Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“My partner was checking the regular hiding places where things were often stashed when he came across a surveillance camera in the smoke detector in the living room. We found one in every room. I don’t believe she has a stalker issue here. My guess is that the Murphy family had them put there to either make sure she was safe or because she knows something that she doesn’t realize is important information.” Marlana glanced down at her fingernails, as if inspecting her manicure.
My pulse had become a thumping in my temples. Someone had been watching her. How long had she lived on the edge of fucking danger? Fear crawled up my spine as I thought about the things that could have happened to her.
“I’m assuming she wore shoes and brought a purse with her to your compound place. If so, then the Murphys- or the only one who really matters now, Brady Murphy—know where she is at this very moment. The longer she doesn’t return to her apartment, the more likely you will have the Irish drug lord showing up to rescue his former sister-in-law.”
I could feel the tension coming from Liam without glancing at him. He moved then, and I turned my head to see him jerking his phone out of his pocket, a grim expression on his face. When he pressed the contact on his phone, I knew he was calling Micah without needing to see it.
“Where are you?” he asked gruffly. “Listen carefully. Do exactly as I say. Go get the shoes, purse, clothing, anything that came with Salem and bring them to me at the bar. There are trackers in her shit, Micah.
“The damn Irish mob,” he muttered.
“No, bring it all here. I’m calling Blaise to let him know and see if Levi can deactivate the damn things or if we need to just toss them in the fucking ocean,” he said, then ended the call.
His eyes swung to me. If he was about to tell me that she had to leave the compound, I was going with her. He needed to be prepared for that.
“She needs to go,” he said, which I’d already expected.
I opened my mouth to tell him she wouldn’t be leaving alone, but Marlana spoke first.
“Wrong. Her leaving isn’t going to change the fact that they have your location. In fact, if they show up to get her and she’s gone, it’s possible they’ll start killing until someone tells them where she is. She needs to stay put. They’ve not come for her yet. Wait it out.”
Liam was scowling at her as if this were her fault. “And what? Just sit around like fucking ducks? I don’t want the Irish showing up at our gate.”
“It’s too late for that,” she replied with a shrug. “Besides, you have the Southern Mafia at your disposal. Use them.”
3
Salem
Nina lifted the bottle of beer in her hand to her lips and took a drink as she sat with her legs crossed, leaning back in the lawn chair on the other side of the brick patio from Pepper and me. A cigarette was in her other hand, stuck between two fingers as she draped it over the armrest.
It was perfect weather today. In the high seventies and sunny. After I’d been taught how to make Nina’s biscuits and helped feed the men, we had come out here to enjoy it.
“You’ve evaded the questions all morning,” Nina said, looking pointedly at me. “Two nights in a row, sleeping in Tex’s bed. Inquiring minds want to know.”
“Leave her be.” Pepper spoke up. “If she wanted to talk about it, she would.”
Nina shifted her eyes to Pepper and pouted. “But this is my current TV drama since there isn’t anything but shit on to watch these days. I gotta know what happened in last night’s episode.”
Pepper chuckled. “No, you really don’t.”
Nina sighed. “Fine. But can we talk about Nixie’s red-rimmed eyes and her dramatic entrance into the kitchen this morning? She’d been all ready to lay it on thick for Tex, but he wasn’t even there. The longer she stood around, prepared to do whatever stunt she had planned, the funnier it got.”
I’d noticed that too. I also tried to tell myself that she’d not been there to talk to Rome. Pretending that she didn’t exist was easier, but she did. And he had been in a sexual relationship with her, even if he didn’t put any weight on that. She obviously did, and she was going to fight for him.
This thing with Rome was confusing. The way he held me, kissed me, looked at me, and said things led me to believe I was it for him. When I was with him, it was easier to believe because I got lost in the moment. But when he wasn’t close, confusing me, I could think. And when I thought…it wasn’t so clear.