Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“More like three or four,” Lighting says with a laugh.
“I hate to interrupt the goodbyes, but the van just pulled up,” Outlaw says, pulling the curtain back just a tiny bit. “That’s our ride.”
The room feels like a vacuum when they leave. The four of them took up so much space, both physically and with their sheer presence. I flip the lock behind them and sit on the empty bed where the pillow is still dented from Thunder’s head. Shadow turned my phone off last night, but he left it for me and I turn it back on. As soon as it starts up, a cascade of missed call and message notifications scrolls across the lock screen. I swipe them all away. I'm not ready to face it. Not yet. So I turn on the TV and start flipping channels instead.
“…is still missing after last night's shocking events at the Diamond Oasis Hotel and Casino. The LVMPD are on the case, with checkpoints on all roads out of the city. The investigation is ongoing, and if you have any information, the contact information is on the bottom of the screen. It’s hoped that the kidnappers are still within city limits, but no ransom demands have been made public as of yet. Mr. Mesner is appealing to the public to help return his daughter, and is offering a million dollars to any tip that results in her safe return. In other news—”
I turn the TV off.
A million dollars?
I don't know whether to be flattered that he’s willing to pay so much to get me back, or to be bitter that he's willing to throw that much money at the problem while trying to manipulate me into a two year marriage contract for tax purposes.
A knock on the door sends my heart rate through the roof. Maybe the guys left something important behind? As quietly as I can, I slip off the bed and sneak over to the door to peek through the little spy hole. There's a man out there, with a short wheat-colored beard, wearing a dark trench coat.
And flanking him is a small army of police officers.
8
OUTLAW
“Thanks,” Shadow says under his breath, slipping several large bills to the laundry service worker as we climb into the back of their van. The limo was a better way to travel than hiding out with dirty sheets, but about as subtle as a brick to the face.
“You look like someone just shot your fucking dog,” Lightning says, giving me a nudge. It's tight quarters in the back of the delivery van, especially for the four of us. “I thought you’d be glad to get out of there and leave Harper behind.”
“I am, but this whole situation's fucked. It’s not like I want her to go back to Mesner. I just didn’t want her to look at us like she just fucking did. Like we can fix it. Her fucked up life isn’t our problem. Twenty-four hours ago we didn’t know she existed.”
“No shit.” Thunder's holding onto a bar half covered in clothes hangers for support. “But now we do. Doesn’t matter anyway. We'll be back on our bikes soon.”
“She's Mesner's daughter, for Christ's sake. Stop feeling sorry for her.”
Shadow snorts. “Like fuck she is. He might be the man who contributed the DNA, but he had fuck-all to do with who she is today. Trust me. My real father is the man who taught me how to be who I am and I’ve got exactly zero of his blood. Shit, Eagle-eye is more my father than the asshole who knocked up my mother. Fuck him.”
I have no right to judge. Neither of my parents gave enough of a shit to stick around, but maybe that’s why I don’t trust Harper’s sad act. Even if what she’s said is true, she’s a grown fucking woman and even if Mesner’s a human shit stain, he fucking claimed her. “She’ll run right back to him. Mark my fucking words. You’re all just soft because you want to fuck her.”
“And you don’t?” Lightning grins my way. “Unless your dick fell off and you didn't tell us, I mean.”
Fuck. I give him the finger. Are we there yet? I fucking hate it, because of course I want her. She looked like something out of a movie all fucking made up in that dress, and even better out of it. If sex was all it was, I'd be happy to have those legs wrapped around me, but everything about her screams complicated. “Plenty of sluts to fuck at the club, without worrying about their drug lord fathers.”
Shadow holds up a hand, cutting off our argument, while he puts the other one on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “Shut it, we're almost there. Keep your eyes open for trouble. We get our bikes and get the fuck outta here.”