Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 114551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
The loud gunshot echoes through the street, and I scream as Dalton goes down, terror pounding through my veins. “NO,” I wail, my knees buckling under me, and all I can do is watch as my father strides up to him, not knowing if Dalton is alive or dead.
He grabs Dalton’s heavy body and hauls him over his shoulder before striding back to his Escalade and ceremoniously dumping him in the trunk. Then just like that, my father walks back to the driver’s door, and just before sliding in and hightailing it out of here, he looks up to the sky, his familiar gaze locking right on mine.
A smirk plays on his lips as he salutes me, and with that, he finally gets in his Escalade and races away, and all I can do is stare at him, his taillights quickly disappearing into the busy city below.
“FUCK,” Easton roars, quickly pacing the balcony as my head spins, and Zade finally releases his death grip on my elbow.
“We have to do something,” I demand, unable to wrap my head around why the fuck we aren’t making a move.
“I told you,” Zade snaps, frustration thick in his tone. “It’s a fucking trap. He took Dalton to lure you out. We have to play this smart. We can’t just go racing in and hope like fuck we make it out alive.”
“The hell we can't,” I say, shoving his chest. “This is Dalton we’re talking about. He’d do it for you.”
“Trust me, that isn’t fucking lost on me,” Zade says, turning back to face the street and gripping the railing, his knuckles turning white, clearly deep in thought and trying to think this through rationally, something I’m clearly not capable of right now.
A moment passes before Zade turns back and looks over both Sawyer and Easton, his face scrunching, not liking whatever he’s about to say. He focuses on Easton, his gaze quickly flashing down to his broken rib. “You stay here with Oakley,” he orders before glancing at Sawyer. “You good to go?”
Sawyer nods as I shake my head, not down with this plan at all. “You want to split up?” I question, horrified by the very thought as I gape at Zade. “Haven’t you learned that bad shit happens when we’re not all together? Besides, I know my father. He’s a manipulative bastard. I know going after Dalton is a trap, but my father has been ten steps ahead of us this whole time. We’re too close to the finish line and he knows you’re not about to put me at risk now. He’ll anticipate that you’ll leave me behind, and when you do, it’s the perfect time to strike.”
“FUCK,” Zade grunts, knowing I’m right.
Sawyer lets out a heavy breath. “She’s right, man. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
I nod, holding Zade’s stare, my heart pounding faster than ever before. “What’s it going to be?”
Zade glances at Easton, his jaw clenched, clearly not liking this plan, but what other choice do we have? We’ve already proved time and time again that we’re better working as a team. If Zade and Sawyer left me here, they wouldn’t be focused, they’d be wondering if I was right, if they’d just let me walk straight into another one of my father’s traps. “How’s your rib holding up? Are you good for this?”
“I’m fucking ready,” Easton declares, fire burning in his eyes.
And with that, Zade nods, grabbing my arm once again before racing back inside, more determined than ever to prove to Matthias Quinn that we can’t be fucked with.
Chapter 23
DALTON
Wow. The fucker isn’t even trying to hide the fact that this is a trap.
I hang in the same underground compound that Cross and Oakley were held captive in barely twenty-four hours ago, in the same fucking room, held up by the same fucking chains. Unimaginative if you ask me.
The only problem is that Zade is backed into a corner. He’s not about to turn his back on me and allow Matthias to slaughter me. He’s coming, and logic would have him leaving Oakley back at the penthouse with Cross. The only problem there is that it leaves them vulnerable.
Zade has no choice but to bring Oakley here with him, and when he does, they’ll be ambushed. Matthias Quinn is a cunt like that. At least, I can assume he is judging by the bullshit salute he sent Oakley out on the street.
I could hear her tormented scream all the way up on Zade’s balcony, and I fucking hate that she had to witness that, but hell, what’s a simple gunshot wound after a nice evening ride? It’s nothing I haven’t had to suffer through before, and I’m sure as fuck it’ll happen a million times more, assuming Zade gets here before these bastards decide to take me out. Though I know he will, risks and all. That’s just who Zade is.