Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Colt looks like he’s ready to take a gun to her, and I’m really trying hard not to lose it laughing. I look to Western, who shoots me a warning glare. I look away, pressing a hand to my mouth.
Time for me to go, I think.
Before I make this situation any worse by giggling.
I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.
14
Heading towards Western’s office, I pause when I hear his voice coming from inside. I’ve just curled my hand around the doorknob, ready to open it, but pause at the angry tone he’s using to talk to whoever it is he’s talking to. Is someone in there with him? After a few seconds, I realize that I can’t hear another voice, so he must be on the phone.
It’s what he’s talking about that has me listening in, instead of entering his office.
I know I shouldn’t be listening in, but something about his conversation gives me pause.
I press my ear to the door, feeling guilty, but unable to stop myself.
“I fuckin’ heard you, and I’m tellin’ you, this is what we’re doin’. I don’t care if Bill is suspicious. You’re goin’ to go in as usual, buy that boy, and bring him to me. You know how this works, Wesley.”
My heart skips a beat.
I must be hearing him wrong.
“Bill don’t fuckin’ know it’s me buying them off him. He has no fuckin’ idea. Just do the trade like you always do. I’ll deal with the rest.”
No.
No.
No, I can’t be hearing this right.
Because if I am, what I’m hearing is that Western has a guy who is getting the boys off Bill. Then what happens, does he sell them for more? Double the price? And all along his club is safe because there is no link to them? I must be getting it wrong, because there is no way Western is that evil. No way.
“Tell him he will get what he’s fuckin’ always got and not a cent more. He pays the parents to get the boys, he sells them to me for double, he’s gettin’ his cut. He don’t need to know anythin’ fuckin’ more than that. We’re a buyer, that’s the end of it. If he asks more questions, you tell him you’ll take your business elsewhere. Stick to the plan. I’ll meet you tonight for the handover. You know where. Eight. Don’t be late.”
Shock runs through my body as I scramble away from the door, frantically rushing down the hall before Western comes out and notices me listening in. I dart out the front door and rush out, heading towards the shed. Fury just brought me back to the club after he took me to get a few things from in town, and if I go running back out now, he’ll know something is wrong.
I just got the information I’ve been wanting for for so long, and yet it’s the last thing I ever wanted to hear.
Western lied to me.
He has been involved all along.
After everything he has been through, he is the monster behind the plan.
He looked me right in the eyes and told me he wasn’t involved.
Reaching the shed, I rush inside, slamming the door. Hand pressing to my heart, I close my eyes and try to remain calm. It doesn’t matter what I tell myself now, the truth is right in front of me. I’m afraid, though, that if I tell Western I know that this might end badly. He could deny it, for a start, make up a story and have me believe I’ve gotten it all wrong. Which is why I’m going to follow him when he goes tonight.
I’m going to follow him, confront him, then I’m leaving this town.
I can’t be here anymore.
The heartbreak is too much to carry.
Already there is a pain in the pit of my stomach because I know how much this is going to hurt. I know that leaving Western is going to be so incredibly difficult for me. I love him, and for the first time in forever, I had hope for us. I thought we were going to finish this together, and then create a life. A life where the two of us would love each other until the day we die. Now, that is being ripped from beneath me once more.
I fight back my tears, tired of crying.
I’m tired of hurting.
I’m tired of being lied to.
I take a deep breath, push my chin out, and make a plan.
The first step in that plan is making sure Western doesn’t know that I know.
I want to follow him, undetected. I want to make sure I catch him in the act.
Then he can’t talk his way out of it.
Then, I’m going to call Nathan and tell him what I know.
I don’t want to see the man I love go down, but I can’t watch another teenager be snatched from their lives and sold.