Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
He swallowed hard, and I watched his Adam’s apple bob. “Did he reach you?”
I winced, raising a hand to my neck.
“Let me see, baby girl,” Dad ordered softly, pulling the sweatshirt away from my neck. He stared for a moment. “Someone get your sister some ice.”
“Is it bad?” I asked.
“You’re all right,” he murmured. “He got to you.”
“He grabbed my hair,” I replied. “And then my throat.”
“Did you fight him?”
“No.”
“You didn’t?”
“I didn’t want to let go of the gun,” I whispered. “You said to never let go of the gun.”
“That’s right. You did good.”
“I shot him again.”
“What happened after that?”
“He fell.”
“Did he say anythin’ else?”
“No, he just laughed.”
Someone slammed out of the house.
“He’s dead now, isn’t he?” I asked quietly.
“You don’t worry about that,” Dad said, taking a bag of frozen corn from Rumi so he could press it against my throat. “You sit right here for a few minutes, yeah? I’m just gonna go outside.”
“Don’t leave,” I replied in a rush, gripping his cut in my fist.
“Rumi’s gonna stay with you.”
“Where’s Cian? I want Cian.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” my older brother said dryly, spinning the chair next to me so he could sit in it backward.
Dad walked away while I was distracted, the rest of the men following.
Cian wasn’t with them.
Chapter 19
Cian
“Absolutely fuckin’ not,” I argued, staring at Tommy in disbelief.
“It’s the only way to get her clear of this shit.”
“No it’s not. You know it’s not.”
“What are the chances that motherfucker has a man on him?” Tommy growled. “FBI is probably sittin’ in the trees waitin’ to see what we do.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Gray muttered.
“It was self-defense. She’s got the marks to prove it.”
The irony of Tommy saying those words when just a couple months before I was justifying the same shit when I’d stabbed the same motherfucker wasn’t lost on me.
But that was when I was going to be jammed up.
This time it was Myla.
“That gun is licensed,” Mick said. “She ever has to use it again, they’re gonna connect the dots.”
Tommy looked to Dragon.
“Can’t say I like it,” he said slowly. “Agree it’s the best option we’ve got.”
“Done.”
“Not done,” I snapped.
“Watch it,” Grease warned.
“Don’t make me lay you out,” Tommy said darkly. “That’s my daughter in there.”
“That’s my old lady in there,” I shot back.
“Then fuckin’ act like it.”
“What the hell do you think I’m doin’?”
“Get your head outta your ass, Cian.” Tommy took a step forward, and I straightened my shoulders. “This is FBI shit. That motherfucker your old lady just killed? He’s on radar. He’s gone, and it’s only a matter of time before shit lands on your doorstep. You think Myla’s gonna handle that shit? You think she’ll keep her mouth shut?”
“She knows the deal.”
“No shit,” he barked. “I taught her the deal, asshole.”
“This is gettin’ us nowhere,” Grease muttered.
“It’s the only way, Cian,” Titus said, meeting my eyes. “You know it is. She’ll have to talk to the cops, and then it’s over.”
Pushing my hair back from my face, I gripped the back of my neck and turned away from the circle. They were right. I knew they were right. But it had fucking killed me to listen to Myla recount what had happened, and the thought of making her do it again with people that didn’t give a shit about her? I couldn’t fucking stand it.
“Leave the garbage where it is,” Dragon ordered behind me. “Everyone but Cian and Tommy need to take off. The minute you see taillights, you call it in. Wanker!”
I turned back around. “Your sister got a card for those FBI fuckwads?”
“I’ve got one.”
“You call them. Not local police. Those agents that made a deal with Richie.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll stay a minute,” Gray told Dragon. “Clear the tracks in the gravel.”
“Leave no trace.”
“Will do.”
Everyone headed for their bikes.
“She’s askin’ for you,” Tommy said, jerking his chin toward the house. “You should go back in.”
“She’s—” The words tangled in my throat.
“Don’t make me regret not buryin’ you. Go take care of my daughter.”
“Where you gonna be?”
“Watchin’ to make sure that motherfucker stays dead,” he mumbled, turning toward the carport.
I stopped on the porch and called the agent from the hospital. The amount of curse words the man could utter in fifteen seconds was truly impressive, even if I didn’t like the guy. He told me to stay put, and he’d send someone soon.
Rumi was talking quietly to Myla when I let myself in the front door.
“Dragon said to take off,” I told him.
“Love you, little sister,” Rumi said softly. “Good job.”
“I don’t know why people keep saying that,” she rasped.
“Because you’re alive,” Rumi replied as he got up from his seat and carefully slid it back into place.
“Hit me up if you guys need anything,” he said, slapping my shoulder as he passed me.
“Hey Rumi,” Myla called out quietly. He paused and looked at her over his shoulder. “I love you, too.”