Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
I draw back and spit right in his face.
He remains unmoved.
Glacial stone.
If I hoped to catch him off guard and run or something, my hopes are dashed.
“Feeling better now?” Xavier snarls. “Do it again, if you’d like. I won’t deny a woman her dying wish.”
I take half a second to catch my breath and look around.
It’s bleak, almost desolate here.
A broad concrete loading dock with a couple piers spearing out into the flat black expanse of ocean, the rocky gravel beach stretching to either side, a lonely lane sloping up to the empty highway.
The Jacobins’ trucks are lined up along the dock, and there’s a massive black-painted freighter dotted with orange and red lights at port. Dozens of people are busy off-loading crates from the trucks onto the crane that lifts the cargo onto the deck. There are tall area lights up on poles, but they’re off, leaving the place gloomy and black.
Off to one side, Eustace and Ephraim Jacobin supervise, standing with Chief Bowden.
Jesus, it’s all true.
Not that I ever had much doubt.
Everything was true, and it’s the most awful sinking feeling.
What’s worse?
Even if I got loose from Xavier, somebody else would tackle me before I got far.
Crap.
“What’s the point of killing me?” I ask. “It won’t change anything. The police have the camera. They have everything and all you’re going to do is add to the charges against you. So you might as well just let me go.”
Xavier’s smile is frigid. Cruel. Nasty. Knowing.
“And how will they charge me with the murder of a woman who’s simply disappeared?” he whispers. “Once you’ve been stuffed into a barrel, darling, you’ll sink fast. If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll shoot you first.” He jerks me closer, into a face full of teeth. “Or maybe I’ll simply seal you in so you can find out what happens faster—suffocation or drowning as the water slowly seeps in.”
I stare back in frozen horror.
“…Micah was right about you,” I whisper. “You’re sick. Everyone in your family. I can’t believe I ever pitied you!”
“When did I ask for your pity? If anything,” he sneers, “I pity you. Falling in love with that pathetic cop?” He smirks. “Oh, you thought I didn’t notice?”
“I don’t care if you did.”
“So defiant.” Icy, amused words. “Your little love affair is why you’re going to die, Miss Grey. Do you really think Officer Ainsley cares now that he got what he used you for? Love is always a mistake. Never make yourself vulnerable. They’ll only use it to hurt you.”
That hits a little too close to home.
So close I can only stare at him with my entire body feeling hollowed out.
Is he right?
I don’t know.
But I know Micah’s coming.
The sick doubt running through me feels like nothing compared to the revulsion as Xavier leers. “People are only good for money or pleasure, when you take love out of the equation,” he says, fingers digging into my arm. “I thought, perhaps, before I dispose of you, I could use you. And since you are rather short on money…”
His meaning sinks in as he grips my chin with harsh fingers, tilting my face up to his. I bare my teeth.
Holy hell, I’ll bite his nose off before I let him touch me. I’ll—
Xavier jerks back then.
There’s a thundering boom, metallic and echoing over the night.
Everyone on the dock freezes in place.
I lift my head sharply, turning toward the sound. Past a group of shipping containers, I think—I hope—I catch a glimpse of white.
Micah.
Hope leaps in my heart.
Xavier hisses through his teeth.
“We’ll finish this later. After I paint your white knight red,” he snarls—then catches me by my hair.
This time, I can’t hold back my scream as he drags me out of the car fully by my roots, slamming me to the pavement as he raises his voice in a ringing shout.
“Come out, come out, little white wolf!” he roars. “Come the hell out or little red riding dick won’t last much longer.”
24
DARK HUNGER (MICAH)
“Grant,” I whisper through clenched teeth, “let me fucking go.”
Grant only grabs my arms harder, forcing them behind my back and restraining me with all his might.
“Not till you cool down,” he whispers. “Charge in now, you’ll just get her killed.”
If I don’t, she might get killed anyway.
And it’ll be my goddamned fault.
All because I wasn’t quick enough.
We took one hell of a risk, hightailing it out here in unmarked cars, breaking God only knows how many speed limits. Better to get pulled over and flash our badges than to have Xavier and the Jacobins catch a glimpse of flashers on their bumpers and blowing the whole operation.
I didn’t have anyone to leave Rolf with, so I stuffed him in the back of Grant’s truck and brought him along for the ride.
We couldn’t afford another wasted minute.
There was barely time to park about half a mile away and make the rest of the trip on foot, leaving Rolf leashed to the truck while we assess the situation.