Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 118780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
My scream brings his head up and my heart stops.
The gorgeous hazel eyes that fill my dreams are black and deadly. His face is savage hatred aimed at the two men in front of him.
One of them holds a rod with metal spikes that explains the gashes.
His eyes come to me. “Why is she bleeding?”
“It’s not mine,” I rush to assure him.
“Told you we didn’t touch her,” Kent crows, walking in a circle around me. “How we proceed is up to you.”
“Let her go,” Ford rages.
“You aren’t in a position to make demands.”
The man with the rod hauls back and strikes Ford.
“Stop! Why are you doing this?”
“Mr. Whitman has some relevant information.”
“Information about what?”
Playing dumb may backfire, but anything to buy some time.
It’s all I can do to keep my face blank as he studies me. The bile returns when he takes a lock of my hair and twirls the strands around his fingers.
“Truly a beautiful woman.”
“Get your fucking hands off her,” Ford roars, struggling against the rope binding him to the beam.
“It’s easy to see why Tera is so jealous.”
“What does Tera have to do with this?”
“Being coy isn’t smart, Miss Ellis.”
He glances over his shoulder and the other man punches Ford, sending his neck wobbling.
“Stop!” I shriek in horror.
“Such a coincidence meeting the sister and friend that night, no?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“The same night Collin Banks was lucky enough to have six women fawning over his every word?”
“No one fawned.”
“And now he’s fucking the mouthy one. I prefer my women more submissive.”
“Like Tera?”
“Tera is child’s play. Flash a few shiny objects her way and drop names, the woman was like putty.”
He releases my hair, moving his fingers to the base of my throat to my necklace. “But you like shiny things, too, don’t you?”
Ford growls, earning him another punch.
“What did she do?” I attempt to keep my voice from cracking.
“Whatever I told her. Why do you think she missed the wedding?”
“She had to work.”
“As a secretary? Don’t be naïve. Tera is far too selfish for hard work. She’s waiting for that opportunity to fall into her lap. It didn’t take much convincing for her to dig into her roommates’ activities. A search that helped my business associates redirect their product.”
I slice my eyes to Ford, who’s no longer struggling but ticking his fingers against each other.
Ford shared about their unsuccessful drug raid a few months ago. But any mention of it will allude to my knowledge of the guys’ involvement.
“Where is Tera?”
“Where she always is. Waiting dutifully for me to come over and fuck her raw.”
The gag makes it halfway up my throat before I gulp it back. “You’re a pig.”
His lips curl into an evil grin. “She will likely agree when she realizes this morning was the last time she’ll see me.”
“Because you’ll be in jail?”
His grip on the necklace tightens and, for a second, I’m afraid he’ll snap it. Instead, he presses it into my skin and thumbs the area.
“What happens next is up to you.”
“How so?”
“Who is your fiancé working for?”
I don’t blink twice at the term fiancé. This man obviously knows his shit.
“Metro Nashville Police Department.”
“Wrong answer.”
The goon slices the spiked rod against Ford’s chest this time, slicing through the ink.
“Mr. Powers is enjoying the bliss of new fatherhood while Mr. Kingston is doting over his newly pregnant wife. It would be a shame to pull them away.”
This time, I can’t hide my shock and draw in a quick breath.
Harley’s pregnant?
One glimpse at Ford tells me he knows.
His white teeth are covered in red as he hisses at Kent.
But wait, if they’re at home, do they know we’ve been taken? Talon said the guys would be here soon. Could he be mistaken?
“Rowan.”
The one word from Ford answers my question.
“Ford works for MNPD,” I repeat, squaring my shoulders.
The strike comes out of nowhere, my head belting to the side.
An animalistic roar comes from Ford as he curls up and catches the man with the rod around the neck with his thighs. The man is too shocked to stop it. A sickening crack zings in the air before he slumps and falls to the floor. The other guy makes a move to the sofa where a black object sticks out from the cushions.
I dive at the same time, getting to the gun first.
He hovers over me with a sneer.
Earlier today, I was paralyzed with fear, but now I’m fighting for the man who owns my heart and his friend who I love dearly.
I clip the safety and pull the trigger.
He jumps out of the way. “You fucking bitch!”
He lunges again, this time my aim hitting him in the stomach, and he bowls over screaming.
Another man enters the room holding up a weapon and taking in the scene.
“Not smart.”
We both swing to Kent, who is holding a knife to Ford’s throat.