Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Derrick backhanded her, punched her stomach to double her over and slammed her into the chair. Azelie froze when her bottom landed on the seat, which was covered in the blood and urine of a dead man. Her stomach lurched again, protesting the smells and the vicious punch. She leaned over the steel arm of the chair and vomited.
Derrick swore and stepped back, but Patrick went to the sink, wet a cloth and brought it to her. He wiped her face with surprising gentleness.
“Derrick, cool off. We have no idea if Azelie is involved. It could be that someone took advantage of her. That man at the club, the one with your friend, do you go out with him?”
“No. I met him for the first time that night. He’s Lana’s brother. The only thing I know about him is that he works as a bartender. I don’t even know where.”
“How do you know Lana?”
“From school. She goes to the college and takes fashion design. We ride the bus together sometimes to get to the school. I had no idea her brother would be at the club, but she told me he’s older than she is and is protective of her.”
“What about your good friend Bradley Tudor? Could he have found out about the key?”
She realized everyone she knew was going to be in trouble. The merry widows, Doug and Carlton, Shaila and David, maybe even Abigail Humphrey and her little three-year-old daughter, Betsy. All because she worked for Billows.
“He doesn’t even know where I work. I babysit his kids when his regular babysitter has appointments or is ill. Otherwise, we don’t really associate at all.”
The surveillance Alan had put on her in the form of McGrady would bear that out. He had to have reported to the Billows brothers. All of them. He might not have known there was more than one, but surely over the time he watched her, more than Alan had gotten a report.
Derrick pushed forward. “This is bullshit, Patrick. She knows more than she’s saying. Don’t fall for her sweet little innocent act the way Alan did. Look at him, his guts spilling out of his body. He didn’t deserve that.”
He stepped around his brother and hit her in the face again, the same cheek, this time splitting open the skin. He punched her breast hard. There was no way to stop the cry of pain as agony exploded through her body.
“Talk, you little bitch. You have no idea what’s coming.”
She could barely see him through the veil of tears, but it was just as well. What she did see appeared to be his features twisted into a demonic mask. That added to her mounting terror. She was going to die a terrible death. She prayed she would just become unconscious and they would kill her outright.
“Derrick.” Patrick sounded like the voice of reason. “Back off. We were getting somewhere, weren’t we, Azelie? You want to tell us the truth. You cared a great deal for Alan. Anyone could see it. He was always loyal to you, trying to make certain you were safe. He was so enraged when he found out McGrady hit you. And threatened you.” He gestured toward McGrady’s body. “That was done for you. Because McGrady dared to strike you.”
It hadn’t been Andrii who had done those terrible things to McGrady. Could she honestly say she was sorry McGrady was dead? No. He’d threatened the merry widows and Doug and Carlton. He’d threatened her. But did she want him to die in such a hideous way? No.
A small sob escaped before she could stop it. Her gaze clung to Patrick’s. She knew what the brothers were doing. One was good, the other bad. They would play her like this, one giving hope, the other taking it away. She reminded herself over and over, a chant in her mind, not to believe in Patrick. He had no intention of saving her.
“You knew someone stole from us.” Patrick made it a statement, switching subjects. “Alan said you believed it was an elite hacker, someone who may have been hired to harm us. He said you were still going through the books looking for a lead. Did you find one?”
Her mind was in complete chaos from sheer terror. If she was going to stall in the hopes of being rescued, although she had no idea how she would be rescued or who would rescue her, she had to pull herself together. Her body was almost numb from the blows Derrick had delivered. She realized he could have hit her a lot harder. He knew where to strike her to scare her, humiliate her and cause pain without damaging her. That only reinforced the possibility Andrii had raised that they were involved in human trafficking.
She took a deep breath, but that only dragged the stench into her lungs. She felt like her entire body was covered in blood, sweat and urine from the dead in the room. Now that coating was inside of her, where she would never get it out.