Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 118592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
I heard my phone buzz and immediately pulled it out, thinking it was Tristan. But it turned out to be an unknown phone number.
Did you like the cat?
Confusion went through me as I glanced at the number again. It was a Seattle area code. Maybe Tristan had gotten a new phone?
“Memphis.”
I was so distracted that it took me a moment to register that my name was being called and I finally looked over my shoulder and saw Ronan and Seth walking towards me. They’d just entered the hotel through the front lobby.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in surprise as they reached me.
“Mav told us you were staying here,” Seth said before handing me a small, brightly-wrapped package.
“What is this?” I asked as I put my phone back in my pocket and took it from him.
“Just a little something from Cape Town,” Seth answered with a smile.
They’d gotten back from their honeymoon in South Africa nearly a week ago, but I hadn’t actually spoken to them or seen them. Mav had told me this morning that they were once again helping Hawke and Tate look after Matty during his latest round of chemotherapy.
“Um, okay, thank you,” I stammered. “How was the trip?”
They smiled at each other and then Ronan said, “It was good.”
Their shared chuckle told me it was a lot better than good and I couldn’t help but smile. I chatted with them for a few more minutes and was surprised to find I actually enjoyed hearing about the trip and how excited Matty had been to see them upon their return. I said my goodbyes and began heading towards the elevator when my phone buzzed to indicate I had another text. I tucked Seth and Ronan’s gift under my arm and got the phone back out. It was the same unknown phone number, but this time the words caused my blood to run cold.
Don’t worry, My Sweet, I’ll make sure you have something to remember them by too.
My Sweet…there was only one person who’d ever called me that. But it wasn’t possible…
I was still trying to make sense of what was going on when a picture popped up. “Ronan!” I instinctively screamed, not caring that I was in the middle of the hotel lobby or that I wasn’t even sure if Ronan had left yet. The cat fell from my fingers as I felt my knees buckle and the sound of it shattering into a thousand pieces sounded insanely loud to my ringing ears.
My knees hit the floor hard as my brain tried to process what I was seeing.
Tristan, Brennan and a little boy who I knew was Tristan’s little brother, Tanner, were sitting on the floor in a dark room with a cement wall. Tristan and Brennan’s hands appeared to be tied behind them, though Tanner’s were tied in front. I could see a bruise on Brennan’s left temple and panic went through me because his eyes were closed. Tears were streaking down Tristan and Tanner’s faces.
“What?” Ronan asked urgently as he reached me. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. I felt Ronan’s hand beneath my arm as he tried to pull me to my feet, but I just shook my head and waved my phone at him, unable to speak as wave after wave of fear began rolling through me. He snatched the phone from me, studied it for a split second and then said, “Seth, call Hawke and tell him to get over here right now! Go back to the hospital and stay there with Tate.”
I had no idea if Seth did what Ronan said, but the next thing I knew, Ronan was hauling me to my feet and leading me to the elevators. I heard him telling people I was fine, but I didn’t really understand or care why he was telling people that.
I’ll make sure you have something to remember them by too.
“It can’t be,” I said as I turned my eyes on Ronan. “He’s dead. He has to be. They told me he died in prison.”
“Memphis, where are they? Who’s dead?”
I didn’t respond right away. It wasn’t until Ronan shook me hard that I finally managed to take a breath.
“Memphis, where the hell are they?”
“I don’t know!” I cried and I finally realized we were in the elevator.
“What room are you in?” Ronan asked as he pulled his own phone out and dialed.
“509.”
“Who has them, Memphis?” Ronan asked as he jammed his finger on the number 5 on the elevator panel.
“Drake,” I choked out. I ran my hands through my hair as I tried to get control of the terror that made my blood run cold. “He’s going to kill them, Ronan,” I whispered as tears flooded my eyes.
“I need you at the Pacific Hotel right now. Room 509,” Ronan said into the phone and then hung up. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the elevator when it stopped and searched through my pockets for the room key.