Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
"I'm not trusting a damn stranger to do shit for me."
"You don't have much of a choice. That place is crawling with guys, you breathe the wrong way, you're gonna get shot."
Shaking my head, I groan. "I'll call you tomorrow." I toss the phone onto the bed, dragging my hands down my face. This is fucking hell I'm living in right now. Fucking hell!
I roll over when I hear Jude finish his conversation. I overheard David on the other end. They're getting closer.
"Who was that?" I ask, even though I already know.
Jude glances at me and presses his lips together. "David," he replies gruffly.
"And he knows where Joe is?" His eyes meet mine, a warning in those endless green depths. I ignore it. "Well?"
He takes a deep breath. "No, he doesn't know where Joe is, but he knows where one of his guys is. I just gotta go and get him."
I frown. "You're supposed to be dead," I whisper.
If he goes after Joe's guys, then they'll know he's not dead, and all this running and hiding will have been for nothing. I know this is a strategic game, and so would Jude normally, but since Caleb... since Caleb his judgement has been off. I can't trust him to be fully rational any more.
"No one's gonna know who the hell I am in this state."
"Joe knows who you are!" I grit my teeth.
Jude presses his lips together and raises an eyebrow at me. "And he'll be fucking dead before he can tell anybody."
I shake my head and get off the bed, moving toward the door. I throw it open and walk along the hallway. "Marney!"
Jude stalks after me. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Marney!" I call again as I descend the stairs.
Marney appears in the doorway of the kitchen, cigarette in hand. "What you yelling for, sweetheart?"
"He has a lead for one of Joe's guys, and he's determined to go in there all guns fucking blazing, like the Neanderthal he's apparently become." Pointing at Jude, I say, "Tell him it's stupid!"
Jude swats his hand through the air. "Fuck. I never said that. She gets half the fucking story, and just goes off pitching a fucking fit." He redirects his attention to me, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"You're going to get yourself killed!" I shout.
Marney puffs his cigarette, his eyes narrowing on the two of us. "You lovebirds sure do quarrel like a pack of mangy dogs," he chuckles, gripping the cigarette between his lips as he hoists his trousers back around his waist. "Jude's a sick bastard, fighting with him like this is probably about as good as popping in a porno. Angry women are the best kind of foreplay known to man." He's smiling so big right now his eyes are gleaming.
"You," I scowl at Marney. "... are gross. And you..." I look at Jude. "... need to come up with another plan."
"Who the hell are you to tell me I need a new fucking plan? A fucking doctor turned mafia? Fuck me, Tor. I know what the hell I'm doing!"
His muscles bunch and release. Everything about Jude screams dangerous, and I'm not so in love with him that I can't see that. He doesn't scare me, he would never hurt me, but I certainly have a healthy dose of respect for that side of his nature. However, he's not thinking straight right now. He's not being smart.
"Now, now, now," Marney steps toward us. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a cigarette, and hands it to Jude. "Here fucking smoke a cigarette and calm your ass down, boy."
Jude slaps the cigarette out of his hand and turns to head back to the room. "I don't need any-fucking-body telling me how to do shit," he shouts before closing the door.
"Such a fucking child!" I scream after him, and yes, I'm aware of the irony.
Marney just keeps puffing on his cigarette, a small smile on his lips. "Well, that went well... for it being Jude and all."
Sighing, I walk in the direction Jude stormed off in. The thing driving me right now is fear. Jude is all I have left, and my need to kill Joe is warring against my need for him.
I push the door to the front room open and find Jude sitting on the sofa, leaned over a laptop on the coffee table. "What?" he growls without even looking up at me.
I linger near the door, unsure of what to say to him. I fiddle with the sleeve of his hoodie I'm wearing. After a moment of silence Jude slowly glances at me. His eyes skirt over me, watching me closely. "Tor... come here," he sighs, his voice a low rumble.
I move until I'm standing in front of him. His fingers wrap around my thighs, pulling me onto his lap so I'm straddling him. His big hands cup my face, his touch gentle and completely at odds with everything that is Jude.