Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Do you think I need money?” He holds up his left hand that sports a gold watch. “I’m paid very handsomely by the Bianchi family.”
“Yeah? The money I’ve got is clean. I’ll even let you take Abel here with you. The two of you can take off, start a new life somewhere.”
Carlo furrows his brow. “I don’t think so.”
I’m pretty sure Abel can see Vannah, but so far he hasn’t made that clear. Maybe he’s nearsighted. Or maybe he’s afraid of my gun poking into his head. Just to be sure, I whisper in his ear. “Don’t you fucking say a word, or the last thing you’ll see is your brains hitting the ground with a splat.”
He tenses against me.
Yeah, he sees her. And he’s human. He has a self-preservation instinct. He doesn’t want to die. Not here, and not today.
Vannah has inched forward. She’s almost to the screen door that surrounds the pool.
Sydney’s still in the corner of the yard with her pup. If I could hear over the hot tub, I’m sure I could hear a low growl coming from her.
Stay. Good dog. Stay.
Now my job is to keep Carlo occupied. Keep him talking. Don’t let him turn around for anything.
My guess is they’re supposed to bring Savannah in alive, but I can’t take that chance. And I sure as hell don’t want her going off with the two of them anyway.
“You tell me what you want with her.”
“It’s none of your goddamned business.”
“I’ve got two million in cash in the house. It’s yours. But you have to leave quietly.”
Savannah’s managed to get out the screen door now, closing it lightly behind her.
Damn… The dogs.
So far they’re still sitting quietly. Sydney’s a rescue. She’s probably had to hide and cower in corners to stay safe. She has good instinct. At least I hope she does.
Savannah’s taking silent steps toward Carlo.
“It’s a lot of fucking money, right Abel?” I say.
Abel says nothing. Just nods his head slightly.
“Don’t move again,” I warn. “Next time you do, you’ll meet your maker.”
He goes rigid, and his legs start to give out. But I hold fast to his neck. He’s probably pissing himself, leaking on me.
I’ve had worse on me.
Savannah’s walking toward Carlo, and now I can see. She’s got something in her hand. Something shiny.
I don’t know what the hell it is, but—
“Fuck,” I grit out, as Sydney runs toward her, barking.
4
SAVANNAH
The blond man is about five feet away from me when Sydney barks and races toward me.
He turns, and I have no choice.
I lunge at him, and I plunge the sharp piece of glass into his chest.
He cries out as he falls to the ground with me on top of him.
The gun. Where’s the gun?
Did it fall to the ground? I didn’t hear a sound, but all I can think about is the glass embedded in his chest.
I pull it out and plunge it back in a different spot.
The squish and rip of his tissue, the quick give under the sharp edge of the glass. While humans can overcome so much, our bodies are oddly fragile… I can do significant damage with a piece of broken glass, and wrath nudges my neck.
Wrath…
My absent brother.
My dead brother.
For every other person I’ve lost to people like these two.
This man will pay the price.
I pull the glass out of his chest and drive it into the exposed flesh of his neck.
Blood squirts out—red and viscous—and I inhale the metallic scent of death.
“Vannah, stop!”
But I pull out the glass again, ready to plunge it back into this man’s flesh.
A sliver of recognition flows through me.
I know this man. Blond hair, blue eyes…tall…
I’ve seen him before…
Strong hands grip my shoulders, pull me off.
“Vannah, stop it.”
“No! No! He deserves what he gets!”
“Vannah, please…”
The voice—deep and soothing—resonates with me. Calms me.
Except I don’t want to be calm. I want to take this fucker out. If I take him out, maybe…just maybe…
“Vannah!”
My name is like nails spewing from his mouth. From Falcon’s mouth.
He’s harsh…but he gets through this time.
I swallow as I regard the havoc I’ve wrought. The blood…
“Where’s the other one?” I demand, my voice shaking.
“Unconscious. I clocked him in the head with the pistol. This one’s going to need an ambulance.”
I look down at my right hand. The terrycloth is soaked with blood. Fragments of glass are stuck on the towel, on my fingers, my robe. “What have I done?”
“What you had to do.” He turns me gently to face him. “Why did they want you, Savannah? What the hell have you done?”
I panic then. My breath gets caught in my throat, my skin goes cold. My chest hurts. So tight, my neck is tight too. My throat constricts. I try to swallow, but I can’t.
“Can’t… Can’t…”
“What, Savannah? Tell me.”
“Can’t… Breathe…”
Sydney stands over the blond man… She licks at his wounds, growling.