Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
His question reminds me of the conversation I once had with my father outside of the cathedral.
“You will one day marry your Lord, but he will not define you.” Giving me a soft smile, he adds, “But a sacrifice must be made in order to get to the top.”
“What do I have to sacrifice?” I ask.
He looks away from me, staring out the windshield, and the silence lingers among us before he answers, “Whatever they want.”
My life is no longer about having power or being at the top. Now it’s all about the life I want to live with my husband. And I’ll give up anything for him. My father lied because my Lord does define me. I’m nothing without him.
“Absolutely.” I swallow the knot in my throat. Not because I’m nervous but because I know it will require a lot. My mother isn’t going to hand him over. Especially to me.
“The others aren’t really going to care, but Adam…” He shrugs. “He cares what happens to you.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes,” I reassure him, and he pats my thigh.
Bill pulls his hand back just as both front doors open. Kashton hops in the passenger seat while Saint takes the driver’s side. The door on my right opens, and Adam jumps in, smashing me between him and Bill. His eyes drop to my shaking legs and then my eyes.
I look ahead and try to even my breathing out. Getting myself worked up won’t do any good. My mom will smell my fear.
We pull up to an airfield that’s close to Carnage, and a private jet awaits us and another car. The front and back doors open, and four men jump out. They begin talking to Tyson, who gets out of the car following us with Sin and Ryat.
Bill gets out, and I go to follow, but I’m grabbed and jerked through the opposite door. Then I’m pushed up against the side of the SUV. A hand wraps around my throat, pinning me in place as Adam presses his hard body into mine. Lowering his lips to my ear, he whispers, “Don’t leave my fucking side, princess. I don’t trust him; do you understand me?”
“Everything okay?” Bill calls out.
Adam drops his hand from my neck and steps back. We both look over to see everyone standing on the tarmac staring at us.
“Yeah,” I say to Bill, trying to give him a reassuring smile. Then I look at Adam and nod. “Yeah.” I'm hoping he understands I’m answering his question.
Adam grabs my hand and yanks me from the SUV and pulls me toward the plane.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re in love with your friend’s wife.” Bill speaks as we walk by him.
“You don’t know shit.” Adam snorts.
SEVENTY-NINE
CHARLOTTE
I’ve never been surrounded by so many Lords at once in such a tight space. I mean, the jet is huge, but the last time I was with this many was during my initiation at the cathedral.
Not to bring any attention to myself, I sit quietly next to Adam, listening to them go over their options. Tyson’s men brought plans to a place they keep referencing as Dollhouse. I’ve never heard of it other than that one time Haidyn asked me about it.
They think my mom runs it, and I want to argue, but the fact that Bill has remained quiet has me keeping my mouth shut. It’s obvious he knows more than me. I’ll just add it to the list of things my mother has been lying to me about.
“What if he’s not there?” Sin asks. “If we need to, we can split up and hit another place at the same time,” he offers.
“He’s there,” Bill assures him. “She wanted him. This is the only place she’d be able to keep him without my knowledge.”
Saint snorts. “Then how are you so sure?”
“I have someone on the inside. I couldn’t prove it or risk going to you all until I got the confirmation this morning. They informed me she’s keeping him in the dungeon. Total isolation and drugged.”
A dungeon? My mother has one of those? Fuck, even Carnage just calls it their basement. And drugs? What kind of drugs could my mother have access to? A sickening feeling makes my stomach roil.
“Same thing she did to him during our ‘training.’ Fuck, I hate that goddamn bitch.” Saint hisses.
Training? What are they talking about training? Since when do Lords go through that? The video comes to mind that I’ve been sent where he’s strung up, bleeding and being tortured. The one where they waterboarded him…was my mom the she they were referring to?
“I hate to be a Negative Nancy here…” one of Tyson’s men speaks. I remember him introducing himself to Bill as Colton before we boarded the plane. When Bill asked him if they were able to get access to the plans of the address, he had given them. “But what if he’s dead?”