Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 70574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Please, Mr. Wallace, hear me out before making any decisions. I have a business proposal for you both.” Before I could tell him what to do with his proposal, he continued talking. “I’ll be the first to admit that perhaps I haven’t handled things the proper American way. That’s my mistake, and I’m willing to make the ultimate sacrifice if you can forgive it. It’s just that,” he took a deep, nervous breath, “I’m in desperate need of something that only Ari has…or may have.”
“Again, fuck you.”
Focused on my three adversaries, I didn’t notice that Ari had moved from the safe spot behind me. One minute he was safe and the next he was standing next to me, glaring at the three men like they really were nothing more than bullies, instead of Russian mafia like I feared they were.
“What in the hell could you possibly want from me?” Ari snapped. “Better yet, what in the hell could you possibly want from me that you couldn’t have picked up a phone, dropped a letter in the mail, or sent an email for—instead of trying to have me kidnapped?”
“Get behind me, angel,” I ordered.
At the same time I spoke, the man said, “You are so much like him—the beauty and the fire.” He smiled. “His eyes are closer to blue than green, but your features are identical. Seeing you makes me happy and saddens me at the same time. It’s a strange combination and I’m not sure how to handle my feelings.” He laughed sadly. “I’ve been like that so much lately. I’ve lived my life having everything a person could possibly want. Money, I thought, could buy you happiness. I’ve found out the hard way that it isn’t so. All the money in the world is useless if you can’t protect the ones you love.”
And now we were in the twilight zone. What. The. Fuck?
“Who are we talking about?” I demanded. “Stop talking in fucking riddles. Tell us what you’re after and get the hell out of here.”
“Your brother, Ari. You look like your brother.”
“Brother?” Ari and I asked at the same time.
“I don’t have a brother,” Ari countered. “That’s absolutely ridiculous. My father would have told me. If my mother had another child…it has nothing to do with me. I never met her and I don’t care to meet her now. End of story.”
The man’s eyes turned an icy gray. “It isn’t the end of the story, Arizona. It can’t be. You not only have a brother, but he’s your twin…and he’ll die soon if you don’t agree to a bone marrow transplant for him. It’s his last hope. I can give you more money than your heart could ever desire. Name your price. Anything.”
The End