Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
****
Tulip didn’t need to be a genius to know running toward a forest was a bad sign. Her hair was wet. It was cold and her clothes stuck to her body. Landon had already thrown a jacket over her in an attempt to keep her warm, which was really sweet. She had to stop thinking of Landon as being nice or sweet, or any kind of words like that.
He still had feelings for Sarah, or at least he thought he did.
Either way, she didn’t know who was chasing after them. Landon and Jade both had a gun. What did she have? Oh, yeah, Landon’s hand.
She didn’t exactly have any experience with a gun. Nope, she only knew how to use a knife, her fists, and a mean kick.
“How do you think they found us?” Jade asked as they went deeper into the forest but stopped behind some foliage to take cover.
“I was too exposed making a phone call. Do you recognize them?”
“Not a chance. Their masks cover their faces. I don’t know who they are or what they want.”
“I think it’s best if you two stop whispering. We know they’re following us. What we need to do is get to shelter,” Tulip said.
Staying outside all night would put them all at risk to the elements. She didn’t exactly know what was hiding in this forest, but she had a pretty good idea it wasn’t anything she wanted to wake up to at night.
“Come on, let’s keep moving.”
Landon once again took her hand. They rounded a tree and she couldn’t help but cry out as a bullet struck the wood near her head.
“Fuck!”
He pulled her in front of him but they were protected by the tree and suddenly, she was near gunfire.
Within seconds, she was thrown to the ground as Jade and Landon began to fire. Landon’s body covered hers, and she hated being so vulnerable. This wasn’t good. She needed to get to cover but with his weight bearing down on her, there was no escape.
She covered her ears to try to muffle the sound.
Time passed and suddenly, the weight was off her.
She got to her feet to see Jade had a flashlight.
“What are you doing?” Tulip asked.
“We’ve got to see who sent them.” Jade took a step toward the fallen men.
“Are you fucking crazy? We’ve got to keep moving.” Tulip couldn’t even see the bodies.
“No, we need to know if they’re my family, Jade’s, or bounty hunters.”
“Do you really think they’re going to have a badge with a name on it? It doesn’t work like that.”
“If they have the Castillo crest on the back of their neck, they’re mine,” Jade said.
“The Denton D for my family’s soldiers,” he said.
“And a bounty hunter?” Tulip asked. They were both crazy with a death wish.
“There are no marks. There’s nothing,” Landon said.
He didn’t walk away from her. Before she could stop him, he held her hand and walked her back toward where the bodies were. “You can look away if you need to,” he said.
“It’s not the first time I’ve seen a dead body. I’ll be fine.” She’d seen a lot in her life and even though it freaked her out to admit it, she wasn’t going to fall. She wasn’t some victim. This was her life as well.
Jade bent down and checked the back of the neck. “They’re not ours. Bounty hunters.”
“We need to get cover.”
“Let’s hope he didn’t see us,” she said.
“Why would it matter if they saw us? They’re dead.” Tulip felt the beginnings of a headache, and an odd feeling she really should have stayed with Landon’s family. It might have been easier for her.
“I’m supposed to be dead. Landon kidnapped me. He was going to kill me until I convinced him I wanted to be free. We were supposed to be married. I’m the reason Sarah got killed. The Denton and Castillo families would make us one hell of an empire.”
“Let’s not forget the deal he struck with the Savona for my sister,” Landon said.
“Yes, three messed-up families, united as one through marriage. If anyone was crazy enough to do it, it would have been Maddox.”
“This is all great, but we have to find shelter. I’m not going to be at the mercy here of whatever creatures live in this forest.”
“Bears and wolves mostly. Believe me, we want out of here,” Jade said. “You lead the way, boss.”
Landon held her hand and they walked back toward the house. The gates were open and there was a single black truck parked a few feet down from the house.
“Let’s use their ride,” Landon said.
“We need to load up on ammo as well,” Jade said.
“Where did you learn to shoot?”
“Landon taught me. If he wasn’t going to kill me, he didn’t want to have a liability on his case. He taught me to shoot.”