Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
He betrayed us.
Their boat quickly becomes enveloped in the dark without so much as one light on board. They planned it this way, I realize, as the boat slinks far into the night, leaving me behind. I wouldn’t be surprised if another one of Manuel’s men were to appear out of nowhere, but the only activity is the flash of emergency lights from the harbor patrol cutter coming into view too late.
A booming voice on a loudspeaker at full volume makes me jump. “Ma'am, are you all right?"
"Get that boat," I say in a groggy voice. It sounds like I’m talking through a tin can. I blink, suddenly blinded by the flashlight beam of the harbor patrol officer peering at me.
"Ma'am, are you intoxicated?"
I shake my head. "No, I was drugged. I was fucking drugged. Go get him!"
The officer doesn't respond. I don't know why he's not responding to my plea for them to go get them now.
“Get who? Let’s take it easy now. Why don’t you tell me what happened?"
I have no idea what I can tell them…. but I know who I am.
I look him in the eyes. “My name is Starla Soul. And I need to speak with Sergio Montavio. Now.”
The officer takes a step back. He knows exactly who Sergio is. "Of course," he says in a hoarse voice, looking at the wake of the boat that left. As if he didn’t know they were taking off.
They don't interfere with mafia war.
And he also knows that if I asked to see Sergio Montavio, he has no choice.
Sergio’s on the line. “Starla. Where are you?"
“I’m on the pier by Longwharf. Sergio, Fern betrayed you. And they took Timeo, Sergio.” I swallow. “He betrayed you, too. "
"I… You're on the pier where?" I look around at my surroundings.
"At the waterfront. I can see the cruise ship, and restaurants. I think… I think I'm near the North End.”
I hand the phone back to the officer, exhausted. I hate feeling this weak. Fern drugged me, I know she did.
My head is spinning from everything that just happened. I knew that man, I knew those cruel, merciless eyes. It makes me sick to my stomach to realize a woman I thought of as a friend is working in conjunction with the man that gave me nightmares.
How much does Timeo know? And why did he reach for his neck?
Thank God I only took the smallest sip of that seltzer. I would've been passed out by now, on that boat with Timeo. Timeo…
I knew that I couldn’t get on that boat, because the only way I could go for help was if I escaped. Timeo and I had the same thought.
A car pulls up. I freeze and the harbor patrol officer flashes a blinding light in the direction of approaching footsteps.
I’ve never been so happy to see Adriano.
"Quinn was right," he says. “Starla, are you alright?”
Adriano may have been an asshole before, but it feels so good to see a friendly face, I almost burst into tears. "They took Timeo, Adriano. I tried to get these guys to go off after them.”
If he betrayed us, why does it still make me want to weep at losing him? Timeo is a traitor, I know that now.
Adriano shakes his head. "The harbor patrol won’t interfere in a mafia war. Come with me. Timeo can take care of himself. We’ll find him."
Going with him seems like the best decision right now. I choke on a sob and pull my shit together. I sink against the passenger seat.
“Tell me what happened. And we will put out a search party for him.”
Search party? God. Isn’t that what you do when you’re already desperate and need to begin sweeping the beach for evidence of a body?
"Did Fern serve Quinn a drink tonight?" Adriano gives me a sharp look.
"What are you talking about?"
I swallow hard. “She was a mole. She's on that boat with Manuel Rodriguez." I swallow. “He’s cartel.”
Adriano narrows his eyes.
“No, don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not saying that Timeo’s cartel, though I’m not sure he wasn’t working with them.”
"I figured as much. It was too simple. They had no reason to let him go. So you're telling me he's now in the middle of the ocean with Rodriguez and Fern, and who knows who's driving that boat.”
“Yeah.”
Adriano pulls up his phone, and I let my fingers delicately touch my neck. I remember what it felt like when Timeo held me…
I finger the locket he gave me.
Wait a minute.
Inside the locket is a picture of the two of us from years ago. We were so much younger.
I want to yank it off my neck and throw it out the window.
Timeo, how could you have done this to me?
I feel like I've already survived so much. And all this time, he was lying to me. He never intended on being mine. He never intended on marrying me.