Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 115964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
He was smart, and cold.
I could feel it in the air around him, and I suppressed a shiver.
His gaze locked on me, skimming over my body before looking back to Raize. “Why are you here?”
Raize looked at me, his gaze blank as usual. He often reminded me of a robot, with no emotions—even when he killed. He did it sensibly.
“Bronski sent a man for one of mine.”
See? He spoke like he was giving an order at the drive-thru.
“What man?”
Raize shrugged. “I didn’t get his name.”
The guy made a point of looking around before raising his eyebrows. “Where is this guy?”
“I killed him.”
No emotion. None. So matter of fact.
The desk guy regarded Raize for a moment before sighing and scooting his chair back. He didn’t stand. He remained sitting and gazing off into the distance.
Then he turned back. “What was the reason for you killing one of Bronski’s men?”
“Because if I didn’t, Bronski would’ve gotten to you before I could.”
Desk guy’s mouth pursed, and he nodded as he stood. He stayed behind the desk, his gaze falling to me again. “Are you going to fill in the dots as to why Bronski sent a man for one of yours?”
“It’s the girl,” Raize noted.
So flat.
Desk Guy’s eyes skirted back to Raize. “Are you fucking her?”
“No.”
Desk Guy asked me, “Is he fucking you?”
“No.”
“Was Bronski fucking you?”
I didn’t answer.
Desk Guy noted this before turning back to Raize. “Was he fucking her?”
Raize nodded once. “Against her will.”
Back to me. “He raped you?”
He did not seem like he gave a fuck.
My tongue grew heavy. My throat started to swell. This wasn’t a conversation any survivor or victim wanted to have, but here it was so blasé that I wanted to vomit all over everyone in the room.
I was quiet a moment.
Raize’s jaw tightened.
They were all waiting.
I shifted on my feet, but maintained eye contact with the head boss. “Yes, it was rape.”
“You fought?”
Really, really wanted to vomit.
Everywhere.
Bile moved up in my throat. I rasped out, “Yes.”
Images of us came back to me.
Him on top. Holding my arms down.
Me kicking, straining.
The smell of his breath. God. His horrible, horrible breath.
“You said no?”
God, he was so cold.
Raize swore under his breath. “Rape is rape, Carl. They say no and anything after is rape, whether they fight, flee, or freeze. It’s rape.”
Carl. That was his name.
That name was now on my list.
I’d had one name on my list when I started this life. One. My sister’s boyfriend. Then his boss got added to the list. Bronski was put on there. A few other guys, and now Carl. One day, somehow, I’d cross out each and every one.
One day.
“Why’s he want her back?” Carl asked.
I almost sagged in relief, wanting to take a step back, as if I could melt into the background. But I couldn’t. That wasn’t how it worked, so I stayed firm, but I was thankful that question had gone to Raize.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. He wants to fuck her again?”
Raize was lying. And he wasn’t looking at me on purpose, or I guessed it was on purpose.
Carl studied him, then turned and studied me.
I felt seared from the inside out by the time he sighed. “You’re lying to me.”
I gasped, trying to remain silent, but the sound was out.
He turned that accusation toward Raize, who didn’t flinch, who didn’t gasp, who didn’t react at all. Total stone robot.
“Bronski got rid of her,” Raize said. “He sold her to Nelly to be a mule.”
“That true?” Carl asked me.
I nodded. “Yes.” Also, how did Raize know this? I’d already been with Slim before Raize got me.
So many bosses.
“Were you a mule for him?”
Shit. That’s when I knew.
Carl knew. He knew everything.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“I wasn’t, no.”
He raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. His fingers spread. “You both have one more chance at being truthful here. Why does Bronski want you?” He glared at Raize. “Start filling in the blanks.”
I opened my mouth—
“She’s got good hunches.” Raize beat me to it.
Carl’s shoulders lost some of their tension, and he eased back, standing upright again. He folded his arms over his chest. “Keep going.”
Raize looked like he was eating wood chips as he ground out, “She knows shit. Ask her a question, and she’ll know the answer. She has good instincts.”
“You psychic?” Carl asked.
I opened my mouth, again.
“No.”
Raize beat me to it, again.
“She doesn’t see the future or talk to dead people,” he explained. “But ask her a question with a yes or no answer and she’s right.”
“How right?”
“Nine out of ten, she’ll be correct.”
“You’ve tested this?” Carl was starting to sound impressed.
“Test her yourself.”
I hated when they did this. Despised it.
His first question was like a bullet. “Do I have a middle name?”
“No.”
He grinned briefly. “You’re right, I don’t.”
Question two. “I have a gift for my lady friend. Is she going to like it?”