Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“I also wouldn’t risk prison for a client,” Rafael said. “A bomb in your car and stealing an EpiPen could’ve killed you. Whoever is behind this more than hates you guys. Sounds like they want you dead, and they’re happy for you to suffer on the way to your grave.”
“See,” Giovanni hissed, shoving Wesley’s arm. “I told you this threat is real. We’ve got to do something now.”
“What have you done already?” Rafael asked.
“I’ve hired—”
The final figure spoke for the first time. “We’ve answered enough questions, Dumont.” Owen stepped forward as I chanced another peek. “Why don’t you answer some? You know, just so we’re sure we can trust you.”
Rafael flapped a hand. “Go on.”
“What’s up with you and Sinclair?” My jaw clenched. “You beat the shit out of me and Levi for her. We’ve all seen you and your boyfriends walking her to and from campus, and I heard she’s living with you too.”
“You have and she is,” Rafael replied without skipping a beat. “I normally don’t give out this information, but it’s not really a secret since everyone’s seen us with her. Her stepfather hired us to watch her back. You didn’t think they’d let their youngest daughter walk around this campus unprotected after what happened to Winter, did you? There it is again,” he breezed, “those small brains.”
“How do we know Bowden didn’t pay you to attack us too?” he flung. “We all know what your dad does for money. Why wouldn’t you risk prison for some cash?”
“Because what the hell would Jack Bowden want with Wesley and Giovanni? You two women-assaulting fucks I understand,” Rafael said, waving at Levi and Owen. “What about you two? Is there something I should know? Did you do something to his stepdaughters—”
“I don’t speak to the other one,” Giovanni cut in. “And the guy wouldn’t blow up my fucking car because I broke up with Winter. Especially when your car is sitting shiny and new in the student parking lot, Thompkins, and what you did to her was ten times worse!”
“Shut up!” Levi bellowed.
“No, you shut up!” Giovanni shoved him. “There isn’t anything in that head if you think Jack Bowden is behind the lists. The first fucking one said his stepdaughter munches pussy, cheated on the SATs, and slept with the dean. If anyone believes it, she’s fucked too. Why would he do that?”
Yes, you pretty, empty-headed fool. Argue in defense of the people who want you ruined.
“Exactly,” Giovanni said to their silence. “But if you’re so worried, Dumont will give us a name and after we prove they’re behind the attacks, we’ll pay him.”
“Actually,” Rafael said, “you’ll pay me half up front with the promise I’ll have a name for you in a week or less. When you have your guy, I’ll take the rest.”
“Thirty percent up front,” Owen countered, ever the vicious businessman’s son. “And how can you promise it’ll only take a week?”
“Because the guy’s been smart, but he’s made a few mistakes that’ll give him away. He blew up your car, Natale, and the sale of explosives can be tracked—even underground sales. He hacked your accounts and set up an automatic withdrawal, likely into his own account. Wilder will trace the virus back to its source. Last, and most importantly, those lists had to be printed up and delivered. A security camera can tell you a lot about someone even if they’re hiding their face.”
I nodded along. Damn, he’s good at this.
“Now that you’ve told us that, we can have our own security track him down,” Levi said. “Why do we need you and the freaks?”
“If your security was up to the task, you wouldn’t be here. Also, it’s now sixty percent up front, and if you insult me and my boys again, Thompkins, I’ll find this guy and lend him my services. Don’t think I forgot that we were number three on your list, so they’re not all lies, are they?” The guys squared up. “Maybe a few other things on those lists are true.”
“They’re not.” Giovanni got between them. “Levi, shut the fuck up, and I’m not telling you again. Dumont, you’re hired. How much?”
I slipped away as they haggled, ducking out the door and melding into the shadows. I told Rafael this was the perfect recipe. Do everything right and their destruction is served up steaming hot on a platter.
Of course those fools didn’t think Jack had a reason to go after all of them. They didn’t know Winter left me a note naming every horrible thing they did to her. They didn’t know she left notes at all.
The letter my mother received said everything about how much Winter loved her and was sorry for what she had to do, but mine said it all—telling the whole tragic story of the five men who drove her over the edge.