Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Tired.
He pointed to her phone and then texted. I can take you home so you can sleep.
She looked down and then shook her head and indicated for him to pay attention to what Reese was saying to Ink. Master did so, but reluctantly. Ambrie really needed sleep. For that matter, so did he.
“Yeah, it was Leonard. He did sound stressed though, not himself.”
Master stalked across the room, right up to Reese. “You want out of this mess, you tell me the entire story this time. I listened to you, knew you didn’t touch that woman and she lied her ass off to put you in prison. I believed you got a raw deal, but you still were protecting someone. That’s why Absinthe couldn’t clear you. Isn’t that the truth, Reese?”
Reese hesitated and glanced covertly into the next room. Tyra stood up, abandoning all pretense of entertaining, of pretending she wasn’t listening. She walked to the open door of the den and stopped, and then leaned against the doorjamb to look at her husband. Master could see she was shaking.
Ambrie immediately padded across the room on her bare feet to slip her arm around Tyra. She looked very small beside the taller woman, but she was strong and supportive. Tyra leaned on her.
“You don’t understand,” Reese began.
Master took a step closer. “No, you don’t understand. You called me out in the middle of the night. I got married tonight and I still came. My bride still came with me to help you out. Your wife is still with you. Ink is here supporting you. We’re all here, offering you a way out of this mess, but there’s a risk to us. A big one. I’m willing to take that on for you, but there are no conditions you get to put on me. You tell me everything this time, Reese. I need to know what I’m dealing with. You don’t tell me everything, you go back to prison and they’re going to kill you, just like you said. No one does this elaborate of a setup without the payoff they’re looking for.”
There was a small silence. Tyra let out a little sob and jammed her fist in her mouth. She put her head on Ambrielle’s shoulder. “I won’t stay, Reese. If whoever you’re protecting is worth more to you than Sandree and me, then go ahead and stay silent. I’ll leave tonight.” Her words were muffled, but clear enough that everyone heard and knew she meant it. Just the fact that she was clutching a stranger and crying in front of her, making her line in the sand, was enough.
Reese froze. All color seemed to drain from his skin. His eyes locked on his wife and stayed there, as if somehow he could keep her with him by sheer will alone. Very slowly he stood up, revealing his size. He was a huge man. Tall, over six and a half feet. His shoulders were like ax handles, his arms ropes of defined muscles. His chest was thick with muscles. He shook his head.
“No.” A single word.
Ink moved to one side of him, a subtle motion, barely seen, silent but deadly. Ink didn’t make a single sound, but then he was a real predator. He had muscle moving beneath that frame, not as showy, but it was there, and he was lightning fast when he needed to be.
There was nothing at all subtle about Master. He was deliberate when he stepped in front of the women, blocking Reese’s view of Tyra and Ambrielle. “Don’t even think about threatening her, Reese. She told you what you needed to do. I did as well. Man up. This is your truth moment. You need to know what’s important to you. Is it this life and the people in it you’re with right now, or the ones you’re protecting from your past? That’s what this comes down to.”
“You always act like you’re not afraid of me,” Reese said. “Everyone’s afraid of me.” He glanced at Ink. “You don’t ever act scared either. Just the two of you. Everyone in prison, the guards, the other prisoners, everyone wanted to see me fight, or they ran from me. But you two, you don’t ever act like you’re afraid of anything.”
Master didn’t respond. There wasn’t a need. He didn’t believe in talking. Or fighting, for that matter. If Reese made one move toward the women, he was a dead man. He was an experienced fighter, and he should be able to sum up an opponent with no problem. Master could. He could walk into any bar and with one look around tell his fellow club members who the real rivals would be. Any of the Torpedo Ink crew could do that. He waited.
“I would never hurt Tyra.”
“That’s the thing, Reese. You are hurting Tyra. Look around this room. Your reaction hurt her. The fact that you’re allowing these people or this person to control your life is hurting Tyra.” Master folded his arms across his chest. “If you continue to allow them to use you like a puppet, putting a gun in your hand that most likely killed someone, setting you up to take the fall for a string of robberies, that’s your prerogative, but know you’re hurting Tyra. You’re taking her down with you.”