Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Then I shoved the bag over his head, and Ringo took him to the trailer we were pulling with the truck.
I climbed into the back seat with Olivia. She gave me a relieved look when I slid in beside her. I shut the door and reached for her hand. She took it and squeezed hard.
“Told you I’d be all right.”
She nodded and gave me a watery smile. “Yeah. You did.”
We made the ride in silence. Rocket and Lemon were in the front with Rocket driving, and everyone else was in the trailer with our prisoners. It took thirty minutes before we left the road, then another forty-five to reach the shed on the edge of the property. Part of it was distance, but the terrain wasn’t exactly made for speed.
Rocket stopped the truck as we neared the cabin. “Close enough.” He turned to look at me. “You ready?”
“Oh yeah. Been ready for this for a while.”
“Let’s get to it then.”
* * *
Olivia
My heart was pounding. I had to concentrate on taking deep breaths so I didn’t pass out. I’d been terrified of Mr. Black from the moment I’d met him. My father had made it clear he couldn’t -- or wouldn’t -- protect me from Mr. Black. And the man had taken an interest in me from the moment he’d met me. I was about to find out why, and I didn’t have a very good feeling about how the encounter would go.
I waited with Lemon until Bear let us know he was ready for me. Then I followed Lemon in and wasn’t too ashamed to admit I let her stand between me and Mr. Black. My own personal monster. I knew it showed weakness, but I’d basically been conditioned to panic when I saw Mr. Black. Yeah, he’d hit me before, but it was more the thinly veiled threats of something worse than a smack or two if I didn’t do exactly what he told me.
Ringo stepped away and both Black and the other man were tied with their wrists bound above their heads. He’d removed the bags and gags they’d had on when the men had brought them back to the truck. The one Bear had called Boon didn’t say anything or struggle, while Black was furious.
“I was only going to throw you in prison before this, Bear. Now I’m going to fucking bury you!”
“Why are you here, Leon?” Bear calmly asked. “Why come after me after all these years?”
“You cost me everything, Bear. You honestly think I wouldn’t come for revenge?”
“And you?” I glanced at Boon. Of the two men, he was easily the most dangerous and intelligent. Black was a pimple on a gnat’s ass compared to Boon. “You here for revenge, too?”
“Yep. Been wantin’ revenge since I went to prison after Tripoli.”
There was something about the way Boon smirked. He glanced at Black when he did. I got the feeling there was more than he was letting on.
“Well, the only one getting revenge is me,” I said, stepping back and crossing my arms over my chest. “But before we get to my revenge, I have some questions.”
Boon grinned. “I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.”
Black snorted. “Fuck you.”
Bear held out his hand in my direction. I took it as my cue to come forward. There was no way to suppress the shiver as Black’s gaze met mine. He scowled and tried to lunge in my direction, but his bonds held. Ringo punched him in the abdomen with one swift, hard jab.
“There’ll be none of that, asshole.”
Black grunted but made no other sound. He did glare back up at Ringo.
“Why me?” I said in a soft voice. I wasn’t the strong, independent woman I’d tried to be while working for my father. I was a scared girl just trying to understand how and why her life had gone to hell. “Why did you send me here?”
Black laughed. It sounded pained but definitely amused. “You’re exactly the type of woman Bear goes for. I knew if I threw a woman in his path who’d been smacked around or was in immediate danger, he’d rush in like the fucking knight in shining fucking armor.” He gave Bear a superior smirk. “After all these years, I still have you pegged, you bastard.”
“Can’t deny that,” Bear said with a shrug. “Took to her from the second she jumped into my arms, and I won’t deny it.”
“Well, I guess you did your job after all,” Mr. Black sneered at me. “Did you fuck him? I told you you’d get a lot of information from him if you fucked him.”
I sucked in a breath. I couldn’t help it. “That’s not what happened, Bear.”
He lifted the corner of his lips in a half smile. “I know.”
Mr. Black chuckled. “So you did follow instructions.”