Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
I nod, running towards the front door when my phone rings, without even checking the screen I bring it to my ear and yell out, “Ellie?”
A low voice chuckles on the other end, and I come to a complete stop.
“Who is this?”
“Walter. I wanted to tell you, you’re in the clear. I have something of yours that more than makes up for the cash you stole. She’s lovely, if I do say so myself. I know a few men will gladly pay a high price for her.”
No.
No.
No.
“You let her go you son of a bitch!”
He laughs. “Now now, Slater. You should have thought before taking what wasn’t yours, now I’m taking what isn’t mine. I’ve made sure everyone knows it, too. They’ll all see what happens when I’m double crossed.”
“I’ll do fuckin’ anything,” I practically plead, “anything you want. You can put a bullet in my brain if it means lettin’ her go. Please, fuckin’ let her go.”
He laughs, low, evil, cold. “Sorry, I can’t do that. She’s already out of my hands. I have her in a safe place until she’s sold. There is nothing you can do now. Consider your debt paid, Slater. Wonderful working with you.”
He hangs up the phone and I roar, tossing it across the room.
“Who was that?” Lincoln asks, his voice worried now.
“Walter has her. He’s goin’ to fuckin’ sell her. We have to get to her, now!”
“Let’s go,” Lincoln barks, grabbing his truck keys, his gun, and meeting me in the drive way.
We drive to the location I worked for Walter last, a big warehouse. When we get there, it’s dead empty.
There isn’t a single person around.
No.
Fuck.
No.
“He’s moved out, gone. Smart fuckin’ man,” Lincoln mutters.
“Someone has to know something,” I say, frantic, feeling my whole body shutting down with every passing second.
“We’ll call everyone we can, go everywhere we’ve been. We’ll find someone who knows something, Slater. We won’t rest until we do.”
“This is all my fuckin’ fault...and worse, she fuckin’ thinks I don’t love her. She’s gone and she thinks I don’t love her.”
My voice cracks, and I slam my fist into the hard plastic in front of me.
Lincoln reaches over, and squeezes my shoulder. “We’ll find her.”
I hope he’s right.
God damn, please let him be right.
~18~
NOW – ELLIE
“Not goin’ to happen, Malakai,” Slater mutters, his eyes a little glassy from one too many beers.
I haven’t seen him since our fight, I’ve done my best to avoid him. I went over a plan with Malakai and the guys, and then had a few drinks with Scarlett and Saskia before meeting back up with the guys to talk to Slater about what we’re going to do. Turns out Slater has been sitting in the sheds down the back, drinking this whole time.
I’m not sure it’s done anything to curb his anger.
“It’s happenin’, Slater. It ain’t your call. It’s Ellie’s.”
Slater looks to me. “You seriously goin’ to put yourself at risk?”
“I’m at risk every single second he’s breathing, Slater. So yes, I’m going to put myself at risk. I want this done. I need it to be over.”
“And if this goes wrong?” Slater growls.
“It won’t go wrong, we’ll have eyes on her and a tracker on her the whole time,” Maverick assures Slater.
“It’s fuckin’ playing with fire, that’s what it is,” Slater barks, walking past us all.
“It’s happenin’, Slater. Like it or not,” Malakai calls after him.
“Over my dead fuckin’ body will you take her away from me again,” Slater growls, stopping in his tracks and glaring at us all. His eyes zero on in Malakai.
“It’s our only option,” Malakai tells him, calmly.
“It isn’t! It’s the option that’s easiest for you, but it’s dangerous.”
“It’s happening.”
“Fuck!” he barks, and then disappears down the hall.
He’s got such a buildup of anger, and it seems to be spilling out a lot in the last few days. I feel for him, honestly, I do.
It must be hard.
“I’ll go and talk to him,” I offer, smiling at the guys and walking after Slater down the hall.
I find him in the room Scarlett took me to, staring out the window, fingers gripping the sill. He’s hurting, he’s scared, and he’s confused. I know exactly how all of those emotions feel. Everything in my body is screaming at me to go to him right now, to let him know everything is going to be okay. The urge is so strong, I start moving closer to him without thought.
“Not goin’ to lose you again, Ellie,” he murmurs, his voice ragged and raspy.
He knew it was me, without even turning around.
“I have to do this, Slater. It’s a good plan, and it’ll work. I need...I need to be free of him.”
Slater doesn’t move.
“I’m sorry I’m making things harder for you. And I’m sorry I ran out this morning...”
“Do you have any fuckin’ idea how that felt,” he says, his voice tired, broken. “It was like reliving the night I found out you got taken, all over again.”