Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 838(@200wpm)___ 671(@250wpm)___ 559(@300wpm)
Ivy
I bike home as fast as I can, sweat dripping down my back as I make my way through downtown Crescent Vale City. The more energy I expend, the more anger I’m able to let loose. Those boys have been nothing but a problem to me from day one.
Dammit.
I have no time to waste. I need to get to Cora and get her out of there before that anonymous fucker turns on me.
I know he’s waiting, waiting for me to admit I can’t do it anymore.
And I’d rather die than admit that.
Breathing wildly, I shift left and right across the lanes, passing the cars that are waiting at the red lights, risking my own life in the process. But I have no choice. I have to get to her as quickly as I can. Before it’s too late. Before—
A sudden buzz in my pocket has me nearly falling over the front of the bike as I abruptly hit the brakes. I grab it and press the unlock button to check who sent what.
Anonymous: Time’s up. Five grand or you’re done.
I type back as quickly as I can.
Me: I need more time. Please. I will have it for you tomorrow night. I swear.
Anonymous: You can swear that to Stefano when I bring you to him.
My eyes widen as panic rises to the surface.
No.
No. No. No!
Cora!
CHAPTER 36
Ivy
I jump back on my bike and race off as fast as I possibly can, ignoring all the stop signs. I nearly get hit but manage to avoid a car by a hair. The driver hangs his head out the window to yell at me, but I ignore him.
There’s no more time.
I have to get to her before it’s too late.
Please, please, please, let Cora be okay.
Goddammit, I shouldn’t have asked Mrs. Schwartz to watch her in my apartment. I should’ve just let her bring Cora to her place. At least then those fuckers might not find her.
I fish my phone from my pocket while driving and call Mrs. Schwartz’s number three times, but she doesn’t pick up.
“Goddammit!” I yell across the street, ignoring everyone who looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, racing around like this in a tiny yellow dress, but I don’t care.
I stuff my phone back, so I can focus on biking as quickly as possible. Adrenaline drives me forward while sweat now cakes my entire skin as the heat rushes through my body, but I keep going. I refuse to give up. Not now. Not ever. I will fight tooth and nail until my last dying breath because that’s what I should’ve done to begin with.
I will fucking make it.
I’m coming for you, Cora.
I race through the streets, my lungs nearly collapsing from the amount of oxygen they have to process, but when I finally reach my area, my eyes light up. There’s no one here. Maybe I made it in time.
But the closer I get to my building, the more I’m feeling anxious. Weird. Like someone followed me here.
Still, I jump off my bike, park it in the usual spot, and turn around.
Only to be pummeled in the chest.
I’m knocked to the ground, headfirst. I groan, sucking in a sharp breath, but my lungs sting. Suddenly, someone crawls on top of me as two hands snake around my throat, squeezing tightly.
I can’t breathe.
What’s happening?
“You thought you could escape?”
In front of me is a black mask … with an emblem of Bones.
My eyes widen.
Oh God.
I fight back underneath the man, slamming my fist into his face, but it doesn’t even seem to faze him.
“You think that’ll stop us?” His fingers slowly unravel from my neck.
“Us?” I choke out, coughing.
More of those masked men come out of all the nooks and crannies in this street, even one from behind the building I live in.
“We know where you’ve been hiding, Ivy.”
My pupils dilate.
I kick around, thrashing, hitting everything in my path, but some other fucker holds down my feet while another drags me away from underneath the guy.
“Tie her up and take her to the van.”
“NO!” I yell. “Let go of me!”
I fish my knife from my pocket and slash at them as hard as I can, cutting through one of their arms. One of them howls in pain, but the knife is knocked from my hand with ease.
“Fuck, she cut me!”
WHACK!
A hard slap to the face makes my head spin.
“You’re a spicy one, aren’t you?” The guy laughs as he chokes me out. “This dress is far too fancy to spoil with blood. Maybe I’ll take you to the boss in a few hours instead of right away. Have some fun with you while you beg for your life.”
The sound of a motorcycle echoes through the streets, and the bright light blinds me. I shriek as it’s headed straight toward me, but right before it hits, it swerves and knocks down the guy holding my arms.