Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
“Prez.” The dude who tied me up steps closer. “We should fuckin’ leave.”
Hobs grips me harder.
The asshole’s angry now.
“We aren’t going anywhere until we have Tony.”
“Prez, these are the Hunter brothers.” It takes a moment to register in Hobs’s brain, but when it does, he loosens his grip on me, but not enough to let me go.
I hear a car door and know who it is.
Kyson looks to his brothers and says, “Please go to the basement, grab my guest, and bring him out here.” They both walk past us inside. “I’d suggest you let her go. I’m already furious you have the audacity to hurt something that’s mine.”
Hobs’s breathing seems to change, and his grip loosens even more, but he still doesn’t let me go. The jerk, the man he came with, on the other hand, looks around nervously, eyes scattering everywhere. He licks his lips as he looks to Hobs then to me and shakes his head before he turns, walks quickly to the car, and drives off, leaving Hobs standing there with no backup.
“Where are you hurt?” Kyson asks me.
I hold back the tears. “My leg. Where he shot me hurts the worst,” I tell him. His nostrils flare at my words. “But the punches took the breath right out of me.” I feel Hobs tense behind me.
“You hit her? Shot her?” Kyson snarls, his face a mask of fury. “Why the fuck would you shoot her?”
Before Hobs can answer, I hear his screaming.
“You!” he seethes. And when I turn my head, I see my husband’s eyes locked on me. “All of this is because of you.” He is limping, and I look back to Kyson.
How long has he had him?
And was he in the house the whole time?
“He’s only been here for a couple of days. Don’t worry, love,” Kyson says as if he can read my thoughts.
“You’re fucking him, you slut!” Tony screams at me. “Cut the bitch, Hobs. Remind her who her husband is.”
Hobs does nothing, his arms still around me, but his grip is much looser. “If I release her, you can have him, and I will leave.” Hob’s tries to bargain. “We didn’t know. I didn’t know,” he repeats.
“What are you talking about? Cut the fucking bitch!” Tony yells.
Zuko and Kenzo seem to be bored with the situation, holding Tony between them as if it’s nothing.
“If he doesn’t shut up, I will kill him,” Kenzo says, loud enough for all of us to hear.
“Shut up, Tony. You’ve already fucked everything up,” Hobs says and looks back to Kyson.
“Do we have a deal?”
“That I can have them both?” Kyson asks.
Hobs nods.
And I know without even saying anything what a mistake that is. He steps back, hands dropping away from me.
“They are the Hunters, Tony. You’re on your own with them.” Hobs no longer has a car, so he turns and runs. I watch as Kyson looks back at Kenzo, who pulls out his gun.
“Just the leg,” Kyson instructs, and Kenzo shoots. He doesn’t even need to aim, and I am floored when he hits the intended target exactly where he needs to.
I watch as Hobs falls to the ground.
Kyson rushes over to me and kisses the top of my head. “I’m sorry, love. So sorry.” He stalks past me and makes his way to Hobs, but he stops on the way, leans down, and closes Nancy’s eyes, softly touching her before he gets back up and keeps walking.
Hobs tries to plead with him, but Kyson shuts him up with a few words. “I can have them, you are correct…” Kyson pauses. “But you hurt what’s mine and killed a friend.” He leans down and kisses the top of Hobs’s head, stands tall, and smiles at him. “Goodnight.” And then his foot lifts, and he brings it down, hard, stomping on Hobs’s head. I look away as the sounds echo through the night, my body tensing and hurting with each stomp.
“Kalilah,” Kenzo says as I fall to the ground, unable to stand any longer, and pass out…cold.
Twenty-Three
Kyson
Dammit!
I didn’t expect to have Kalilah break on me again, but here she is.
Passed out as I fix her leg.
My brothers took the husband back down to the basement as I carried her inside.
“What do you want us to do about Nancy?” Kenzo asks as he stands in the doorway.
Zuko walks in and studies Kalilah.
“Check her stomach,” he says, not making a move to touch her. I lift her shirt and see bruises already starting to form on her torso. Fuck! This woman has taken so many beatings I’m amazed at her strength and veracity. Does she realize how strong she actually is? Not only physically but mentally as well. Her husband is no prize and was lucky to have her, but he never treated Kalilah with the respect she deserves.