Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
His broad shoulders sag. “Let it go, Mini-mi.”
Seeing him like this breaks my heart. “I can’t.”
His sigh is thick with frustration. “It's not safe. There are powerful people who rely on the system being what it is. We’re just cogs in their machine. I’m… I’m fine. I keep my nose down and everyone knows better than to give me shit. Finish school, get a job and make a life for yourself. Don't go digging into things that aren't going to stand the light of day. Not all of the dangerous people are in here with me. There are a lot more outside.”
“I’m not scared. What happened to you isn’t right, and you probably aren’t the only one.”
“No fucking shit.” He grips the armrests on his chair so hard his knuckles are chalk white. “I know you want to save me, and I love you for it, but please. Just let me be in here, and don’t visit again. I can’t be the person I need to be to survive here and your brother at the same time.”
“Okay,” I lie.
He growls in annoyance. “You are such a brat. Why do you think you, a fucking college kid, can break open something that nobody else has tackled? Think about it.”
He sounds so defeatist, but as dangerous as he thinks being out here might be for me, it's nothing compared to the danger he's in. If he even comes out alive at the end of it, what kind of man will he be? What kind of man is he now?
No, I can't sit back and live my life while he rots in here. I’m better at digging than Danny thinks. Is it dangerous? Maybe. But it's worth it to get him back out. I'm going to blow this thing right open, and it'll be Danny's freedom, my thesis, my first real scoop and hopefully justice for everyone else who has been caught up in whatever is going on.
“You aren’t going to change your mind, are you?”
“Would you believe me if I said yes?”
He leans back to look up at the concrete ceiling, then chuckles. “No. I never could tell you what to do. I love you, Mila, and despite everything I'm really glad to see you. But kiddo? Don’t come back. I meant it. The Danny you knew died years ago, I’m just the asshole he left behind.” He gestures at himself with a tight-lipped smile. “Please, if you're going to keep looking into this, please, please, fucking please promise me that you're not going to take any stupid risks.”
Stupid is a very subjective thing. It makes it easy to honestly tell him, “I won't. I promise.”
Frustration at not being able to do anything is written in every line of his face, but he nods. “I'm going to hold you to that. When I finally get out of here, I’ll dig you up and kick your ass if you get killed.”
“Enough melodrama. Jeez.” I laugh, and after a moment, he joins in.
Apparently the guard thinks it looks like we're having too much fun, because that's the moment he chooses to step in and pat Danny on the shoulder. “Time's up,” he barks.
“Fine, Jesus, keep your pants on.” Danny turns to me, putting his hand on the plexiglass. I put mine on the opposite side of his, pretending I can feel it. It's been six years since the last time I saw him, and I can't even give him a hug. There's nothing I won't do to get my brother out of here. “Remember your promise, Mini-mi. Okay? Don’t take unnecessary risks.”
I nod, not trusting my voice not to break. He understands. He always did. There are some things that don't change. One more long look, then he hangs up and allows the beefy guard to guide him out of there. I watch until the door shuts behind him with a slam I can feel even through the plexiglass.
Once I'm outside, I turn my phone back on and it dings like ten times. What's going on? Who's trying to get hold of me?
I tap the notification that tells me that I've got new messages, and find a friend request and a message from an account called FixerUppers.
Oh no.
Saw you liked our little video. Had you known you were gonna run off on us, we would've gotten up earlier to give you a good sending off.
I bet they would've. That was part of the reason I got out of there. I'm not sure I would have made it home the next day, or even the day after that if I’d let my ovaries make the decision for me.
It's followed by a whole series of closeups of flexed muscles and hard abs. You know where we are. Come by anytime if you want to play with our hammers.