Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“You made it official. I’d been gone long before that. You actually think I’d tie my future with a measly hairdresser who fucks like a dead fish?”
Her already pale complexion loses all coloring, and my mouth moves on its own accord.
“Anyone taking you would have to play some kind of role.”
His gaze is pure evil when it slices my way.
Dammit, stop goading the madman with a gun. Major’s voice fills my head.
Thankfully, our stare-down is short-lived when his phone rings from another room. He scowls at me for another second before stalking away.
I tug and twist with all my strength, biting my tongue to keep from crying out when the friction tears through my skin.
Think, Jewls.
“How ya doing, sweetie?”
“My head is pounding and I think he cracked another rib.”
FUCKER! I want to scream until my throat is raw. I reel it in, focusing on Rowan.
“Do you know where we are?”
“No idea. He blindfolded me after we left my house.”
“We were at your house?”
“He thought the jewelry was still there.”
We’re in a large room with an open floor plan. The living and dining space has a direct view of the kitchen. It’s modern, meticulously cleaned, and perfectly staged to resemble the pictures inside a sales brochure.
“This place is so sterile, it’s creepy.”
“Could it be Craig’s new place?”
“Never. He’s a pig. Doesn’t know the meaning of clean.”
His agitated voice rises from the other room.
“Can you move?”
“Yes, he didn’t tie my feet. He knew I wouldn’t leave you.”
“Do you have the money?”
“I do. It’s in a trust from my grandparents.”
“Play along, Rowan. Do what he asks, but tell him the money has to be transferred in smaller increments. The guys will watch your finances. It’s not much, but it’s a breadcrumb, and they have worked with less.”
“Okay.”
“I’m close to getting one hand free. Once I can get both, we’ll team up to take him down. If I can get his gun, I won’t hesitate to shoot.”
“I kinda hope you give that pleasure to me.”
My lips twitch. It’s a slight relief, but she’s not totally hollow.
“We may not get the honor. By this point, my brothers are likely in the know, which means my family is here. All of them are card-carrying members of the NRA and believe in their own form of justice.”
“My dad, too.”
“Craig will be lucky if he gets taken out by us.”
A little giggle escapes, and she grimaces, rubbing her ribcage.
I cannot wait to get my shot at this black-hearted asshole.
He stomps back into the room, placing a laptop on the coffee table.
“Get me into your account,” he demands.
She moves awkwardly, her lips in a tight line now that she’s fully sitting. “I have to break it into separate transfers.”
“Bullshit.”
“Craig, the money isn’t in a savings account. It’s in a trust. The stipulations on the account don’t allow for over twenty-five thousand at a time. You’re in finance. You should know this.”
I don’t have any idea if this is true, but she’s convincing.
“Move twenty-five to this account first.” He calls out a series of numbers while she types. I repeat the numbers over and over in my head, hoping they stick. When this is over, Rowan is getting her money back.
“What’s taking so long?”
She waves her tied hands in the air, glaring at him like the idiot he is.
“Now we wait,” she announces calmly a minute later.
“How long?”
“I don’t have a timeline, seeing as I’ve never sent twenty-five thousand dollars at one time.”
The evil craze in his gaze flickers with admiration. “Don’t remember you having this much attitude.”
“That’s because someone temporarily transformed me into a Stepford clone.”
“I like it. Maybe if you would have served up this sass, I wouldn’t have had to find it else wear.”
Two things are evident.
First, if this narcissistic asshole thinks that was serving up sass, he’s truly an idiot.
Second, this is the second time he’s mentioned being a cheating douchebag. Rowan totally deserves to shoot him.
“Seeing as we have time, I’m bored. You may be a shitty fuck, but that can be overlooked, considering the circumstances.” He hauls her to her feet, shoving her in the direction of the room behind me.
The way he studies her sends an icy chill up my spine and skittering along my skin.
Oh my God—he’s going to… I can’t let him get her back there. If he violates Rowan, she may never recover.
Thinking fast, I jet my leg out as he passes, causing him to lose his footing. Unfortunately, he twists violently, his elbow jabbing into my collarbone and the butt of the gun slamming into my temple.
“You stupid cunt!” he shouts, his face a kaleidoscope of spots.
“Rowan, don’t do it! Whatever he asks, don’t do it!”
Soft hands brush over my shoulder, squeezing gently. “It’s okay, Jewls. You get the chance, take it.”
The resignation in her voice splinters my heart, knowing she’s giving up. She’ll do what he asks to give me time to get free. I struggle with everything in me, one of the zip ties snapping, but the pain in my head radiates, draining my strength.