Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Felix, Mace, Gunner, Chains, and I hop on our bikes and head toward the east side of town.
My veins burn with fire and fury as we race down the dirt path that leads to the highway that will take us to the town. We sail through the empty streets, and my heartbeat gets louder by the second. I should have gutted Warner at dinner. He’s already taken someone close to me, I won’t let him hurt the woman I can see spending the rest of my life with.
I can see it all with her.
I hate myself for letting her leave earlier when I should have grabbed her, told her everything about Warner. I hate that he has her now.
And he took her because of me.
We race across town, and my imagination runs wild with the things he might do to her.
A part of me wants to hold to the belief that he’s not after her. That he’s using her for bait to lure me in.
As we pull up to an abandoned warehouse, I whisper to myself. “You’ve got me motherfucker. I’m here.”
Chapter 11
Dakota
* * *
I’ve got the worst headache in the history of headaches. I open one eye, trying to decipher my surroundings. My mind is cloudy, and it feels like cotton balls are stuffed deep down my throat.
Where am I? And then it all comes rushing back in a myriad of strange colors and sounds.
Warner, standing outside my SUV window.
Smashed glass all over my face.
Fighting to get away from him. And that’s the last thing I remember.
My eyes finally focus as I glance around the dim room. I’m sitting in a chair, my arms bound behind my back.
I try to make some sort of noise come out of my dry mouth. “Hello,” I croak out.
Silence answers me.
I can’t be here all alone, can I?
Warner must be here somewhere, slithering around like the snake he is.
“Hello,” I say a bit louder.
“She’s waking up,” a man’s voice says.
I struggle against my restraints, trying to clear my head of the lingering fog. When I finally have my bearings, a figure comes out of the darkness and steps closer.
“There you are,” Warner’s voice says.
“Let me go. My father wouldn’t like this.”
He rolls his eyes. “That’s the whole point.”
His face comes into view and I stare into his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Politicians in your pocket is always a good thing to acquire.” He says the words like I should have known his motive all along.
“What about Ruin?” I know he has a past with Ruin, and I need information because I’m not quite sure what to make of everything yet.
Warner smirks, like he thinks he’s brilliant. “That’s why you were the perfect person to snag. A twofer.”
“What? I don’t understand.”
“We get your father and Ruin to come down here and try to rescue you.” He lets loose a maniacal laugh, and it makes my skin crawl. “I couldn’t have planned this better if I’d tried.”
“Well, lucky you,” I say, sarcastically.
“Luck had nothing to do with it.”
“What are you planning on doing to Ruin?” I ask, wishing my hands were free so I could punch this guy square in the jaw.
“I don’t need Ruin. In fact, nothing positive can come from having Ruin around.”
My heart lurches with understanding. He wants to kill him.
I won’t let that happen. I don’t know how I’ll save Ruin when I’m currently sitting in an abandoned warehouse with my hands tied behind my back, but I can’t let Ruin get hurt because of me.
I won’t allow it.
“You’re not going to get away with this,” I say, which sounds so very cliche, but I don’t care. I need to keep this man talking so he doesn’t decide to kill me before anyone can show up. “Did you tell everyone where we are? So they can rescue me?” I say with a hint of sarcasm. “What if they don’t come?”
“Stop with the questions.”
“They’re not coming,” I shout, wishing for one moment my loved ones wouldn’t come hunting for me. I want to keep them all safe.
My father steps into the light, his Taurus GX4 9mm in his hand, aiming it right at Warner. “Let her go,” he shouts.
I laugh to myself, gaining Warner’s attention. “Not quality security, huh?”
“Shut up,” he says, smacking me across my face.
Before my father can do anything about it, someone’s already aimed a gun at the back of his neck and takes his weapon from his hands. More of Warner’s men surface, each of them armed.
“So glad you could join us, Kevin.” Warner watches as two of his men plop my father into a chair next to me and bind his hands.
“Don’t worry, sweet pea. We’ll get out of this.” My father’s angry eyes meet Warner’s. “What’s your master plan here? Are you seriously considering killing a mayor?” My father struggles against his restraints as the man finishes tying him up.