine, but then she’s pretty hot. Second, if I’m right, you can’t push Brody away anymore. You have to be with him and marry him and all that stuff. Maybe you should even ask him. And do it right. Men need to feel loved, too.”
“How hard did they hit your head?”
His lips curled up briefly and then he rolled over with a long groan. “My brain has been trashed in so many ways, it’s hard to imagine, Doc. But I’m right about this.”
She should probably play along. “All right. We live, I marry Brody, and live happily ever after.”
“And see a shrink.”
She sighed. “And see a shrink.” Like she’d never done that before. “And what do I get if we die?”
He groaned again as he managed to sit up. She had no idea how he was moving. The pain had to be incredible. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out, but I promise, it won’t come to that. We’ll be home in a few hours. I don’t think I like the Ukrainian mob. They’re very unpleasant.”
“I think all mobs are like that. Please let me immobilize that arm for you.” She hated seeing him in pain and worried he was in for a whole lot more of it. De Vries wouldn’t believe him. He would torture Tucker until he died.
“Why did you come with me?” She had to know.
“Might not know who I was, but I know who I want to be,” he whispered.
“How are you sure we’re getting out of this?” No one knew where they were and she’d taken their best bet with her when she’d fled. She’d taken the phone and now Brody had no way to even talk to de Vries.
“I know something you don’t know.” Tucker put his back to the wall. “But it’s best you don’t. Be surprised.”
Alfi was staring at him. “You’re not worried?”
“I’m worried about you,” Tucker admitted. “I’m worried I read you wrong and you’re a bad dude, but someone else will take care of that. I’ve been told I should sometimes let karma handle things. I think Brody will be your karma.”