Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100470 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
I hope Raegan found him or is at least well on her way back home.
Will she tell him we had sex?
The thought makes my gut sour. He won’t take the news well. It’s a betrayal.
My heart aches for him.
Heavy footsteps thud over to us as Michael and Logan rejoin the group.
“Tonight, Logan, Seth, and I will go hunt for the children,” Michael grunts. “Split up how you need to, but I want eyes on those three runaways at all times.” He makes a pointed show of gesturing to me, Kristen, and Destiny. “When we find the lost children, we’ll continue our trek south. According to my map, there are some mountains there. A cave mouth we could fortify would be great. This could be where we’ll settle permanently.”
CJ coughs and then spits up blood. Tee hugs him to her, sobbing quietly. Owen glowers at me as if I were the one who caused all this.
They started this the second they preyed upon our family.
“Tomorrow, I will take a new wife,” Michael states. “My sons have been so gracious as to offer me theirs. I’ll think while we hunt and come back with my choice.”
The thought of Destiny or Kristen becoming Michael’s wife makes my skin crawl. He’s a heartless monster.
“CJ needs to see a doctor. His eye is infected. If he doesn’t get help, he’ll die,” Tee says shakily, trying and failing to inject firmness in her tone. “I think this is where we’ll split ways.”
Owen dips his head but doesn’t argue with his wife. Michael stares at his brother, waiting for him to speak. When he doesn’t, he calmly walks over to CJ, grabs his hair, and slices a blade along his neck.
It all happens so fast.
I gape in shock as blood spurts from CJ’s neck. Tee and Owen both make strangled sounds. CJ slumps over into Tee’s lap and she attempts to desperately hold his neck together. Owen jumps to his feet, a guttural growl echoing through the trees, and takes a swing for his brother.
But Michael’s quicker.
Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab.
He punches his sharp knife several times into Owen’s abdomen before letting him fall to the earth. Tee’s eyes widen in realization, and she scrambles to escape. She barely makes it a few feet before she slams into Logan’s chest. With no expression on his face, he grabs hold of her head and snaps her neck.
Holy fuck.
My heart is in my throat and I don’t think I can draw a breath.
Michael killed his own brother and nephew. Logan murdered his aunt. They did this in front of everyone, even the kids. These people are sick.
The smaller children near Tom and Seth cower under Michael’s cruel glare. Their whimpers are quiet as fear paralyzes them. Lisa, Seth’s wife, slumps over, crashing against her husband as she passes out.
Everyone is silent with terror as Michael pins his stare on each and every one of us.
“We are building something here,” Michael growls, words cold and evil. “Anyone else who thinks they’re also going to give up like my brother and his family, please, speak up. I’ll handle it right here and now.”
No one utters a peep.
“Good. Tom, you keep an eye on Ronan and Kristen.” Michael’s harsh stare locks on mine for a moment before darting over to my sister. “Jace can handle his wife. We’ll be back tomorrow with the lost children and everything will be right again.”
Tom is quick to get his kids moving into the tent and then he hauls both me and Kristen with him. Neither of us fights his manhandling because we’re both eager to get away from their bloodthirsty leader.
Before I step inside the tent, I get the strange sensation of someone watching me. The hairs on my neck stand on end. I glance over my shoulder expecting Logan or Michael to be staring at me, but they’re busy removing the bodies of their family.
Confused, I sweep my gaze over the darkened trees beyond camp. I can’t see anything clearly without my glasses, but the sudden jump in my heart rate tells me that the shadow that slowly moves beyond the tents is not a tree blowing in the wind.
It’s him.
Please, God, let it be my brother.
* * *
* * *
Michael just murdered his own nephew and brother.
I watched it happen with my own two eyes.
No remorse. No regret. Nothing.
This hateful man needs to be eradicated from this world. I’d give anything to charge forward and stab him to death.
As much as that idea entices me, I know I can’t. It’s not part of the plan. Me and Rowdy have one agenda: Get Ronan and Destiny out quickly and quietly. Going on a murdering rampage would feel great for about two minutes until the rest of their people quickly outnumbered the two of us. Then where would that leave us?