Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78237 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Why am I so stupid?
Without my phone, I have no idea how long I lie on the bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about the sad state of my life.
Some days, like today, I wonder if my parents were right. That I shouldn’t have been so eager to get out of New York and make a life for myself on my own terms. I mean, where has that gotten me?
I have no real support system here beyond Willow, and she’s a kid. Before winning the baking competition, I was stuck at a dead-end job with no room for advancement.
And my love life? Let’s just say there are more bodies in my past than a horror movie.
Men. They are all liars and cheaters, saying whatever they need to say to get their dick sucked, to get a home-cooked meal or whatever their end goal is.
Hell, I don’t even know what reason Cyrus had for picking me in the first place. I’m no one’s version of beautiful, barely passing the girl-next-door threshold of appeal. Mousy is what most people would call me, not exactly ugly or unattractive, just plain.
Which means in hindsight, there’s something Cyrus wanted or needed from me. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
“Son of a bitch!” That thought gives me a jolt of energy, to do what with, I’m not sure exactly only reinvigorated. Cyrus wants something, but what?
Hours later, though it feels like days, someone unlocks the door. I jump to my feet, on full alert after Wilder’s short visit last night. I don’t care who it is or what they want. This is my moment.
That’s what I tell myself. When Letty opens the door, however, with her sweet church girl smile and a plate of food in her hand, my shoulders sink. Of all the people in this whole damn place, she’s the only one I know. A regular customer at For Goodness Cakes, I can vouch that she’s the nicest fucking person I’ve ever met.
“Letty.”
“Disappointed?”
“Trapped,” I correct her totally accurate assumption. “Did you draw the short straw?”
“No,” she laughs prettily. “I volunteered to bring you food because I thought it might be nice if you saw a friendly face. And have some food.”
I fold my arms and move off to the side, suspicious of the church girl.
“The face would be friendlier if it was coming to tell me that I’m no longer a hostage and free to go.”
Her shoulders fall in disappointment. “I get it, I do. If I were in your position, I’d be worried too, but they aren’t going to hurt you.”
I scoff in disbelief. “And why should I believe you? Because your biker boyfriend is nice to you? Newsflash, Letty, even monsters have people they care about, those that are untouchable.”
She sets the plate on the desk just to the left of the door and sighs.
“Shades is a biker. I can’t deny that. But he’s not a monster, never was. In fact, he’s a veteran. Most of these guys have helped keep our country safe, and that protective streak now extends to the women they care about. But none of them are monsters, Maven. The real monsters are the guys they’re protecting you from.”
“Convenient for you how that works.” It’s funny how good dick can brainwash a woman into believing just about anything. Including me, and the dick was mediocre at best.
“You think I’m just saying that to get you to lower your defenses?”
“No offense, but yeah, I do.”
“Well, then, I’ll just tell you two things. One, if they had any plans to kill you, they wouldn’t let anyone who doesn’t have a patch on their chest in here to interact with you. Plausible deniability.”
I gasp at how casually she talks of killing people, but worse? Her words make a lot of sense, but for some reason, they don’t make me feel better. “And two?”
“The guys your ex is tangled up with? They tied me to a chair and set the church on fire. With me inside. They kidnapped Kelsey and McKenna, did horrible things to them, so if you’re looking for monsters, look at the Iron Kings and the cops on their payroll.”
Shit. Letty’s words make my blood run cold. They terrify the fuck out of me, and as soon as the blood starts to circulate in my legs again, I make my move. I have to get out of here. I can’t rely on her assurances of my safety. I need to take charge of my own safety, my own life. My own future, if there’s one to be had.
She realizes what I’m doing and blocks the door, but I barrel through her and look left and then right. Remembering that Wilder turned left to put me in this room, I go the opposite way. Toward freedom.
“Maven got out!” Letty shouts behind me.