Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Laurel,” I called, throat tight. “Our baby’s name is Laurel. She’s sweet and beautiful and perfect. If anyone is an angel, it is Laurel Jennifer Blaine.”
Damien paused on the steps, his back to me.
“I just thought you’d want to know... that she is nothing like you.”
Cursing, he took off without a backward glance.
I stood there for a long time, gazing at the blank walls. I knew this could happen. My working here was going to get back to him sooner or later, and of course he wouldn’t be happy about it. Even so, I wasn’t prepared for all those nasty emotions to roar up in me, choking out the calm, in-control person I thought I was becoming.
One fight with my ex, and I was back to being that lost, angry girl who had everything ripped away from her.
Not everything, a voice whispered. I had Laurel and Sienna. You had River and the crew. Now I have Sunny, Liam, Bane, and a family. It’s that sad little man I should feel sorry for. His life is so empty, all the money and affairs in the world can’t fill it.
Steeling myself, I went downstairs, shoving Damien out of my mind. I pushed into my office.
“Sorry, Gen, the coffee didn’t work out. You won’t believe... who’s here...” I trailed off at the empty room.
Letting out a deep breath, I knelt before my mannequin and got to work.
SIENNA WAVED TO ME from the driver’s seat. I would’ve hopped in on the passenger’s side, but it was occupied.
“Sienna. River.” I climbed inside and kissed them both on the cheek. “What’s up? Do we have plans?”
“First, where is Genny?” Sienna asked.
“I don’t know. She took off this morning and hasn’t answered my calls or texts. Genny does her own thing, so I figure she’ll pop up when she wants to.”
“Okay.” Sienna set off, looking very comfortable behind the wheel of Liam’s Rolls Royce.
River twisted around, snagged my collar, and drew me in for a real kiss. My face heated as he swiped the bottom of my lip, then nibbled it for entrance. Even the way he kissed had to be unlike anyone I’ve ever been with. Something told me a life with River would always be full of surprises.
“Sienna said she was going to pick you up, so I tagged along.”
“Fine with me,” I purred.
“River, tell her the rest,” Sienna said.
I pulled back. “The rest of what?”
“You know I’ve been helping out at the shelter,” Sienna continued. “I can’t sit around doing nothing when everyone is working so hard to stop the Brotherhood and help the people they’ve hurt. I’ve mostly been helping River track down those stolen kids.”
My eyes popped. “You have? Sienna, why didn’t you say? That’s dangerous.”
“No more dangerous than working alongside a Brotherhood member. Look, my visions haven’t been helpful to the Merchants, but they have been helpful to the women in the shelter. For those who’ve let me do readings for them, I got a strong sense their children are close by. Adams didn’t ship them to another country like he tried to do to you.”
I swallowed my skepticism. Now wasn’t the time to do anything but support my sister. Actually, it would never be any other time. “The kids are still in the city. What does that mean?”
“It’s not just the kids I told you about,” River said. “Turns out, the women were holding back because they didn’t know or trust me at first. Doesn’t help that the Rat King isn’t spoken of fondly in the streets. But when Sienna came in—rich, kind, and not in my crew—they figured maybe I was who she said I was.”
Rich? Of course. Driving around in the guys’ car, they figured she was outside the crew and therefore didn’t have a reason to repeat their lies—if they were telling any.
“What did they tell you, Si?”
“Digger didn’t stop at dating single moms and taking their kids. After he forced them into the hell houses, he bred them, Kenzie. Those monsters raped them and then when they got pregnant, Luca had shiny, plump newborns to sell. Babies don’t kick, scream, or cry for their moms when handed to their new parents,” she spat.
“Oh my gosh,” I cried, stomach heaving. “That’s what he did to them? That’s... what he was going to do to me and Laurel. Sell my daughter, force me to have more kids, and then sell them too.”
And then I did throw up. Pitching myself across the seat, I emptied my stomach on Liam’s spotless floor.
It took a while to calm me down. Sienna pulled over the car and they both climbed in back with me. Sienna held my hand while I rested on River’s shoulder—his fingers gently stroking my temple.
“I’m sorry.”
“Kenzie, why are you apologizing?” Sienna asked.
I sniffed. “Because I’m making it about me when it’s about the women who had to live through this.” Pushing myself up, I swiped a hand across my eyes. “But that’s why you didn’t tell me earlier.”