Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 72561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
I knew that just because he gave up some names, didn’t mean he would give up all of them. “He’s got at least one more out. This guy’s got to be his partner, or right hand man. He knows Varian won’t give him up; that’s why he’s taunting me. He thinks he’s going to be able to get off scot-free, and I guaran-damn-tee you that he’s got a plan to get Varian out as well. It’s just a gut instinct right now. I can’t prove it, but why else would he give up that easily?”
Cabe watched the crime scene techs do their work for nearly five minutes as he thought over what he was going to say.
Finally, he turned and started asking questions. “Have you questioned the men? And speak with the neighbors as well as his workers.”
I nodded once.
I’d already planned on doing that in the morning.
“I need someone on Channing,” I told him.
“The department’s already strapped on funds as it is. I think it’s time you pulled your club in. Don’t take her out of the picture completely, though. She plays a part in it somehow, and you might need her to flush whoever it is out,” he said.
“I won’t use her as bait,” I snapped.
He rolled his eyes heavenward. “Did I tell you to use her as bait? Besides, my wife has a fondness for the woman, and I have a fondness for my wife. If I let something happen to Channing, I’d be denied my favorite place in the world. God help anyone and everything if my wife withholds herself from me. Everybody would be feeling it if that were to happen.”
After the chief left, I called Tunnel over.
“Come over to Sebastian’s house in the morning. Ten or so. We have some things to work out,” I commanded.
He saluted me. “Aye, aye.”
I flipped him off and left, making a note of the crowd that’d gathered since I’d arrived.
No one in particular stood out, but I had a feeling that the killer, whomever he may be, was there. Watching the activities going on at his murder scene, and getting his jollies off while he did.
Chapter 12
That moment when you realize life really is like a box of chocolates.
-Life Lesson
Channing
“Are you sure they all won’t be glaring at me the whole time?” I asked as I reluctantly walked up the sidewalk.
It was ten thirty in the morning, and we were already thirty minutes late, according to Loki. However, I couldn’t make my feet move.
What if they didn’t like me? What if they thought I was an uptight bitch, when in reality I was just a shy person?
“No, they won’t be glaring at you. Sebastian was the one who told me to bring you. It’ll be fine, I promise. They’re my family,” he said with those puppy dog eyes that made me do anything he wanted to do.
For instance, this morning, I made French toast, even though my stomach had been roiling at the thought of having to meet his club.
And I’d made it with a fucking smile on my face.
“Don’t leave me, okay?” I pleaded with him.
He winked at me. “We’ll see. I won’t leave you if you’re getting along with the women. And even if I do, I won’t go far.”
After that announcement, he knocked on the door, effectively stifling the sharp retort that was on the tip of my tongue.
He knew it, too, if the look on his face was any indication.
Sticking my tongue out at him in defiance, I punched him in the ass just as the door opened and a very pretty woman with mid back length blonde hair opened the door.
She also had the cutest little toddler on her hip that I’d ever seen.
“Woki!” The kid bellowed and launched herself at Loki’s empty arms.
She was cute. I mean really cute. And with Loki holding her in his arms like she was a precious angel, it was exponentially cuter.
“Hi, Blaise. How are you doing today?” Loki asked.
There was no baby talk in his question, which surprised me. Wasn’t it just a natural thing to do to talk to them like they were children, and not adults? Loki spoke to her like she was an adult, but Blaise loved it. She grabbed onto his face and pressed her lips to his scruffy cheek.
“Okay,” she said in the cutest, little voice I’d ever heard.
I wasn’t a big fan of kids. I only had experience with kids that weren’t mine or family. I’d heard that once I had my own kids, my outlook on kids would change, but I hadn’t met a child I’d liked yet.
Until this one.
“That’s my daughter, Blaise,” the blonde said. “I’m Baylee.”
She held out her hand to me, and I automatically offered the hurt one to her out of habit.
“Oh, is this the famous hand that got sliced while you and Loki were doing some BDSM sex play?” She asked with a mischievous tone to her voice.
I looked at her like she was crazy. “No, I cut it on Loki’s badge. Hurt like a mother, too.”
Baylee smiled a secret smile at Loki, then opened the door wider. “Come in.”
Loki entered first, cutting off my questioning about what that smile was about after the knife-play question, and I followed.
He led us into a huge, open room.
I’m talking massive. The ceilings had to be a good fifteen feet high, with large brown beams lining the peaks of the ceiling.
In fact, it was so big that the room had three ceiling fans set on a long pole that spanned the width of the room.
It was decorated in a rustic way with distressed furniture, a large brown leather sectional, and a massive plasma screen TV on the wall.
There were no cords or anything, and I absently wondered how they hid them.
“Hi, Channing,” a deep male voice said from directly in front of me.
I jumped and turned my head from the study of the cordless television to the tall man standing in front of me.
He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him.