Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 131455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
“You know how he is. He can be… theatrical at best.”
“To put it mildly.”
“If he’s holding Moroni for me, I can’t afford to pass up the opportunity. Like he said, there’s only so long you can hold someone like that before people come sniffing around. This isn’t like Kristoff. There’s no keeping him indefinitely.”
His sigh is heavy. Resigned. “You’re going, aren’t you?”
“I can’t afford not to. I need him dead. We all do.” I point to the house, my hand shaking with anticipation. “Those lives in there? They’re all that matters. If I don’t end him tonight, I’m going to regret it. One way or another, I’ll regret it.”
“Give me five minutes.”
“I never said you were coming with me.” I’m talking to the empty living room by now. He’s already getting changed in the adjoining bedroom.
“I swear you’re out of your damn mind. Why would you think I’d let you go alone? You might trust that little shit, but I don’t.”
There’s no use arguing, so I don’t bother. I want to get this done and over with. I pull three men aside. “I want someone stationed at my bedroom door, and another at Tatum’s. We’ll be back as soon as we can—Romero will keep you posted.” I look over my shoulder to find him leaving the cottage in dark jeans, a leather jacket, and his t-shirt.
“Do we have an address?”
I hand him the paper and wait as he plugs the address into his phone.
“A warehouse. No surprise. It’s in Costello territory, at least. Did he ask Jack for a meeting there?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask questions,” I tell him. I’m halfway to the car, which I’ll be driving. I can’t sit passively for another minute. I’ve done enough of that to last me a lifetime. This is it. I want blood. Knowing I’m this close to achieving what I’ve waited for is a heady sensation that translates to a heavy foot on the gas pedal. I’m so close. This ends tonight.
“I’ll take the lead.” Romero’s voice is quiet, low. “Just in case. Stay back until I give you the all-clear.” When I don’t answer, he turns toward me. “Boss. I need you to agree with me.”
“We have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m going in first.”
My audible scoff has his palm slapping against the glove box.
“Let me do my job. I’m not going to watch you walk into a trap. I need to check and make sure it’s safe.”
“Do what you feel is best.” I’m not going to continue to argue with him. Jack kidnapped my little bird. He took her mother from her. He could’ve killed my daughter. He tried to use my unborn child against me. There is no amount of pain that will make up for all he’s done, but that isn’t going to stop me from trying.
The warehouse sits in a quiet part of town surrounded by tall, boxy buildings with darkened windows. They cast long shadows over an empty street and I swear I can taste death in the air. I couldn’t have chosen a better location for what’s about to happen. I know it is. I feel it. He’s nearby, and every breath he takes is one closer to his final gasp.
I slow the car to turn into the fenced-off lot. We’re a few dozen feet from the warehouse when I roll to a stop. Neither of us speaks as we study the scene: five dark, empty cars with the wide door leading inside the brick structure left slightly ajar beneath a bare lightbulb.
“I don’t see anyone out here,” Romero muses before removing the Glock from his waistband. “There’re a lot of cars to have nobody posted outside.”
“I’ll call him.” I look away from the door long enough to pull up the last incoming number and hit dial. When Sebastian answers, I mutter, “I’m outside.”
“Come in.” The door swings open wider and Sebastian appears. He looks around for a moment before spotting my car, then waves his arm. He’s smiling like a man greeting long-awaited guests.
“He’s either insane or… no, I’m going with insane.” Romero slides out of the vehicle and I do the same. Sebastian eyes the gun visible in Romero’s hand, his brows drawn together with concern, but he doesn’t say a word. A good sign. If this were a trap, he’d tell us we don’t need to be armed. It’s what I would do.
I can barely hear over the heavy thud of my heart by the time we come to a stop in the center of the glow given off by the overhead light. “I told you to come alone, but I figure you two are joined at the hip, so it doesn’t matter.” Sebastian looks Romero up and down with a smirk.
“What’s this about?” I demand. “Tell me he’s waiting for me in there.”