Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
“Wouldn’t trust any cops,” Beck muttered.
I snorted. “Cops and us don’t really get along anyway,” I explained. We did our best to avoid them at all costs. Most were shady, in our experience. “We handle our own shit. Law enforcement and government officials won’t be brought into it, especially since these rings usually have influential people involved.”
The one I’d been involved in sure as fuck had. With the number of federal agents involved in keeping it running, it was a miracle law enforcement had been able to dismantle it.
Beck’s lips twisted into a sneer before I moved behind him and began untying his arms. “I wasn’t high enough in the guard ranks to know who came and went,” he explained, “but I knew anyone who came was wealthy. I know expensive suits and jewelry when I see them.”
I moved back in front of him and held my hand out. He eyed it for a moment before placing his hand in mine so I could pull him up from the chair. My heart skipped a beat in my chest and tingles rushed up my arm and into my chest at his touch. His palms were calloused from years of playing hockey, and his grip was strong despite his smaller frame. I really liked the way his hand felt in mine, and I wasn’t sure what to do with that information. So, I just pushed it to the back of my head to deal with later… much later.
“Don’t try to run off,” I warned him, dropping his hand once he was on his feet. “You won’t get far, and it’ll only get you tossed right back into this basement.”
He sighed. “You promise she’s going to be protected?”
“Swear on my life,” I assured him. “You both are under the protection of the Mexican Cartel, Sons of Hell MC, and Fathers of Mayhem MC. Nothing will happen to either of you.”
His eyes were practically bugging out of his head. “That’s where we are?” he choked out.
I nodded, arching a brow at him. “Is that a problem?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Everyone knows…” He shook his head. “You know what? Never mind. Everything I heard, I heard through rumors. You guys have proven to be different, and I’m going to choose to forget everything I heard before and make my own judgments.”
I hummed and turned on my heel, heading for the stairs. “Smart man.”
He just snorted, his steps barely audible as he followed me up the stairs. “I try.”
After Beck guzzled down an entire bottle of water, I handed him another and then began to lead him up the stairs. I knew I didn’t have much time to get a bag together for myself, and I needed to get a move on. I also needed to get some cash out of my safe to use down in Mexico. Once we left here, anything that could be used to track me, Clarke, and Beck had to go. Which meant no credit or debit cards.
We had to fall off the grid—like we ceased to exist. It was the only way to keep them safe. If I couldn’t be tracked, then they couldn’t either. Sure, two and two could easily be put together to figure out that I was with them—protecting them—but if they didn’t know where to find me, then I would have nothing to worry about.
When I pushed open the door to my apartment upstairs, Clarke was curled under the blankets in bed, her eyes closed. Beck followed me in, and the moment he laid his eyes on her, he reverently whispered her name in a way that felt too intimate to witness, toed off his shoes, and padded across the room to curl up in bed with her. Her eyes slowly slid open, and they widened at the sight of him.
“Beck?” she croaked.
“Hey, sweet girl,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’m here. We’re safe.”
She immediately burst into tears. Burrowing her face against his chest, she clung to him, sobbing and crying. She was a mess, but Beck just held her, whispering words to her so softly, I couldn’t make them out. But somehow, I knew they were everything she needed to hear.
They made a beautiful image together. She was so much smaller than him—so malnourished. Young. And despite him not being a huge guy, it was clear he was a protector.
Her protector.
Turning away to give them their privacy, I headed into my closet, grabbing my rolled-up duffel bag from the top of my closet. I spent the next few minutes in my small closet, rolling my clothes up and stuffing them into the small duffel bag. When that was done, I grabbed a pair of sweatpants and one of my t-shirts before heading back into the room.
Clarke was back asleep, her eyes a little puffy and swollen, but she finally looked peaceful, safely curled up in Beck’s arms. Beck’s eyes were closed as well, but they instantly opened when he heard me come back into the room.