Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Fucking finally.
20
NOW – AVIANA
Benedict glares at us when we walk into the room, his face tight, his eyes narrowed. He doesn’t trust us, but that’s fine – we don’t fucking trust him either. Still, he’s our only chance to get out of this alive. No war. No fighting. No guns. No death. That’s what we want more than anything. To return those we love home safely and end this war once and for all. The only way we can do that is through this man right here.
He looks to Cohen, and then his eyes move back to me. “This is what you settled with? After everything you’ve been through, you pick a biker?”
I’m offended, to be quite honest. He thinks because he has money, and nice things, that he can have any girl he wants, and they’ll just do as he asks without hesitation. Not me. I’m not going to be that girl, nor will I ever be.
That’s exactly what he likes about me, and the only reason he keeps coming back for more.
I don’t take his crap.
“This biker,” I say, crossing my arms, “has done more for me in the past few weeks than anyone else in my life. I’d say I’m pretty damned lucky. But we’re not here to talk about me, are we...”
Cohen looks at me, and the expression on his face makes my heart flutter. My words meant something to him. Hell, they meant something to me even if I didn’t realize it when I was saying them.
“What do you want? Did you come to accept my offer?” Benedict asks. “If so, can you uncuff me because this isn’t comfortable.”
“Poor baby,” Cohen mutters, his voice more than a little sarcastic.
Benedict shoots him a glare. “Why is he here?”
“He is here because I want him to be,” I say, crossing my arms. “Now, I did discuss your offer with the club, and they don’t trust you, which is to be expected.”
“You’re making a mistake!” Benedict cuts me off before I’m done.
I put up a hand. “I wasn’t finished. They don’t trust you, but we would like to take you up on your offer, so we’ve secured something to ensure you don’t turn on us...”
Benedict’s face goes a touch lighter. Just a touch. I think he already knows exactly what I’m about to present. Cohen pulls out his phone and dials Zariah, who answers immediately. She doesn’t show her face. Instead, she has the camera right on Angelica. Benedict jerks in his chair when he sees his daughter sitting on the bed, staring at the camera. He doesn’t get the chance to speak to her. The phone goes dead.
Exactly how we wanted it.
Cohen puts it back in his pocket, and we both stare at the man sitting in front of us, his face wild with anger.
“We have no intention of hurting her,” I say, my voice calm. “However, if you so much as attempt to go back on your word or try to do something to harm anyone in my family, we will harm her. I promise you that. You want your family safe? So do I. She will be released safely the moment the job is done. Do we have a deal?”
“If you so much as harm a hair on her head...” he growls, jerking in the cuffs.
“You do right by us; we’ll do right by you. She will be released safely. I give you my word. Now, do we have a deal?”
He glares at me but nods sharply. “We have a deal. I will eliminate the problem, return your girl safely to you, and then we’ll all go our separate ways never to fucking cross again.”
It’s rare to hear Benedict swear, which tells me we’ve done the right thing taking his daughter. He’s worried, he’s angry, and now I’m far more likely to believe he’s going to keep to his word, which is exactly what we need.
“If you wish me to finish this, you’ll need to release me,” he goes on, voice tight, “I’ll need to make calls, get this set up.”
I nod. “I’ll have some men come in to watch you.”
Cohen and I turn and walk out, closing the door behind us.
Cohen spins quickly, grabbing me and pressing me against the wall, kissing me with a ferocity I’ve never felt from him. His mouth is hard and rough, and he is ravishing my lips like a man who will never taste a woman again. I whimper and curl my fingers into his hair, kissing him until my mouth hurts. Then I pull back. “What was that for?”
“You are the strongest, most fuckin’ beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Seein’ you like that, takin’ charge, fuck me...it does things to me.”
My cheeks heat. “Really?” I say with a sly smile.
“If I had time right now, I’d fuck you so god damned hard you’d lose your voice from screamin’, but unfortunately, we’ve got a little girl to save and a war to finish.”