Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Why the hell didn’t I quit? I swear, if I make it out of this alive, it will be my personal mission to have every fairytale ever written removed from libraries for misleading kids. Next, I’m going to march into the office and tell my boss to go fuck himself! Then, I’m going to tell his wife what a freaking, bitter-ass pill she is and how they can take this thankless job and shove it up their asses. I don’t care if I do smell like piss and have to hug up to the likes of Winfred at night. I am done. D-O-N-E.” I’m mumbling under my breath without even realizing I’m doing it.
I gasp when Max starts laughing because honestly there is nothing remotely funny about any of this.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Do you always talk this much?”
I look at him confused, having no idea what on earth he is talking about. I decide to ignore him as my hand finds a key ring hanging from the guard’s belt. I try to pull it off, but it just extends and then pulls back. With a heavy sigh, I go to undo the man’s belt. “I’m sorry about this; you gave your life today and…”
“You do realize he can’t hear a damn thing you’re saying?”
I have to push and prod the body to get the belt off. “I’m not stupid; I talk when I’m nervous. You could help you know!” I huff. I figure I’m going too far. He’ll probably kill me at any minute. I know it’s an issue, but I do talk when I’m nervous. I can’t control it. One of my foster mothers used to say I had verbal diarrhea. She was a bitch.
“Just hurry.”
Just hurry. I mimic him in my mind; though I’d really like to do it out loud. Once I manage to get the belt free, I stand. I stumble once because my legs feel like jelly. My hand is shaking when I reach for the lock. I tilt my head forward and to the right to dodge the gun. I can almost feel the cold metal.
“Don’t you dare shoot me,” I grumble, continuing to go through the twenty plus keys on the chain.
“You’re awfully bossy for a hostage,” his dark voice rumbles. “And who is Winfred?”
I freeze—yet again. I think about explaining, but I ignore him instead. Finally, I find the right key and the metal lock opens. The shackles slowly fall to the ground. I jump at their heavy clang. Before I can run, he grabs me by the elbow and starts pulling me toward the chaos.
“You know you might come off hot and sexy on paper, but in person you are the Devil.”
He grunts and continues to pull me along. I want to argue, but I know it’s useless.
“Remember what I told you. Keep your head down and only speak when I give you permission.”
I bite my lip to keep from begging him to let me go. At least he’s partially blocking my body. Maybe I’ll get lucky, and a stray bullet will take him out. A girl can hope. I ignore the twinge of guilt I feel. I can’t still be infatuated with Max after this, surely. That would truly mean I’m insane.
After I sneak a look around the first area we enter, I change my mind. All around me are guards, dead, unconscious, or bleeding and tied up. Prisoners surround them, with guns pointed and ready. It’s like a scene from a Bruce Willis movie. I may never watch another one of those again.
“Who do we have here, Gringo?” A heavily laced Spanish accent asks, and I suddenly remember, very vividly, that I was told not to look up. I have no problem with that. In fact, I think I’d love to bury my head in the sand at the moment.
“My lawyer,” Mad Max replies and the way he says it, it sounds like we really know each other.
“Damn, Max you know how to pick ‘em. Send her my way and give me a little taste of that honey.”
I’m keeping my head down, but I can see the man reach for me out of the corner of my vision. I can’t help but stumble back against Max. He feels a lot safer than the other possibility here.
“No way, Hernandez. This is my private pussy. I’m about to go through that tunnel you guys made, get the fuck out of dodge and get my dick wet for the first time in years.”
His words make my body lurch with a sick feeling of dread. Mocking all those stupid girlish fantasies I’ve harbored about Max. Why did I think Max was safe? It dawns on me that there is no safe place. I am probably going to die. The only question will be, what will happen to me beforehand?