Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
He scratches his chin and shakes his head. He’s got Fabien on the line. “What the fuck does that mean, they didn’t leave?”
Thayer frowns.
“Maybe we should check out that area at another time? Let’s go to two days ago, six a.m., same spot.”
Thayer eyes me curiously.
“Good thinking,” Thayer says approvingly. “Very good job.”
His praise sounds hollow compared to Lyam’s, but I give him a wan smile.
Manny’s fingers fly over the keys as he zooms in further, a few days earlier.
“Aha! There, look!” Right in that location is a manhole cover. “Let’s find out what that leads to.”
Minutes later we have an underground map of the tunnels.
I reach out and stroke Princess. She makes me feel closer to Lyam.
Thayer’s eyes go dark. He shakes his head. “Well, look at that. The tunnels lead straight to the Capitol.”
NINETEEN
Lyam
I keep track of the days by looking outside the sliver of a window and watching the sun set and rise. And on the second day, I decide. I’m going to get away from Montague if it’s the last thing I do.
If I haven’t cooperated, where will he go next? Will he hurt my brothers? My mother?
Cosette and the baby?
I know now that my first thought that Cosette betrayed us couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Jesus, I’ve been a douchebag.
I will make it up to her, goddamn it, and when I do, I will crawl on my belly to beg forgiveness. Cosette loves with the tenderest heart and yet she would still rather die than ever even serve this man coffee, never mind lie to us and betray us and work with him behind our backs. I let my fear convince me she betrayed us.
Never again.
I have to get away.
He has me chained to the floor with electric shocks on my ankles, neck, and wrists.
Twice someone’s come in with food, but they’ve given me hardly any water. He’s trying to give me just enough to keep me alive. I know what he’s playing at.
Montague himself has only come to check on me once. He has other people coming in to make sure I’m still alive, but that’s about it.
I have a lot of time alone. During that time, I think about how I’ll get away. And I put the pieces of the puzzle together.
His bid for reelection means he needs to win the majority vote. It was his plan from the beginning to use our family as a scapegoat for his troubles. He’s been working against us now for months, and likely has aimed for rival mafia to be pitted against one another when it comes to a place of power.
And now he’s after us again. The entire time, he’s been working with dirty cops and rival mafia. From the very beginning, he wanted to dominate this city. Framing my family as the ones responsible for crime in the city. He’s wanted nothing but political gain. And now, he’s going to use me.
He’ll have to kill me before I’d agree to hurt either Cosette or my family, but he’s threatened to do it himself if I don’t.
Jesus.
Dusk has fallen outside the window. Last night and the night before, it was when the Capitol closed for the day that Montague decided to pay me a visit.
I’ve been here long enough. If something doesn’t shift, I’m going to have to pretend to cooperate with him so I can get out of here and make sure he doesn’t hurt Cosette.
I have to protect her.
I can’t believe I thought she was the one who worked with him. I can’t believe I ever thought she’d have my baby and act like a friend, only to go behind our backs. Once, one time, she betrayed us while under duress, but I know that isn’t who she is or the way she typically functions. I know better now. So much better.
The elevator bell dings. I hear Montague’s oily voice before I see him.
“Evening, Mr. Gerard.” I despise how he insists on talking to me as if we’re business partners, and he isn’t the lowest scumbag in Europe.
Why did it take me being abducted into this asshole’s custody to see the truth?
All this time, I’ve told myself Cosette is the one who runs when she gets close to people. Who was the one who booked a fucking apartment and exiled her? Me, that’s who fucking did.
“Have we come to a decision, Mr. Gerard?” Montague asks. “It’s safe to say at this point, no one is coming to save you. Your precious family, who haven’t even bothered to come looking for you—”
The blare of an intercom interrupts. “Mr. Montague. You need to evacuate the premises immediately. I repeat, you need to evacuate, sir.”
Montague stares at me with wide eyes, terror written on his face. The fucking coward.
I knew they’d come. My brothers are here, I know it.