Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“Impossible,” Sunny said. “I told you. River will fuck me over just because he can. Just because it’s me asking.”
“So, don’t ask.” Sienna grinned at me. “Kenzie will. River will do it if it comes from her. Fucking over Kenzie will not help him achieve his ultimate goal of getting in her pants. You can always rely on River to put his own interests first.”
“Sienna!” I hissed. “I keep telling you it’s not like that. We’re friends.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever. I’m telling you, River and his crew are our best bet. It’s worth a try.” Sienna rubbed her temple, forehead wrinkling. “I feel something coming. I don’t know what or when yet, but he’s frustrated. He didn’t get Liam. Genny moved out of her place, and now he knows Sunny’s alive. He will strike again—soon.”
“But you don’t know who he is,” Liam said. “Not even if it’s Grant.”
“I only have a name. I’d have to meet Grant. Read his energy and get a sense of if it matches the darkness I’m feeling.”
“More reason to track this guy down,” I said. “Listen, I’ll ask River if it’ll bring us any closer to catching this guy. My sister is right about one thing—the attacker just found out that every attempt to hurt the Merchants has failed. That’s when you get frustrated, and when you’re frustrated, you’re reckless.”
Sunny shrugged. “Beg a favor off the King if you want. Since I know this one will come with a price tag, make him agree to conditions.”
With Sunny’s green light, Sienna and I didn’t waste a minute. We changed into sneakers, jeans, and simple tees. Our luck had changed, and we’d be a pair of assholes to rub our old friends’ noses in it.
Sienna flagged down a cab in front of the Fairfield and gave directions to the empty warehouse by the North Quay docks. Marty popped out of nowhere as we stepped out. He always did that back in the day when we lived with River’s people. Watching, waiting, listening. I should’ve put together that he was more than paranoid. Marty was River’s second.
“What’s this? Come back to visit your lowly chums.”
“Came back to do this.” I kissed his cheek. “And yeah, if we could talk to River, that’d be cool too.”
He laughed. “River floats. No pun intended. He’s in Waterford today, recruiting. Should be back before lunch. You hanging around?”
“How about lunch on us?”
“How about yes.”
“We’ll grab Cugino’s. Breadsticks, pasta, salad.”
“Sweetie, quit at yes. You’ve got my mouth watering over here. I’ll send Mellow and Nathan to help you. We’ve got twenty-four.”
Twenty-four. Twenty-four people taking shelter in the warehouse. Twenty-four mouths to feed.
“Did people leave?” I asked. “The crew cracked fifty when we were with you guys.”
“Nah. I meant there are twenty-four in this warehouse,” he said, pointing to the run-down building behind him. “There are more filling up the next three over.”
“Okay, then ask Stevie, Lennon, Ameer, Yosef, and Bruno to come too. We’ll need more hands.”
The hostess fell over herself hearing the large order we placed. We kicked back for an hour and a half, catching up while they cooked and boxed everything. By the time we returned and passed out the food, River came back with a young boy and girl trailing behind him, making themselves as small as possible in their ratty sneakers and torn, dirty clothes.
“Guys, this is Jamie and Annabelle,” he announced. “Say hi.”
“Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“Good to meet you.”
“Over here,” Millie called. “We’ve got extra clothes and sleeping bags. Help yourself.”
“Looks like we’ve got Italian too,” said River. “My sugar mama comes through.”
Sienna waggled her brows at me from over her mushroom risotto. “Sugar mama.”
I pointedly turned my back on her. Taking River’s hand, I tugged him outside.
“Come to deliver the good news?” River posted up against the wall, arms folded.
“What news?”
“Sole Bellisario has risen from the dead.”
“Is there anything you don’t know?”
“I don’t know where you want to go to dinner this Friday.”
I bit my lip. “About dinner.”
“You changed your mind. Sunny poisoned you against me already.”
“No. I was going to ask if we could make it the three of us. You, me, and Laurel. She’s cooped up inside all the time. Plus, this is a great chance for you to meet her.”
“I’d love to meet her. Let’s make it ten o’clock. We’ll have brunch in the park.”
“Perfect.”
I bumped against his arms till he let me in. River encircled me, resting his chin on my crown. I couldn’t stop myself. I loved his hugs. Loved how warm and safe they made me feel. “Since you brought it up, if Sunny did poison me against you, you’d have yourself to blame since you let Bane and Sunny give me their version of events instead of explaining yourself.”
“Did they tell you I was a double-dealing liar who sabotaged them every chance I get because of a grudge stretching back to our folks?”