Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“I know shit went down yesterday. Some kind of arm’s race. We both know Bones would be involved in that.”
Bones never passed up an opportunity for business and he didn’t have someone else conduct affairs for him. He was always a hands on kind of guy. Cane and I were exactly the same. We had serious trust issues and didn’t allow anyone else to handle important affairs. “True.”
“I can guarantee you, he’s here. And he’s not going anywhere until she’s on the ground. He’s gonna want to—”
“Enough.” I refused to let him finish because my mind was already ten steps ahead of him. Images of her naked and beaten flooded my mind like a swarm of wasps. It burned from the inside out. She was tied up and gagged, and he was bruising her until she was black and blue. The thought was excruciating enough that angry tears burned in the back of my eyes. I gripped the nearest chair until my knuckles turned white.
Cane pushed through the tension. “Land and we’ll pick you up. I’ll have all the men ready to ambush Bones and his crew. We’ll get her back, man.”
“We have to get her back, Cane. I mean it.” I wouldn’t go on if I failed her. My purpose was to protect her and keep her safe. She’d become such an essential part of who I was, and I understood better than anyone what she went through. The images would never stop haunting me and I would eventually give into my own suicide.
“I know. And we will. Just stay calm.”
That was impossible. Right now, she was in the hands of evil men. Maybe they wouldn’t hurt her but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t do other things. The idea made me so sick I nearly hurled in the middle of the aisle.
“Crow?”
I sat in the nearest chair because I felt weak. “Hmm?”
“I’ll stay on the phone with you.” He fell silent and didn’t say anything more. Men spoke in the background because he was at the rendezvous point. They were arming themselves with weapons and armor. He didn’t give me false words of hope or lie to make me feel better. He did the only thing he was capable of doing.
Joining me in my misery.
Chapter Fifteen
Pearl
The plane landed.
I continued to lie absolutely still and enjoy my solitude just a little longer. Very shortly, I would return to the hands of the man who got off to torturing me. He would give me a welcoming celebration with whips and a dildo up the ass.
I couldn’t do back there.
I’d never relied on a man to take care of me, but I kept hoping Crow would come to the rescue. He was my only hope for getting out of here. But I knew the second Bones drove off with me it would be nearly impossible for Crow to get me back.
I had to escape on my own.
Fear stilled burned like a fire in my heart, and my hands possessed a light shake that couldn’t be stopped. My legs felt weak from not eating, and my body had more adrenaline than it could handle. But I needed to remain calm and focus on escape. There was no time for uncertainty or terror.
I just had to do it.
“Get up.” One of the men came to my area in the corner and gave me a light kick in the stomach. “We know you’re awake.”
I kicked him back out of defiance. Instead of being smart and just doing what I was told, my body automatically reacted and strived to inflict as much pain as possible. I hit him right in the knee with my shin and made him howl in pain.
“Bitch.” He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me across the floor. “You wanna be a cunt? I’ll treat you like a cunt.”
The other kidnapper told him off Italian and gripped him by the arm.
Immediately, he released me and argued back in the same language.
My scalp felt ripped apart and the migraine was already starting. Some of my hair fell out and sprinkled the ground around me. I didn’t touch my head or give any indication I was in pain. I’d die before I let myself look weak.
He stood over me, brooding like an angry psychopath. “Up. Now.” This time he didn’t touch me since he was just disciplined for it.
Now that it was on my terms I rose to a stand and gripped the chair for balance. I was lightheaded and dizzy, a side effect of the medication and the lack of food. I hadn’t eaten since Crow left because I was too depressed. Now I wish I had some sustenance to give me strength.
They marched me off the plane and into a black SUV with tinted windows. Thankfully, Bones wasn’t inside. It was just me and three men. The guard sitting on the opposite side of the car had his gun trained on me. “Bones warned me about you. Do anything foolish and I will kill you.”