Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 182641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 913(@200wpm)___ 731(@250wpm)___ 609(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 913(@200wpm)___ 731(@250wpm)___ 609(@300wpm)
“If that’s true, Coco Rocco, then where is Kylo?” Delta whispers.
My blood pressure spikes, my head growing nauseous as her words seep in, but before it can take hold, before I go down the rabbit hole of what-ifs that can’t be ignored, considering the man we sent to watch him disappeared with him and what that means, the oldest Greco steps forward.
“I know where he is.” All eyes snap to Kenex as he hangs his head, dark hair falling into his eyes.
I look to Damiano, he looks to the others, and we settle our glares on the ward. “Take us.”
I’m not sure what we’re about to find when we get wherever we’re about to go, but I hope, for Bastian’s sake, this hasn’t been some elaborate game he’s been playing, that this is all a misunderstanding, though something tells me … it isn’t.
I’d really hate to have to kill him …
Chapter 14
Rocklin
It was not a misunderstanding. Not at all.
Not even a little bit.
In fact, it was a plan, and it had nothing to do with me, though I was the decoy.
The mouse caught in the clutches of a six-foot-something tattooed trap.
It seems the wards were doing worse than causing trouble and wreaking havoc at the manor, as they do best. Before we issued our little warning of no more foul play, they had already gone a little farther south to get their kicks, planning to ease up on us here.
They traveled to a little town two hours away, where boys box for a buck, but they made a mistake in the form of a fitted golden cuff. Of course, as Kenex tells it, that was only the first one, and if anyone knows consequences must be dealt, it’s us.
This is why we tell him to keep his mouth shut, agreeing to watch this play out, and the only reason why we stay hidden, tucked behind giant crates in a busted-down warehouse or junkyard, or whatever you would call a place that looks like it should be demolished and has dirt as a “floor.” Well, that, and it would take all of two seconds for someone to look at us and know we don’t belong, but we have an easy enough time getting in, though I’m not convinced they are trying to keep people out.
Sure, no one really parks out front, and there are a couple of guys who look like they sniff their supply more than sell it hovering around, but the cuts in the metal fence and thick cloth tied along the top don’t do anything to prevent the unwanted from entering.
“This place is … different,” Delta whispers, peering around Ander’s shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of the crowd, and there is one.
No less than five dozen people mingle around, shouting and laughing, marijuana thick in the air and the scent of stale beer not far from where we stand.
A crate rattles to our left and we look to find Bronx has jumped up to use it as a seat, but Damiano shakes his head, gripping her by the hips to lower her back down. “Don’t touch anything, or you’ll likely need a tetanus shot.”
“Relax, Damiano,” she teases. “You need to take your feet off the pearly floors you’re used to once in a while.”
“This is the last place I would choose to be if I did,” he bites back, facing forward and searching the crowd once more.
“Oh, we know, pretty boy.” She crosses her arms, ready with another quick remark, but a loud bullhorn has all of us straightening.
We shuffle backward a bit as the crowd moves in, and finally, we can spot what we have been missing.
There’s a circle in the center, a few barrels with ropes linked to each one to keep people out, and it clicks.
I run a fighting ring close to where I live. I find fighters, take bets, Bastian’s words replay in my head, and I spin around, glaring at Kenex as I curse my father for never being wrong.
“What in the hell did you do?” I seethe.
He huffs, opening his mouth, but then his voice fills the air.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are …”
My muscles lock and I drop my head back. Of course! Of course, he knows we’re here. That I am here.
I sigh, flicking my gaze to my girls as I spin, but before I can face forward, Damiano is in my way.
His chest bumps mine. “You are the one that insisted we ditch Sai back at the house. You’re not walking out in the middle of this crowd. There is no one at the gate. Every person in here could have a weapon!” His expression is tense, angry, but most of all, he’s concerned. “This could be a trap.”
“It isn’t.”
His face grows red. “You don’t know that. You hardly know him.”