Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“No,” I grunt.
I know what he’s going to ask. I know exactly where his head went the second I mentioned Molly being drugged.
There are aspects of our business, of my father’s business specifically that he’s never been happy with. He was silenced years ago and has bided his time, but he’s not going to go uncensored again. Not after what happened to my sister.
“Are you going to tell me it’s a process, and that shutting down an operation this size is going to take time?”
“No.”
“Has it already been taken care of?”
“For the most part.”
“Can you give me a little more information?” He’s agitated but questioning how I’ll react once our business has hurt someone so close to me is infuriating.
“Give me a minute,” I hiss as I lift my coffee to my lips.
He waits in silence as I finish my coffee and calm down. He’s right. I am on edge, and although I’ve never once regretted stringing someone up by their fucking neck before, something low in my gut tells me that Briar swinging from the end of my rope might cause me some mild discomfort in the end.
“This should be discussed in church,” I begin, feeling exhausted just looking at the back of the clubhouse, “But I don’t fucking feel like walking over there.”
He doesn’t respond, well aware that any interruption will only leave him waiting longer.
I hate that my cup is empty, but I won’t risk licking the rim of the cup in front of my VP.
“All shipments of GHB and ROH have been canceled. After Smalls collected the information in Andover, he made the rounds and collected the remaining supplies.”
“To be stashed somewhere until the sting wears off?” he interrupts.
“My position is quickly changing on whether or not to walk your ass to the basement. A few minutes ago I didn’t because I’m fucking tired, but I seem to be gaining energy each and every damn time you open your fucking mouth.” I turn my head to glower at him.
Faith in my friend grows exponentially when his hard eyes don’t change, and in the determination, I also sense the accusation. The idea that some of our very own dope could’ve ended up in Molly’s system, compromising her safety, has weighed heavily on me for the last two weeks. I’m sick with the idea of it all, nearly debilitated at turning a blind eye to the fact that our products have been used to help sexually assault women for years. I’m so fucking hypocritical in my vow to never physically hurt a woman. Knowing I’ve let others hurt them by proxy is almost enough to wrap the fucking rope around my own goddamned neck.
But, I’m so fucking tired. Too tired to do even that.
Briar was the only one who stood up to my father when one of his original crew members recommended switching from liquid GHB to Rohypnol capsules. It was the same day he saw my father lift his gun and shoot me without another word. After what happened with Molly, I know he’s not willing to back down again.
“The drugs have been buried in the Chasm. It’s the best we can do right now. I don’t trust anyone else to destroy them, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s the only thing that can be done.”
“And the molly?”
I wince when he mentions the ecstasy, knowing that my fucked-up father thought it would be damned hilarious to name his daughter after the drug that put Ravens Ruin on the distribution map.
“I don’t know many women purposely taking roofies to get gang raped. Most women interested in the group thing, I feel, want to be awake when it happens. Molly is taken to stay up and party. I don’t think it’s on the same playing field.”
He nods, expecting my answer.
“So it’s all off the streets?”
I frown. “We’re planning a trip back to Syracuse tomorrow. The house there didn’t hand over all of their product like they were instructed. When the guys stopped by last week, they didn’t know that Smalls had already been through there to confiscate the GHB and ROH.”
“That’s why you looked irritated when Chains mentioned them in church last night.” I nod. “And Smalls actually told you all of this.”
I smile because he knows better. Smalls rarely ever fucking talks. “He sent it in an encrypted email that was harder to read than a fucking encoded kite in prison.”
“Wouldn’t know,” he says standing with a quick tap to my back. “I’ve never been to prison.”
“Keep it that way.” He looks back over his shoulder at me. “Dead is dead. Remember that when you get to Andover. We need you here, not serving life in Cedar Junction.”
Chapter 18
Candi
Leaning in closer, I press a finger to the bags under my eyes. Even in the perfect light in Molly’s bedroom, I can see dark circles under my eyes. I can’t blame the shadows on low lighting.